Dr. Christof Strabler

The RUN-EU programme is not only intended to enable students to learn and network internationally, also FHV employees benefit from the cross-border alliance. Christof Strabler, university lecturer for process engineering and employee of the Energy Research Centre, took advantage of this opportunity and became the first FHV employee to go on a research mission to the HAMK in Finland. For four weeks this autumn his days were filled with meetings, workshops, project work and sitting in on lectures - first and foremost, discovering new things.

"Research Mission sounds like research. However, the mobility programme is not exclusively focused on research activities," mentions Christof Strabler and explains: "Research Missions are aimed at all researchers and teachers. But Master's students also have the opportunity to do a Research Mission. It can be individually adapted to the respective goals. The important thing is the clear benefit for the FHV and the employees."

Mission accomplished

Christof Strabler had several goals at once: To establish contacts for potential cooperation in courses and for future Short Advanced Programmes (SAP) for students, to get new input for teaching and to strive for research cooperation with HAMK Tech or HAMK Bio. Projects that he has succeeded, even beyond: "The exchange partners at HAMK were impressed by my idea and concept for a SAP on the topic of 'Sustainable Value Chain', so they invited me to take over a lecture module in Bio Economy in spring."

Making use of the mobility programmes

Christof Strabler sums up the exchange as precious and would like to motivate FHV staff to take advantage of the RUN-EU mobility programmes: "The effort is relatively low for a really big output."