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04/01/2022

Competence center for digitalization in rural areas starts work in Kassel

@Communication Technology
Photo: Harry Soremski
Photo: Harry Soremski

Press release from it-nordhessen.net:

 

Wiesbaden / Kassel. With the House of Digital Transformation e.V. (HoDT), Hesse has created a structure to support digital transformation, particularly in small and medium-sized enterprises. Under the umbrella of the association, there will now also be a competence center for digitalization in rural areas, which will be operated in close cooperation with the local players Regionalmanagement Nordhessen and IT-Netzwerk e.V.. The aim of the center will be to closely network companies, universities and local authorities in order to adapt digitalization projects to regional requirements and make them available to the Hessian regions. Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus, Hesse's Digital Minister and Chair of the Association's Board of Directors, today officially opened the site, which is based at Regionalmanagement Nordhessen, in the presence of Mark Weinmeister, District President of Kassel.

 

Hesse's Digital Minister Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus: "The competence center for digitalization in rural areas under the umbrella of the HoDT is one of the lighthouse projects in the 'Digital Hesse - Where the future is at home' strategy.

Above all, we expect the presence in rural North and East Hesse to provide added value and short routes to support services for small and medium-sized enterprises. By transferring activities, formats, results and experiences to other rural areas in Hesse, the competence center can leverage considerable potential to increase the digital maturity of SMEs throughout Hesse."

 

District President Mark Weinmeister emphasized: "Digitalization is a central pillar when it comes to making rural areas fit for the future and giving our local companies planning security. North-East Hesse has a strong SME economy and a dynamic start-up scene that is consistently thinking digitally. Start-ups are developing innovative concepts - not only in Kassel and Fulda, but also in Eschwege and Melsungen. The openness towards digital transformation is great - as is the need for fast networks and modern infrastructure. The Digitalization Competence Centre will make a meaningful contribution to bundling and accelerating our efforts in digitalization."

 

The Managing Director of HoDT, Hauke Schlüter, emphasized the importance of good cooperation in the region: "The House of Digital Transformation e.V. has the task of networking science, business and politics with each other and thus promoting digitization throughout Hesse. We are delighted to have gained strong cooperation partners in the Kassel region in Regionalmanagement Nordhessen and IT-Netzwerk e.V."

 

Founded in 2011 as the House of IT e.V., the House of Digital Transformation e.V. makes a significant contribution to the ongoing development of digitalization in Hesse. In addition to the ICT sector as a driver of digital change, the digital transformation as a whole is increasingly becoming the focus of activities. As part of the "Houses of" innovation strategy of the state of Hesse, the aim of the association is to work together with the other "Houses of" and the members of the network to further increase the attractiveness of Hesse as a location and drive forward cross-industry projects. Working groups, workshops and joint projects are held under the umbrella of the HoDT in order to promote cooperation and the transfer of research and technology in the field of digital technologies and digital participation. In addition to the Master of Digital Transformation Management (MBA) initiated jointly with the Goethe Business School, the HoDT offers other formats exclusively for members, but also for the public: Events for specialists and managers such as the #Digiforum, as well as other formats on current issues of digital transformation in business, research and society. It is also actively represented at renowned trade fairs and participates in the discourse on digitalization.

 

"With the ICT digitalization cluster as a cross-sectional cluster in the regional management of North Hesse and the IT-Netzwerk e.V. network association, the HoDT has ideal points of contact locally to jointly help digitalization in rural areas gain more momentum. With the partners IHK, HWK and the five North Hessian districts, as well as the city of Kassel, the regional management ensures that the cooperation is rooted in the 110 municipalities with their SMEs," says Kai Bachmann, Managing Director of Regionalmanagement NordHessen GmbH.

 

In order to develop its impact throughout Hesse, the HoDT is already cooperating with regional players: the IT-Netzwerk e.V. in Kassel, Regionalmanagement Nordhessen, IT FOR WORK e.V. and Zeitsprung IT-Forum Fulda e.V. Reiner Brandt, Chairman of the IT-Netzwerk e.V. , welcomed the newly opened center in Kassel: "The new competence center is a first result of our round table with the Digital Minister and an important milestone for the future positive development of our region. It also serves as an important extension of communication and exchange between the North Hessian stakeholders, the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the House of Digital Transformation. In rural areas, the new competence center can become an important driving force and make better use of the great potential of digital transformation for a positive economic future for our region."

 

"Digitalization in rural areas offers us in Hesse a wide range of opportunities for prosperity and an attractive quality of life. To realize these opportunities, we need to increase the number of IT specialists, network the many excellent SMEs and large companies and provide training in areas such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence," said Professor Dr. Klaus David from the University of Kassel.