Whether it's smartphone games, online shopping or the navigation system in the car: our world would look very different without IT. The discipline is still quite young. Karlsruhe played an important role in Germany. And here they are also aware of the current challenges.
Karlsruhe (dpa/lsw) - 50 years after the founding of the first faculty for computer science in Germany, the subject lacks young people and good funding opportunities for start-ups. "The number of beginners tends to stagnate and does not develop as we would like," said Ralf Reussner, Vice Dean of Research at the Computer Science Faculty at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The universities would therefore be able to train even more people.
There is a particular lack of women in the subject. "To put it bluntly, half of the population is passing us by," Reussner told the German Press Agency. This is mainly due to the image of computer scientists in society or in the media: they are often portrayed in films as solitary nerds. "We have to work on that as universities," said the Vice Dean. But the topic should also play a greater role in schools.
According to Reussner, the lack of women and young people is at least as big a stumbling block as the chronic underfunding of universities. Especially since women are no less successful in the subject.
On Thursday (October 20), KIT celebrates the founding of the Faculty of Computer Science in 1972 with a ceremony. "In the beginning there was the newly emerged subject "Computer Science" in the USA," says the KIT about the history. "The mathematics professor Karl Nickel recognized its importance for Karlsruhe early on and then initiated the first lectures." In 1969, the Computer Science course was established at what was then the University of Karlsruhe.
Since a restriction to Karlsruhe was not enough to ensure the long-term success of such a subject, the federal and state governments agreed on the "Superregional Research Program (ÜRF) Computer Science" in 1971 in what was then a new agreement. The state of Baden-Württemberg has shown itself to be generous and designated management positions for nine research groups planned in the ÜRF in Karlsruhe as professorships.
Today, computer science in Germany is largely in a good position in international comparison, as Reussner said. In the field of research, for example, many looked to Germany when it came to Industry 4.0. "I see enormous opportunities for us there." The research in this country is very far, methodologically often further than in America.
When it comes to the transfer of knowledge into practice, Germany is also well positioned, above all thanks to the Fraunhofer institutes. Americans, but also other European countries, looked at this with envy, said the scientist and explained this with the historical development: In Germany, the industry with its strong mechanical engineering has always worked closely with the research institutions.
Reussner, on the other hand, sees shortcomings in the competition with large corporations such as Google and Amazon. "They take sums in their hands, which German companies can't do." State actors such as colleges and universities would have very little chance in such competition. There is a danger that Europe will fall behind precisely because the USA is siphoning off the skilled workers.
And the Vice Dean also believes that something needs to change when it comes to start-ups: “The start-up funding is very short-term,” said Reussner. Basically, a company has to be up and running after a year. "The state should set up more sustainable programs," he demanded. The EU is also asked about this. A corresponding start-up scene is developing in cities such as Berlin, Munich and Leipzig. In comparison, however, the USA is a massive start-up promoter, said Reussner. "We have a clear competitive disadvantage there."
