In the summer, 48 master and doctoral students were admitted to the new Software Campus batch. They are now in the process of finalising their project descriptions (VHB) in order to unblock the funding by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research for their IT research projects at their institutions. The project descriptions are closely coordinated with the cooperation partners (university or research institution and industry partner).
New format: Writers Workshop
For the first time, participants worked together on their VHBs in a Writers Workshop to be best prepared for this step. Julia Krause (FAU & DATEV), Huanzhuo Wu (TU Dresden & Huawei), Nishant Kumar (TU Dresden & Zeiss) and Daniel Zimmermann (KIT & IAV) tried out the new format for the Software Campus. The aim was a targeted exchange on specific chapters of the project descriptions, which the participants themselves determined in advance.
For one hour, each participant had the full attention of all participants in the workshop, in which only the VHB chapter with a self-chosen thematic focus was discussed. The special feature of the workshop was that the participant whose VHB chapter was being discussed was not allowed to take part in the active discussion. This serves as a kind of rehearsal for the VHB, because after submitting the VHB to the DLR Project Management Agency (Projektträger), the VHB must be able to pass without additional oral explanations by the author, too.
In January 2021 the IT research projects will begin
Soon, the final VHBs of all participants will be submitted and checked by the DLR Projektträger, so that the funds can be unblocked until December 2020. The projects can start in the beginning of 2021 if not before. Here you can already find the profiles of some new participants.
Software Campus events take place digitally
Like all the events in the program since March – the selection symposium and kick-off for the 2020 batch and the training courses for the 2019 batch – this workshop also took place digitally. A “group picture” was nevertheless taken. Thanks to all participants!
