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International delegation explores structural change in Lusatia!
Delegation from Katowice visited BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg to discuss transition challenges and research exchange.
International delegation explores structural change in Lusatia!
From September 22nd to 24th, 2025, a delegation from Katowice, Poland visited the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg. This exchange was part of the Just Transition Fund (JTF)-funded research project “Regional Observatory of the Transition Process” led by the University of Economics in Katowice. The aim of the visit was to discuss the challenges of structural change and to explore perspectives for scientific collaboration. Loud b-tu.de Representatives from administration, business and science from the Katowice region took part, led by Prof. Monika Wieczorek-Kosmala and Prof. Dr. Adam Drobniak.
Dr. Tim Rottleb and Dr. Johannes Staemmler from the BTU organized the event. Prof. Dr. Wolfram Berger welcomed the delegation and emphasized the common challenges and the potential for international cooperation in the area of transformation of coal mining regions. Katowice and Lusatia face similar transformation challenges triggered by the decline in coal mining.
Insights into structural change
The program included various visits, including the Center for Hybrid Electric Systems Cottbus (chesco) and the Lausitz Science Park. There was also an exchange with actors from the Cottbus Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as LEAG AG and TAKRAF AG. An impressive part of the program was the visit to the Welzow-Süd opencast mine, where the delegation gained insights into the lignite industry and its regional effects.
This visit highlighted the complexity of structural change and the common challenges that exist in both Poland and Germany. The direct exchange fostered the basis for future academic partnerships and joint research projects.
Support for coal mining regions
In order to support structural change in coal mining regions, the federal-state coordination committee decided on a comprehensive package on June 13, 2024. This aims to promote investments in the coal regions in both the east and west of Germany and to make the use of funds more flexible. Dr. Wolf Reuter, a representative of the Federal Ministry of Finance, emphasized the need for common answers to make instruments more flexible for the regions.
The Investment Law for Coal Regions, which has been in force since August 2020, provides up to 41.09 billion euros for structural change. It is expected that investments in innovative transformation technologies will be triggered. The changes to the federal program “STARK” strengthen the measures to promote entrepreneurial activity and innovation in these regions, with an increase in the investment rate to 100%. Loud bundesfinanzministerium.de Ten rail projects are also to be planned in the affected regions.
Overall, these developments show the proactive approach to the challenges of structural change in coal regions, with international cooperation and knowledge exchange between Germany and Poland playing a central role.