The project group "GENIUS - Generative AI in company-specific applications" was launched during this year's summer semester 2024. The project group is an essential part of the Master's degree program in Information Systems and Computer Science, in which students spend a year together gaining practical experience with the challenges, tasks and processes of larger projects.

The "GENIUS" project group is conducted in collaboration with the long-standing cooperation partner abat AG.  To get to know each other for the first time, a project kick-off of the group took place on April 5 at abat AG in Bremen. For one year, the project group is dedicated to the integration of generative AI in the corporate environment of abat AG. In addition to developing technical and innovative solutions, a particular focus is on organizing themselves within the project and establishing effective workflows.

The students are looking forward to continuing the collaboration and are excited to see how the project will develop over the coming months.

On April 15th, 2024 As part of his disputation, Pajam Hassan defended his dissertation entitled “Big Data Analytics im Supply Chain Risk Management” successfully. Congratulations from the VLBA department.

On April 11th and 12th, 2024, a personal project event took place in Oldenburg, where project partners from various European countries came together to advance Project AI@Smile. Representatives from Spain, Italy, Serbia, Turkey, Greece, and Germany participated. During the two-day meeting, a variety of project activities were carried out, including discussions on past and upcoming key activities and the development of a sustainability framework for the project.

The diversity of the participants was reflected not only in the countries represented but also in the different perspectives and expertise they brought to the table. This diversity proved to be extremely enriching for the discussions and decisions made during the meeting.

The personal interaction allowed participants to engage deeply and get to know their colleagues in the project better. This not only contributed to strengthening team spirit but will also have a long-term positive impact on the project's progress.

Overall, we can look back on two intense but extremely productive days that will contribute to advancing Project AI@Smile successfully and ensuring its sustainability.

The 6th consortium meeting in the Wärmewende Nordwest project took place on March 12 and 13, 2024. The two-day meeting took place at OFFIS in Oldenburg. After the initial get-together, Prof. Dr. Sebastian Lehnhoff welcomed the attendees. The event was moderated by the overall project manager, Christine Rosinger. Over the course of the two days, all six research fields and the two cross-sectional activities were able to present their progress. Topics that were in focus included

• Linking teaching with the project
• Prototype presentations
• Central monitoring and control of buildings with open standards
• Thermal load prediction and CO_2 analysis of a university energy system
• Transformation of existing heating networks
• Municipal heat planning and the agreement of this with the project.
• Data platform for the project
• Public relations activities

In addition to the preparation for the interim report, the upcoming mid-term meeting at the project mid-term was also discussed. The presentations identified further starting points for collaboration across research fields, which will be discussed in the coming weeks. The event was rounded off with joint social activities at the end of each conference day.

Hello students,

Once again this year, we cordially invite you to the Data Challenge 2024 in cooperation with worldiety GmbH. You will face an exciting challenge and work on it as part of a block course (two weeks) during the lecture-free period.

In addition to the ECTS, you can also win something from our cooperation partner, as they will award a prize for the best three teams 1 - 3 overall (€2000 divided between 1st - 3rd place). So why not take part in this Master's event and get ECTS and the prize money.

You will receive all information about the procedure at the information event.

When? 09.04.2024, 13:00 h
Where? A04 3-319 (meeting room of the VLBA) or online for participants of the Emden University of Applied Sciences via https://elearning.uni-oldenburg.de/plugins.php/meetingplugin/room/index/4af74f4eef59a30f07cd93910d76c526/25076fc715915a7a912945028e53e9b6?cancel_login=1).

Greetings
The lecturers

From the 26th to 28th of February, the Partners of NEWW met in Byumba, Rwanda to conduct the first official Career Fair of the project. Joined by Industry Partners from Oldenburg, as well as researchers from the University of Ghana, the main event took place on the 27th at the University for Technology and Arts of Byumba (UTAB). It was a very productive exchange between Universities, Industry Partners and students. The Goal of the event, which will be organized twice per year (once at UTAB and once at the University of Ghana), was to inform students about internships and Job opportunities during or after their graduation as well as an exchange of know-how between industry partners from different countries.

On January 30th and 31st, the kick-off for the groundbreaking KPI4HE project took place at the Yerevan State University (YSU) in Yerevan, Armenia. This event marked the beginning of an international collaboration aimed at defining and implementing key performance indicators in higher education. The participants' list included academics and professionals from prestigious universities, such as the University of Oldenburg, the Dresden University of Technology, the University of Genoa in Italy, and the hosting institution, Yerevan State University.

The kick-off was a complete success and provided a platform for the exchange of ideas, the development of common goals, and the planning of the next steps. The participating universities brought a variety of experiences and perspectives, enriching the dialogue and collaboration. It was an opportunity not only to concretize the project objectives but also to lay the foundations for a lasting partnership between the institutions.

The University of Oldenburg has taken on the honorable task of leading Work Package 1, which deals with the exploration and definition of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators). This task is crucial for the project as it lays the groundwork for developing a robust and effective evaluation system for higher education institutions. The team from Oldenburg brings extensive experience and expertise in this area, making them an indispensable part of the project.

The event in Yerevan was not just a working meeting but also an opportunity to experience the rich culture and history of Armenia. The Yerevan State University, as one of the leading educational institutions in the country, provided the perfect setting for this international exchange.

A highlight of the project will undoubtedly be the meeting at the end of September, where the University of Oldenburg will have the opportunity to welcome the project partners. This will be another important milestone in the collaboration, assessing progress and planning the next steps.

The successful kick-off event in Yerevan has set the course for an ambitious project with the potential to significantly improve performance evaluation in higher education. The collaboration between the involved universities is proof that significant progress can be made through joint efforts and the exchange of knowledge and best practices.

We look forward to the coming months and the further developments in the KPI4HE project with great anticipation. The successful kick-off is a promising start, and we are confident that our collaborative work will lead to innovative solutions and improvements in higher education performance evaluation.

A meeting was held today with Björn Thümler, Member of the State Parliament and former Minister for Science and Culture, and the President of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Jan Müller. The Zukunftslabor Wasser (ZLW) was presented to them. Further suggestions emerged from the exchange, which are to be explored in greater depth in the future as part of continued cooperation.

Presentation on the Zukunftslabor Wasser

On January 8th, 2024 As part of his disputation, MSc Dirk Bendlin defended his dissertation entitled “Data-driven decision-making processes using the example of the data value chain of offshore operations management and maintenance
Wind farms in large projects” successfully. Congratulations from the VLBA department.