Honorary Professor Peter Mark: Bridges of science between Bochum and Skopje

Honorary Professor Peter Mark: Bridges of science between Bochum and Skopje

On May 30, 2025, Prof. Dr. Peter Mark, the chair of solid construction at the Ruhr University Bochum, was honored as an honorary professor at the University of St. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje. This honor took place as part of the celebrations for the 76th founding anniversary and the patron festival, the day of Saints Cyril and Methodius. Rector Prof. Dr. Biljana Angelova highlighted the importance of international knowledge exchange and the need for lasting partnerships.

Peter Mark, who has been promoting joint training and the exchange of doctoral students between universities for over 20 years, has made a significant contribution to the over 40-year partnership in civil engineering. This award is given to individuals who have made notable contributions to the development of science and education as well as to cooperation with the university.

Promote collaboration

Mark's goal is to expand the existing cooperation between the universities towards a PhD cooperation. As part of this collaboration, doctoral students will conduct research at both the University of Skopje and Bochum and support teaching in Skopje. Scholarships not only cover accommodation, but also experimental equipment and travel to conferences for graduate students. Rector Angelova emphasized the commitment to building further bridges between universities in order to ensure the support of young researchers and students.

In this context, the university is not limited to cooperation with Skopje alone. The Technical University of Berlin is also internationally involved and supports global scientific collaborations. This includes supporting existing contacts with partner institutions as well as promoting new collaborations. Coordination with strategic partners is also one of the tasks of the Department for International Scientific Cooperation at TU Berlin, which also offers a translation service, among other things.

UNESCO and international cooperation

UNESCO plays an important role in promoting international scientific cooperation. Not only through the creation of important research organizations such as CERN, but also through projects such as SESAME, based on the CERN concept and located in the Middle East. Germany played a key role in the construction of SESAME and also has observation status on the committee.

In addition, the International Abdus Salam Center for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Italy shows how UNESCO promotes research in low-income countries. Every year around 500,000 US dollars flow into ICTP programs, which support scientists from all over the world. Over 100,000 scientists have already worked there and are active in research areas such as medical physics, environmental economics and climate research.

Overall, the activities of universities such as the Ruhr University Bochum, the Technical University of Berlin and UNESCO illustrate the central role of international exchange in science. It is this exchange that creates both scientific and interpersonal bridges and lays the foundation for future collaborations.