Collaboration is key

The transCampus is a unique partnership established by King’s College London and Technische Universität Dresden as a transnational strategic partnership based on the idea of true cooperation and an intense dedication for collaboration in all fields. Guided by shared ideas, values and a devotion to research and education, transCampus enables researchers to work together beyond the means of a traditional partnership by sharing resources, combining their strength, and promoting transnational projects and knowledge transfer.

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Outstanding research

Collaboration

By combining the varied interests and emphases pursued at King’s College, the TU Dresden, and their partners, a multitude of research projects in various fields of study are joined under the roof of the transCampus. For example, as part of the transCampus researchers in Haematology develop strategies and clinical studies where all partners profit from the shared resources. Other prominent joint research projects are in the field of Diabetes research and Psychology.
Through the international, innovative and solution-oriented approach, the transCampus can compete with other excellent universities and institutions worldwide. The transCampus created a vivid and powerful network that includes several other excellent research institutions and universities around the world.

Opportunities for all

transCampus has created an inviting training and working environment that promotes collaboration opportunities and fosters the exchange between all levels of both universities. With the transCampus, King’s College and TU Dresden have developed a powerful and committed network to help advance the synergies in research, teaching and administration.

This gives outstanding students the opportunity to advance their studies in unique projects, where they can thrive under the guidance of dedicated researchers. Furthermore, non-academic staff gathers new experiences making use of exchange opportunities or job shadowing at the partner institution.

Students

All the major problems of the world today are global in essence, and they cannot be solved unless through some kind of global cooperation.

Yuval Noah Harari

Milestones

In 2015, King’s College London and TU Dresden established the transCampus initiative. Since then, many milestones have been reached and even more steps have been taken to create a wide academic platform and a unique partnership.

2014
Prof. Stefan Bornstein

Sefan Bornstein
Appointed transCampus Dean

Prof. Lechler and Prof. Bornstein

Sir Robert Lechler, King’s College London, visits Dresden for Strategic Meetings

June 2015
September 2015
Hans Müller-Steinhagen, Ed Byrn et al. after the signature of the memorandum of understanding

Signature of the Memorandum of Understanding

Opening of an exhibition at King's College London

King‘s President and Principal Ed Byrne
Opening the Exhibition Science Unlimited
in London

May 2017
February 2018
Three people sitting on a table in a row and listening to something

1st Annual Retreat of the Joint PhD Training Programme IRTG2251

two persons in a lab

First Visits at the Partner Labs in the Joint PhD Training Programme IRTG 225

March 2018
October 2018
transCampus develops collaborative links to include materials research

Minister-President of Saxony Visits the transCampus in London
Signature of MoU in Materials Science

British Ambassador

UK Ambassador Sir Sebastian Wood Visits TU Dresden

February 2019
February 2019
Duke of Kent

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, Visits TU Dresden

2nd Annual Retreat of the Joint PhD Programme IRTG 2251

February 2019
March 2019
Poster for Symposium Global Challenges of the 21st Century

1st transCampus Symposium on Global Challenges of the 21st Century

King's College London Summerset House

Strategic Review Meeting at King’s College London

May 2019
June 2019
Mental Health Workshop

Kick-off Workshop on Mental Health

Prof. Müler-Steinhagen

TUD-Rector Hans Müller-Steinhagen First British Honorary Consul in Saxony

October 2019
November 2019
Prof. Chauduri and Prof. Thuret

Kick-off-Workshop on Neurosciences

Prof. Hannig and Prof. Green

Kick-off Workshop on Dental Medicine and Material Sciences

December 2019
February 2020
Prof. Riedle and Prof. Shargorodsky

Appointments of Two New transCampus Professors in Mathematics

Prof. Stephan and Prof. Pariante

Appointments of new transCampus Professors in Psychology

Summer 2020
January 2021
Studenten sitzen vor Biomensa

Joint PhD Agreement in Psychology Signed

transCampus events

A brighter future for science and research will not be shaped by academia alone – in our global and interconnected world, communication and interaction between the different parts in a society are vital for a comprehensive development. The transCampus aims to bridge the gap between theoretical research at universities and practical approaches in our society and economy in all involved areas.

Saxon Minister for Economic Affairs impressed by the joint activities of transCampus

Martin Dulig, Saxon State Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Transport, called the transCampus a role model for international cooperation during his delegation visit on 16 May. At the Science Gallery next to the Guy’s Campus of King’s College London, where the transCampus had organised an event on the occasion, Mr Dulig gained a detailed insight in the manifold scientific and also economic activities taking place between Dresden and London.

Scientists from both universities presented their research results in areas as diverse as the impact of diabetes on Covid-19 infections, the treatment of affective disorders, or the ability of SME-entrepreneurs to adapt to the pandemic in terms of well-being. In 2020 Prof. Stefan Bornstein (TU Dresden) and Prof. Manuel Mayr (King’s College) were able to identify protein biomarkers affecting the severity and mortality of Covid-19. Also in 2020 Prof. Ute Stephan (King’s College) started a global study of entrepreneurship during the pandemic, for which researchers from TU Dresden interviewed a large number of entrepreneurs in Germany. Analysing the results from a high number of countries, the study highlights the diverse opportunities how entrepreneurs adapted their businesses in means of digitalisation, sustainability and inclusion or local commitment. Furthermore, Prof. Allan Young gave an insight how an international research training group will provide a foundation for interdisciplinary neuropsychiatric and translational research and training to elaborate and combine research methods and innovative treatment approaches for affective disorders like depression. Also in regard to supporting young scientists in their career advancement Prof. Gianaurelio Cuniberti introduced the joint endeavours of TU Dresden and King’s College London in the Dresden Center for Intelligent Materials. Moreover, the Dresden-London start-up Innate Repair explained their innovative approach to preventing the regeneration of supposedly defeated tumours.

New Cooperation Agreement Signed at the Visit of Minister-President Michael Kretschmer to London

In October 2018, the Saxon Minister-President Michael Kretschmer visited London with a delegation of science and business on the occasion of the anniversary of German unification. As one part of the delegation programme, he gave a speech at the signing ceremony of a new transCampus cooperation agreement. The Memorandum of Understanding was agreed upon between the London based Thomas Young Centre (TYC) and the Dresden Center for Computational Material Sciences (DCMS) of Technische Universität Dresden, expanding the transCampus initiative to the field of material sciences.

The TYC is an interdisciplinary alliance of about 100 research groups based at University College London, Imperial College London, King’s College London and Queen Mary University London. “Dresden is a leading centre of materials research in Europe and worldwide. Strengthening the research network through international co-operations is key to our future strategy”, stated Prof. Gianaurelio Cuniberti, Chair of Materials Science and Nanotechnology at TU Dresden and Managing Director of DCMS.  “The expertise of Dresden and London in materials science complement each other perfectly.”

Michael Kretschmer showed himself impressed with the results of the partnership so far, and with this next step taken, the transCampus can expand its horizon even further and continue help addressing the challenges of society and industry, now also through the theory and simulation of materials. During his stay at the Strand Campus of King’s College London, the Minister-President made also good use of the opportunity to talk to students and hear their perspectives on the cooperation.

1st transCampus Symposium on Global Challenges of the 21st Century

The global challenges of our time need not only be tackled by international teams of scientists, but these challenges need to be discussed by the public as well, as solving them will influence all our everyday lives.

This is why transCampus set up a new series of public symposia, the first of which took place at the Francis Crick Institute in London in March 2019. To this “Symposium on Global Challenges of the 21st Century”, hosted by Nobel Prize winner Paul Nurse, all who were interested to talk about scientific advancements and their implications for everyone’s future everyday life were invited. Over 200 visitors joined in on the debate and listened to the talks held by renowned speakers from King’s College London and the TU Dresden.

The interdisciplinary topics included debates on human–machine interaction and the much-discussed question whether machines will replace human beings at some point. Furthermore, the future of the human ageing process, the interaction with certain genomes concerning the brain, and thus ultimately questions about the (in)finiteness of human life were lively discussed.

Visit of Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, to TU Dresden

In February 2019, Technische Universität Dresden (TUD) welcomed His Royal Highness Prince Edward, Duke of Kent. As part of his visit to Dresden, he was particularly interested in gaining an impression of the scientific work conducted at East Germany’s only University of Excellence with the exception of Berlin. Moreover, the Duke of Kent, as Chancellor of the University of Surrey, wanted to familiarise himself with the transCampus, the strategic partnership between King’s College London’s and Dresden’s researchers.

In the foyer of the “DFG Center for Regenerative Therapies Dresden” (CRTD) of TU Dresden, they were cordially welcomed by Prof. Hans Müller-Steinhagen, Rector of TUD and Uwe Gaul, State Secretary of the Saxon State Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts. At various exhibition stands, the Duke of Kent gained insights into the development of regenerative therapies, into models of neurodegenerative processes in the eye, into clinical diabetes research and into materials research at the “Dresden Centre for Computational Materials Science” (DCMS).

“Today, science is no longer bound by national borders, international exchanges have become the norm and a driving force for pioneering developments,” emphasised the Duke of Kent. H. R. H. and TUD Rector Prof. Hans Müller-Steinhagen know each other personally from their time spent together at the University of Surrey. “Great Britain is one of the world’s leading scientific locations with outstanding universities. We have had close ties for many years through trusting and successful research cooperations. Comparable scientific thinking, excellent research infrastructures and the absence of language barriers are important safeguards of these cooperations. In addition, the UK is a popular destination for our students for their semesters abroad and internships,” states the Rector of TUD.

“Today’s visit by the Duke of Kent is a great honour for us and it makes us hopeful that we will continue to maintain a close scientific partnership with Great Britain”. This sentiment was mirrored by the British Ambassador Sir Sebastian Wood: “I am delighted to visit TU Dresden for the second time. transCampus is an innovative and successful project that exemplifies the well-functioning and close scientific connections between Great Britain and Germany. It is an active embodiment of the exchange between our countries.”