
That's HEiKA
Profile
As part of the German science system, the University of Heidelberg and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are facing growing challenges in regional, national, European and global context. HEiKA is a strategic answer to these growing challenges.
Within the Heidelberg Karlsruhe Strategic Partnership - HEiKA, KIT and the University of Heidelberg are working even closer together in the strategically important areas of research, promotion of young talent, teaching and innovation. The framework for HEiKA is thus much broader than before and includes all bilateral activities of the two partners. This with the vision to create a unique research and development area with national unique position and international visibility through the strategic cooperation.
Contact
Both partner institutions KIT and Heidelberg University are running HEiKA offices.
Organization
With the Heidelberg Karlsruhe Strategic Partnership (HEiKA), the Rectorate of Heidelberg University and the Presidium of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology have set up an umbrella organization under which all bilateral activities are brought together and strategically further developed.
To steer the new umbrella organization HEIKA, the Rectorate and the Presidium will set up a Strategic Board, in which the four HEiKA priority areas (research, study programs, promotion of young scientists and innovation) will be represented in equal numbers by members of both partner institutions.
The Vice President for Research of KIT, Oliver Kraft, and the Vice President for Research and Transfer of Heidelberg University, Stephen Hashmi, chair the Strategic Board on an annual basis.
History
KIT and Heidelberg University have been working together successfully for many years in a variety of scientific fields, within many structures and in various ways. Both partners combine their different orientations in the sense of mutual enrichment and supplementing their task and activity fields.
In 2011, the close cooperation between the two institutions was further developed by a jointly established university-wide institution within the meaning of § 6 (4) LHG - and thus an institutionalized form of cooperation. Under the umbrella of this institution called the "Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership - HEiKA", the partners have until now worked closely together on a number of joint research projects on commonly defined topics. In addition, the two partners also pursue common interests, such as participation in InnovationLab GmbH or at HITS.
With the evaluation of the Heidelberg Karlsruhe Research Partnership in 2016, the further development of HEiKA has once again picked up speed in the last two years. Perhaps the most important result of this process was the recommendation of the panel of experts, the already very positively valued partnership to expand further fields (joint courses, innovation and increased promotion of young researchers).