Hasso Plattner is investing millions in the new Potsdam university campus!

Hasso Plattner is investing millions in the new Potsdam university campus!

The heart of Potsdam will soon beat for science: Hasso Plattner, co-founder of the software giant SAP, has announced that he will further expand his commitment to education in Brandenburg. The conversion of the old state parliament on the Brauhausberg into a modern university location is being financed with an impressive three-digit million sum. This step is intended to bring new impetus to the region's higher education landscape and positions Potsdam as a center for legal, social and economic sciences.

Plattner's foundation is taking on a key role in the transformation of the empty building in need of renovation, which suffered some damage after a fire. The ambitious plans stipulate that the new campus will offer space for around 5,000 to 6,000 students and will significantly revitalize the scientific landscape in Germany. This reports daily news.

A strong signal for the future of AI

As part of his ambitious vision, Plattner and the state government, represented by Prime Minister Dr. Dietmar Woidke, not only double the number of students at the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI), but also focus on artificial intelligence (AI). The aim is to help Germany become more internationally competitive in the field of computer science. A task force, led by Woidke and Plattner, is supposed to coordinate the implementation of the plans Research and teaching reported.

The University of Potsdam is expanding by moving the faculties of law and social sciences to the new campus. Future plans call for the number of professorships to be increased to 70. The positive feedback from academics, such as Oliver Günther, President of the University of Potsdam, shows that planning in the region is seen as an opportunity. “I see no danger that the state government could cut funding for research and science,” said Günther.

Criticism and challenges

But not all voices are optimistic. The Left Party expresses concerns and fears that a reliance on private funding could endanger academic freedom. The Die Andere parliamentary group also demands that sufficient affordable housing be created for students near the campus.

In the broader discussion around artificial intelligence, it is pointed out that the federal government has been promoting the use of AI in higher education since the end of 2021. Projects to develop AI-supported learning and examination systems are actively supported, which further underpins the context for Plattner's projects. The targeted promotion of AI has already consolidated and improved numerous institutions in Germany, such as Education Server is to be read.

The implementation of this “lighthouse project for education and research”, as Prime Minister Woidke describes it, is still in its early stages. While optimistic estimates point to a completion date in four years, realistic estimates are for a period of up to ten years. One thing is clear, however: Potsdam and Hasso Plattner together have great hope for innovative and future-oriented higher education.