How do scientific findings find their way into practice? The first RPTU Transfer Day at the Landau Campus demonstrated how knowledge transfer is achieved through networking, collaboration, and interdisciplinary exchange. Through keynote presentations, workshops, thematic stations, and a World Café, the Office for Transfer, Innovation, and Sustainability (RTIN) presented its support services and provided a space for new connections and collaborations.

The event focused on exchange among researchers, knowledge transfer experts, and other university members. It became clear that knowledge transfer thrives on dialogue, diverse perspectives, and close collaboration.

“Knowledge transfer doesn’t happen on its own. It requires interaction between people, diverse perspectives, and a willingness to develop new approaches together. The Knowledge Transfer Day demonstrated how much potential is created when stakeholders from research, knowledge transfer, and teaching engage in dialogue with one another. New collaborations and joint projects can grow out of this exchange,” says Nadine Wermke, head of the Knowledge Transfer, Innovation, and Sustainability Division.

Discover the RPTU’s wide range of knowledge transfer offerings

A key goal of the Transfer Day was to raise awareness of the RTIN’s support services for university members in Landau. In short keynote presentations titled “RPTU Transfer at a Glance,” the various divisions of the Transfer, Innovation, and Sustainability Department introduced themselves. Participants received a concise overview of the services offered by the Transfer Funding Office, the Rhineland-Palatinate Patent and Information Center, the Startup Office, and the Green Office, and learned how these institutions support researchers in transfer, startup, and sustainability projects.

The program was complemented by all-day thematic stations in the atrium. Here, visitors could engage directly with the contact persons, ask specific questions, and learn about collaboration opportunities, startup support, intellectual property rights, or sustainability offerings. The open layout encouraged visitors to easily make connections and learn about the various support services available.

Exchange, Co-Creation, and New Perspectives

The World Café session titled “Shaping Knowledge Transfer and Sustainability in Landau Together” generated particular interest . In small discussion groups, participants exchanged ideas on topics such as how their research is already making an impact in practice, what challenges they face in knowledge transfer, and how knowledge transfer at RPTU can be further improved in the future. They also discussed how sustainability can be integrated into teaching and the support services needed to achieve this.

The format impressively demonstrated how valuable open dialogue between different areas of study and perspectives is. Many participants took the opportunity to share experiences, learn from one another, and develop new ideas together.

Practical Knowledge for Research and Teaching

In addition to the networking sessions, the Transfer Day also offered in-depth subject-specific content. In the workshop “Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Teaching,” faculty members gained practical insights into the concept of education for sustainable development and discussed, using examples from RPTU, how sustainability can be integrated even more strongly into teaching.

In addition, the seminar “Fundamentals of Industrial Property Rights” provided a concise overview of patents, trademarks, designs, and utility models. Participants learned about the options available to them for protecting their research findings and ideas, and why intellectual property can serve as an important foundation for successful knowledge transfer.

A Successful Kickoff with Promise

The positive response demonstrated the great need for such exchange formats and made the first RPTU Transfer Day a successful start to further collaboration at RPTU. The event format will therefore be continued and offered in the future at both the Landau and Kaiserslautern campuses.