Research projects

Titel: Fostering Entrepreneurial Thinking and Action in Cuba

With the economic reforms, there has been an opening for private entrepreneurs in Cuba since 2010. Since then, the private sector has grown rapidly from less than 150000 licensed "cuentapropistas" (self-employed) to more than 500000 (as of 2015). However, this quantitative growth is put into perspective by qualitative restrictions. For example, there is a rather restrictive list that limits the private sector to 201 simple professional activities. The vast majority of the self-employed are therefore engaged in semi-skilled or unskilled activities such as lighter refillers, street vendors or the like, and only 27% of licenses are issued to skilled workers in the craft sector. Tourism (restaurants/paladares, private accommodations/casas particulares, transportation/taxi) and agricultural cooperatives have established themselves as important sectors of private-sector entrepreneurship.

Especially in higher education, this economic system change is not or only partially supported by educational policy. The subject-related university partnership between the University of Kassel (Unit of Work and Labour Studies, FB 07 Fac­ulty of Eco­nom­ics and Man­age­ment) and the Universidad de Sancti Spiritus, Cuba is intended to promote the formation of structures at the foreign partner university. The aim is to establish two interdisciplinary cross-sectional modules on "Entrepreneurship/Intrapreneurship Education" and "Economic Thinking for Sustainable Development" as interdisciplinary courses. Entrepreneurial thinking and action as an important key qualification, should enable graduates to shape the economic development of their country in a self-directed and responsible way.

At the same time, a professional research network is being established.

Funding Institution: German Academic Exchange Service, DAAD

Duration: 01/2017 - 12/2022

Funding amount: 198.000 €

Funded by

Titel: Active vibration and sound reduction of ferromagnetic materials using their magnetic properties.

The aim of the research project is to further develop magnetoelastic-based sensors and actuators for active magnetic vibration and noise minimization. The magnetoelastic effect generates a magnetic field caused by mechanical stresses. The developed sensors and actuators are to be used efficiently for active vibration mitigation. An inductive transducer measures the vibrations that occur, and the inductive actuator initiates direct vibration reduction. The properties of the sensors and actuators are to be determined and tested on samples (various materials with different geometries). Statements about the dynamic performance of the actuator are to be made in order to design highly dynamic actuators from soft magnetic materials that enable vibration reduction over a wide frequency range. By controlling the actuators with digital signal processors (DSP), an overall control system for active magnetic vibration control is realized. A compact system consisting of sensor and actuator will be used here, which can be integrated into vibrating structures for vibration reduction.

What is the BOZ project?

Students go to companies, develop exercise tasks typical of their profession, which are worked on by students in a short internship in a company, with the aim of supporting their career orientation process.

The BOZ project at the University of Kassel is a teaching/learning project for students of work and labour studies, which is carried out in collaboration with cooperation schools in the district of Hersfeld-Rotenburg and companies in the region. Students can participate in this project as part of their regular studies and develop BOZ - modules for pupils in this context.

What are BOZ modules?

In cooperation with social pedagogues (job coaches) at the participating schools and in close cooperation with companies in the region, the students in the project develop and test tasks and small work units (so-called BOZ modules) that are typical for an occupational field or a field of activity in the respective company. In the cooperating companies, the BOZ modules are then worked on practically by the students. As a measure of a sustainable career orientation, the BOZ modules aim at the development of a "vocational self-concept" (D.E.Super) of the students. For this reason, the comparison of the young people's self-assessment with the professional external assessment of the company's companions, which is also prepared, carried out and moderated by the students, is an indispensable and integral part of each BOZ module.

The BOZ modules are a new form of company-based real-life encounters in vocationally oriented lessons at general education schools, which in their subject-didactic orientation can pick up on the positive effects of both company explorations and internships, but at the same time avoid some of their weak points.

Not least due to the project work of the students, BOZ-Bausteine are now (the project started in 2010) a regular offer for career orientation for students of all educational courses from the 8th grade in the district of Hersfeld-Rotenburg.

The BOZ project - a win-win situation

The project enables students to:

• to work self-organized in a project,
• to gain important practical experience during their studies, both in the "school" system and in the "company" system, which is important for vocational teachers,
• not only to work "for the lecturer's desk", but to participate in real tasks.

The project enables school students to:

• acting
• to get a professional and social feedback
• to develop a professional self-concept,
• to get to know a company (possibly for a possible internship or apprenticeship).
   

The project enables companies:

• to draw attention to their company and its training opportunities,
• to get to know future applicants,
• to interest young people in the specific occupational field.

Some examples of BOZ modules

• Optician (m/f)
• Agricultural and construction machinery technician
• Hotel specialist

The BOZ- project is recognized by the Coordination Office for Service Learning and Social Engagement of the University of Kassel as a service learning event.

The BOZ project is carried out in cooperation with schools and companies in the district of Hersfeld-Rotenburg as well as the project "INPUT" of the Municipal Transition Management of the district of Hersfeld-Rotenburg, funded by the Hessian Ministry of Economics, Transport and Regional Development and the European Social Fund.