Garmisch-Partenkirchen writes economic history: Millions in blessing for research project

Created: 12/20/2022, 9:30 am

By: Andreas Seiler

Research in Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Prof. Dr.

Sami Haddadin (left) explains the campus project to Science Minister Markus Blume (right) – here using a model.

Other listeners are: (from left) Alexander Dobrindt (CSU regional group head), Prof. Dr.

Wolfgang M. Heckl (General Director Deutsches Museum), Mayor Elisabeth Koch, Martin Bachhuber and Harald Kühn (both CSU members of the state parliament).

© Very

The Free State of Bavaria relies on Garmisch-Partenkirchen as a university location: In the 2023 budget, 4.7 million euros are earmarked for the construction of the campus for geriatronics - a decent start-up capital.

Science Minister Markus Blume (CSU) announced this budget yesterday during an on-site visit.

The amount is likely to increase significantly in the years to come.

Garmisch-Partenkirchen – The Garmisch-Partenkirchen market is well on the way to writing a piece of Bavarian economic history.

Because the non-profit Longleif GaPa GmbH – the community’s municipal company manages foundation assets – would like to set up a research, education and care center with university flair on a development site measuring around 30,000 square meters near the train station.

The master plan for the campus project, which costs around 150 million euros, is in place, and the development plan process is currently underway.

The schedule is ambitious: construction is scheduled to start in 2024 and the modern complex to open in 2026.

In addition to the Caritas Association Munich-Freising, which will operate the care center, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) is in the starting blocks as a partner.

A small group of scientists around Prof. Dr.

Sami Haddadin, head of the leading Munich School of Robotics and Machine Intelligence, has been researching in the district town in premises on Bahnhofstraße in the field of geriatronics for several years.

This neologism comes from Dr.

Stephan Thiel, who works as a physicist in the branch and sits on the municipal council for the Greens.

This refers to the use of robotics and artificial intelligence to provide support in old age and in need of care.

Uni operation planned with 150 scientific employees and 200 students

The Technical University has big plans at the foot of the Wetterstein.

A real university with 150 scientific employees and 200 students is to be created on the campus.

There are even plans for a degree in geriatronics, which can be completed with a master's degree.

It all costs money, a lot of money.

And that is provided by the Free State of Bavaria.

In the 2023 budget, which the state parliament still has to approve, around 4.7 million euros have been reserved for the construction.

This was reported by Science Minister Markus Blume (CSU), who yesterday, together with other representatives of his party, got an idea during a tour of the facility.

"You can get off to a good start with that," said Blume, with a view to the budget.

"We hope that the location will grow and prosper," added the top politician, who had brought a sign for the town hall to Mayor Elisabeth Koch (CSU), which officially identifies Garmisch-Partenkirchen as a university town.

According to Blume, it is a key technology with potential.

"Here high-tech research takes place in the service of the patient - a model case,

The joy was huge in university circles, there was talk of a historic day.

According to the tenor, the Free State is thus getting into permanent financing of the university in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

The budget shown in the budget is likely to increase massively in the coming years.

Among other things, this means that the staff must be paid.

Eight professorships alone are to be created in this way.

The lighthouse project is the assistant robot "Garmi", which can help in a variety of ways in care.

This starts with simple butler functions and ends with use for telemedicine.

Haddadin explained that it is about using artificial intelligence in such a way as to enable a self-determined life in old age.

Haddadin is convinced: "What is happening in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is unique in the world."