Major KATHES workshop with partners from Thessaloniki around the KIT ceremony

Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth, Vice President Transfer and International Affairs, welcomed the 34 high-ranking delegation members from Thessaloniki at the KIT President's Office. For the first time in the cooperation, the research center CERTH, the planned technology park Thess INTEC and, on the German side, the Research Center for Information Technology FZI were also involved in the regular KATHES workshop between KIT and AUTh. In addition to the close bilateral cooperation between Karlsruhe and Thessaloniki, the workshop also focused on the prospects within the European University Alliance EPICUR, to which KIT and AUTh belong.

This year's KATHES workshop comprised eight thematic sessions, each led by a German-Greek tandem. In addition, numerous bilateral discussions took place, which were dedicated to the strategic further development of the cooperation.
The guests were offered numerous opportunities to visit KIT's research facilities. For example, there was a choice of visits to the Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research (IMK-ASF), the Institute of Technical Chemistry (ITC), the Aerosol Interaction Simulation Chamber (AIDA) and the Energy Lab 2.0 on the North Campus. As part of a thematic session on mobility, the KIT Campus East was visited, while the System and AI Integration group also visited the FZI Research Center for Information Technology after their workshop. At RoofKIT, the scientists from Thessaloniki were also able to visit a model project for the urban energy transition at Campus South. 

The closing event of the workshop demonstrated the diversity and potential of the cooperation, which had already gained significant importance in the previous year. During the joint visit of Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth and Prof. Dr. Otmar Wiestler to Thessaloniki, the Helmholtz President was able to see the quality of the “Helmholtz European Partnership for Technological Advancement” project between KIT and AUTh for himself. At the Thessaloniki International Fair in fall 2024, KIT presented itself to Cem Özdemir and Robert Habeck as an important player in German-Greek cooperation.

Further information on KIT's cooperation with Thessaloniki is available on request from Ms. Nadja Bandulet, KIT's European Cooperations Officer