Suche
Mein Konto
Innovative breakthrough: New immersive collaboration hub opened in Hagen!
The local council in the Ruhr area met at the FernUniversität Hagen campus to discuss innovations and regional networking.
Innovative breakthrough: New immersive collaboration hub opened in Hagen!
On March 9, 2025, the local council in the Ruhr Regional Association (RVR) met on the FernUniversität campus in Hagen. The local council, consisting of eleven mayors and four district administrators, came in the new one Immersive Collaboration Hub (I) together, a state-of-the-art space designed for innovative applications.
At the opening, Thomas Eiskirch, Mayor of Bochum and spokesman for the local council, and Erik O. Schulz, Mayor of Hagen, welcomed the participants of the meeting. In addition to the local representatives, Garrelt Duin, regional director of the RVR, was also present. Prof. Dr. Stefan Stuermer, the designated rector of the FernUniversität, emphasized the importance of the scientific landscape in the Ruhr area in his speech. He highlighted how universities and research institutes act as regional pride and play a key role as innovation drivers in the transformation of the Ruhr area.
The Immersive Collaboration Hub
The Immersive Collaboration Hub uses technologies such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and artificial intelligence (AI) to offer users the opportunity to immerse themselves in virtual worlds. This combination of reality and virtuality enables teachers, students and company representatives to work on innovative projects. The realization of the hub was mainly financed by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
During the meeting, Prof. Dr. Thomas Ludwig from the ABD research focus led the committee through the hub and explained the integration possibilities of these technologies into the educational landscape and beyond.
Networking for the future
The exchange of communication and knowledge about digital transformation, climate change and the challenges of the energy and mobility transition were at the center of the discussion. It became clear that networked, cross-system solutions are necessary in order to develop long-term strategies. The innovation network ruhr valley, founded in 2016, actively contributes to the development and implementation of innovative solutions for the Ruhr metropolis.
The network includes institutions such as Bochum University, Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and the Westphalian University, as well as numerous companies. It has been funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research since 2017. The focus is on practical testing and transdisciplinary research and development projects that contribute to improving the quality of life in the region.
By combining science, business and education in the Immersive Collaboration Hub and supporting the innovation network ruhrvalley, the FernUniversität in Hagen is becoming a central player in the process of digital and sustainable transformation of the Ruhr area.