Leonie Liemich's eyes light up at words like process procedures, surface technology, and production efficiency. These terms are associated with 3D printing, which will be operational in the Mandau-Höfen area of Zittau (known as Mandava Court) from November. With it, new methods for metalworking industries will be explored. It's one of the largest projects under Leonie Liemich's supervision. As a political scientist specializing in Central and Eastern Europe, she coordinates the project within the alliance "Lausitz - Life & Technology", supported by BMBF through the program "We! - Change Through Innovation in the Region." The project is based at the University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz. Its aim is to discover and develop innovative approaches in social and technical domains. The use of 3D printing, for example, will be employed to research smoother surfaces for products created with it, thus streamlining work steps in subsequent production processes.

The project, jointly initiated by Fraunhofer IWU, University of Applied Sciences Zittau/Görlitz, ULT AG Environmental Technology – Aerospace, and Görlitz district, focuses on innovative approaches in social and technical spheres. A budget of 6.7 million euros is allocated for this purpose. The implementation phase began back in 2019. Supported projects are intended to contribute to the development of Upper Lusatia, which is considered a structurally weak region.

"In the context of the transformation process after the fall of the Berlin Wall, there are primarily small and medium-sized companies here, with only a few large corporations," explains Leonie Liemich. In most cases, they function like extended workshop tables. This means that profits flow back to the company headquarters. To keep the money within the region, assistance should be provided to help them develop innovative products. This is especially crucial considering the gradual phase-out of coal usage by 2038. If local companies can independently create products and establish key competencies, value creation will continue to thrive in the future.

However, technical development alone is not sufficient to drive economic growth in the region going forward. Therefore, the project also encompasses social components, such as implementing flexible work models, providing further education, and creating family-friendly work and living conditions. This is intended to encourage urgently needed specialists to relocate to Upper Lusatia. The project specifically targets individuals who left Upper Lusatia due to work and aims to motivate them to return.

According to Leonie Liemich, achieving both social and technological goals requires interdisciplinary collaboration between businesses, administration, research and development, and the creative industry. Therefore, another focal point of her work is building networks to connect people with innovative ideas. This is why the 3D printer is placed in Mandau-Höfen / Mandava Courts, as this specific location is expected to increase the visibility of the "Lausitz - Life & Technology" project, which can be challenging in research otherwise.

"There are so many extraordinary people here who are engaged in the region. The influence of initiatives that want to bring about change in the region is also very apparent," describes Leonie Liemich her impression of Zittau. "And I see that as a great potential in achieving our goals."

Leonie Liemich speaks from her own experience, as after ten years of working for the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Prague, she relocated with her family to Zittau to work on the "Lausitz - Life & Technology" project. "We were looking for a small town where work and good living conditions could be combined. Zittau is ideal for us. In the town, you hear languages from neighboring countries, and it only takes a few minutes to be in Poland or the Czech Republic." When the opportunity to work at the university also came along, the move was a natural step. Now, she hopes to inspire others for Žitava and Upper Lusatia.

Website: https://life-and-technology.eu

Contact: leonie.liemich@hszg.de

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