uni:intern

THE EMPLOYEE PORTAL

Admittedly, when I look back over the past weeks and months, there has been a lot going on on our campus - a new Campus Welcome Center with security-relevant redundant server and storage systems for the university computer center, a renovated university library and construction sites everywhere that should put our university in the top league when it comes to climate neutrality. Modernization and new construction is taking place everywhere in order to make the campus more sustainable, barrier-free, climate-friendly and digital, and to make it fit for modern, equipment-intensive engineering research and modern, interdisciplinary teaching. But is that enough? Or could our campus be even more attractive, for example by ensuring that cars no longer drive and park on campus? Or by setting up more rooms for exchange, creating sufficient space for new work or coworking?

Ralf Harrie (Photo: Jana Dünnhaupt)

In order to design the campus and meet as many requirements, wishes and needs as possible, a project team is formed. This team develops concrete project content for the planned campus design with regard to the structural-spatial concept, the traffic concept and the open space concept. The implementation will later be supported by the specialist departments. The decision-making body for the campus design project is the steering committee or board, represented by the university management. Ralf Harrie is the interface between the project team and the board. What do you have to do there? “My tasks as 'Staff Unit Project Management Construction' are to define the project objectives, check the specifications, plan the project, implement the project in the project team and report to the steering committee on agreed dates, milestones, project completion and other events,” says the business lawyer and business administrator.

     “In short, I am primarily responsible for the planning, implementation and management of this project. This includes managing a team of employees who are involved in implementing the project, as well as communicating with the specialist departments. Consequently, I am the point of contact for everyone involved.”

 In spring, a master plan for the campus at Universitätsplatz was presented by the consulting firm Drees & Sommer SE Berlin and a World Café on campus design was held, in which various wishes and suggestions from all parts of the university were collected and discussed. “All of these suggestions now need to be examined within the project team in terms of priorities, feasibility and usefulness and incorporated into the overall concept,” explains Ralf Harrie. “A project structure plan must then be created from this, and milestones must be determined and checked.”

Great interest in a mobility concept for the campus

Mr. Harrie, how ready do you think the university's employees and students are for a redesign of the campus? I'm thinking of a car-free campus or the creation of recreational areas. “Basically, there seems to be a great deal of interest in making the campus traffic-calmed and generating a separate mobility concept for the campus. The creation of green spaces and attractive recreational areas as well as a security concept are important aspects of the overall project alongside the energy concept. Of course, equal consideration is being given to how the campus can be more ideally integrated into the city and how the infrastructure for students and staff can be improved,” says Ralf Harrie. Sustainability will always be a central topic. “Sustainability is reflected in many of the project's individual measures:

The project team will be made up of stakeholders from across the university, such as representatives from EU GREEN work package 8 (campus life), the Senate Climate Commission and the Sustainability Office. By getting involved in these groups, among others, employees and students can contribute their ideas to the campus design.

 Author: INES PERL

Have you ever had a “blind date with a book”? No? Then you should make up for it as soon as possible. During the Advent season, you have the opportunity to do so in the university library. Library director Linda Thomas tells editor Ines Perl what the campaign is all about.

What is the “Blind Date with a Book” campaign?

In the run-up to Christmas, users of the University Library can find wrapped books with notes next to the Christmas tree on the grand staircase and are welcome to take them as gifts. The small slips of paper contain short descriptions of the contents, adding a surprise effect to the selection.

 Photo: Hannah Theile

Why does the campaign exist?

The aim of the campaign is to

• to create new meeting points and opportunities for exchange in the library and
• bring a little joy into everyday life.

Who came up with the idea?

The idea came from colleagues in the Information Services and Digital Services department and is based on similar, but fee-based campaigns in the book trade.

Who selected and packed the books?

The books were donated by employees of the University Library especially for the campaign and packed by colleagues at the service counters.

Can employees from other departments also donate their privately read books for the gift table next to the Christmas tree in the university library?

Of course, that would be great. You can hand in the books or CDs/DVDs at the service desk on the first floor. We will then wrap the donated media. You can also wrap them yourself and leave them on the table with a note.

Who can take a book parcel from under the Christmas tree?

All users who visit us are welcome to take a parcel. If the gift table is empty, it will be refilled immediately by our colleagues.

Do the books have to be returned?

No, of course they don't have to. It's a gift campaign.

Ms. Thomas, thank you very much for talking to us.

How can sports areas in need of renovation be converted into modern sports facilities that meet the current challenges in sports space planning using a holistic approach? The university also asked itself this question for its six artificial turf tennis courts. Over the past few months, three of them have now been fitted with a multifunctional sports surface that can be used all year round. Two of them were also given a wooden roof, so that sports activities are not restricted even when it is raining or dark and the year-round range of sports on offer, especially in the area of sports teaching and research, has been significantly expanded. The roofing not only offers the opportunity to install an appropriate LED lighting system, but also to install various video and measurement technology for research projects. In addition, an underground infiltration system was installed to reuse the rainwater produced. An annual yield of 150,000 kWh of clean energy can be forecast for the photovoltaic system installed on the roof area of around 1,400 m².

Minister of Science Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann serves the opening of the new multifunctional sports facility. (Photo: Jana Dünnhaupt)

At the beginning of December 2024, Minister of Science Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann opened the new multifunctional sports facility behind Sports Hall 3 together with Rector Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jens Strackeljan and Chancellor Angela Matthies. “Anyone who studies and trains their mind diligently sometimes needs a physical balance. That's why university sports are an important part of university life. The new sports facility combines sport and inclusion with the generation of renewable energy. We were happy to financially support this sustainable project of the University of Magdeburg in many respects,” emphasized Minister Willingmann. The costs of the multifunctional sports facility amount to around 1 million euros.

The canopy

Two squares were permanently covered by a saddle roof construction. The supporting structure was erected on point foundations on an area of 36 x 36 meters. The roof was covered with trapezoidal panels. The ridge runs above the existing tennis nets. The circumferential eaves with a height of 6 meters allow for an open sports atmosphere. The structural supports were erected within the existing fencing systems so that these did not have to be dismantled or replaced.

Photovoltaic system on a roof area of around 1,400 m²  (Photo: Clemens Klein)

The sports floor

The sports floor structure was newly developed. The innovative flooring system was installed floating on the existing substrate, with the existing structure serving as a base layer and therefore as a foundation. There was no need to remove the existing material or dispose of it as hazardous waste, which would have been costly. The thin system structure saved material and therefore costs. Thanks to the floating installation, the recyclable system can be easily dismantled and is therefore particularly environmentally friendly and sustainable.

The courts were given a colored synthetic surface. The structure of the surface was chosen so that both tennis and other sports activities are possible. The corresponding lines and mobile sports equipment allow for great flexibility of use. The surface system is particularly hard-wearing and requires very little maintenance.

The benefit

The conversion of the two tennis courts into two OPENCOURT courts will have numerous positive effects for the university and its athletes:

• The covered sports surfaces massively increase the usage time. With an average of 9 rainy days per month in the summer months, it is still possible to play reliably. Training can continue even in bad weather.
• The integrated LED lighting system allows play to continue at any time of day. The pitches were normally unused during the winter months. Thanks to the conversion, they can now be used all year round, which is a considerable advantage, especially for sports training at the Institute of Sports Science.
• The additional facilities are also attractive for sports enthusiasts from cooperating clubs.
• The concept also provides for multifunctional use for other sports besides tennis. This enables reliable planning of usage times, for research and teaching as well as for cooperation, for example with schools in the surrounding area, or the establishment of other sports groups and offers, e.g. wheelchair tennis. The Faculty of Human Sciences is involved in research and teaching on the integration of people with disabilities, which opens up further research potential.
• The roof construction enables the installation of sports equipment (basketball hoops, etc.) as well as media and analysis technology to support modern research and training operations.
• By equipping the roof with PV modules, a contribution is made to the energy transition. Especially in urban areas, large roof areas can contribute to energy generation. The energy generated can contribute to the development and expansion of the urban charging infrastructure in addition to covering the company's own needs.