Minister of economic affairs and deputy minister president Hubert Aiwanger:
“With the 6G Future Lab located at TUM, we have one of the most important 6G research sites here in Bavaria. 6G will make many high-tech applications possible – from remote surgery to holograms. Rather than waiting for competitors abroad, we are actively developing the latest mobile communications standard here. That is why we launched our Bavarian 6G initiative more than three years ago and provided four million euros in funding to the 6G Future Lab Bavaria.”

In addition to the three Advanced Grants, two projects will be funded with Proof of Concept Grants. These are awarded to researchers who want to test whether their ERC research projects can lead to marketable innovations.

From an ecological point of view, it is therefore necessary to look at the landscape level and better understand the interactions of many farms in terms of space and time. “There is little cross-farm coordination for agri-environmental measures,” stated Prof. Senthold Asseng from the Chair of Digital Agriculture at the Technical University of Munich. Previous funding programs in agricultural and environmental policy were not designed to enable biodiversity-friendly synergies among farmers, between farmers and other stakeholders, and in science.

The problem is also very challenging from a social science perspective, according to Prof. Claudia Bieling from the Hohenheim Department of Societal Transition and Agriculture: “This is the classic situation of a social dilemma. Why should individual stakeholders forgo productivity on their own initiative when the common public good of biodiversity conservation benefits many other stakeholders free of charge?” There are also similar situations that block progress in other economic sectors, e.g., in recycling and waste management as well as in energy and transport. In order to capture the complexity of the problem and develop new intelligent solutions, joint expertise from the natural and social sciences, engineering, and computer science is required, as well as close cooperation between science and practice.

Technological progress enables new interaction between humans and machines

A 13-person team with precisely this expertise joined forces to develop a transdisciplinary approach – exploiting the new possibilities offered by artificial intelligence in merging and processing large volumes of data. The authors of the publication refer to this combination as “hybrid intelligence.” “By combining the intuitive abilities of humans with the computing power of modern computers and the analytical capabilities of artificial intelligence, for the first time we can develop human-machine systems that successfully address complexity in agriculture,” said Prof. Berger.

One component of such systems are computer models with what the team refers to as “multi-agent technology” for the various ecological, social, and economic processes. By enriching these models with artificial intelligence, the research team aims to create a detailed, interactive image of reality in which various biodiversity measures and effects can be simulated and stakeholders can be supported in joint decision-making.

Group payments as a practical example of hybrid intelligence

The authors explain practical implementations in several applied examples, e.g., compensation payments to groups of farmers instead of individual farms. “The EU provides various subsidies for species protection measures, for example by giving farmers money to set up flower strips,” stated Prof. Asseng. “Up to now, farmers have planted the flower strips on their own and without coordinating with their neighbors. Overall, the flower strips are fragmented and have limited effectiveness.”

Group payment programs for farmers who coordinate their flower strips at the landscape level with the use of hybrid intelligence are more promising. In a first step, hybrid intelligence could analyze complex data on soil conditions, local biodiversity, and similar factors and thus identify the locations where cross-farm environmental measures would be particularly effective and crop losses as lowest as possible. In a second step, AI systems could provide communication platforms that facilitate exchanging information and planning joint projects without excessive bureaucracy. “Another goal would be a fair balance among all parties involved, for example, through new auction mechanisms for subsidies,” said Prof. Berger.

The virtual image of their economic and ecological environment would give actors from agriculture, consulting, and politics the opportunity to try out the measures before deciding whether to implement them. “This would make it easier to assess the impact on biodiversity and crop yields and minimize the costs for everyone involved,” added Prof. Bieling. Above all, AI could serve as an automated moderator that follows the discussions within the group and improves decision-making by contributing information or alternative perspectives. “We can currently see the capabilities of generative AI in language processing and generating new content with ChatGPT. This can be particularly useful to ensure that all relevant information is considered in group discussions and creative solutions are found,” explained Prof. Henner Gimpel from the Department of Digital Management at the University of Hohenheim.

Trust and transparency remain crucial for success

If the approach is to be successful, it must be transparent and participatory. “The technology must be designed in such a way that people can trust it. The ethical use of the technology is also crucial,” said Prof. Gimpel. Only if these conditions are met can hybrid intelligence systems develop their full potential and find broad acceptance. According to Prof. Berger, hybrid intelligence holds the key to solving some of the most pressing issues in agriculture. “The prospects are very promising, but there is still a need for fundamental research in order to successfully develop this technology further and then implement it. To achieve this, we need the cooperation of all stakeholders from science, practice, and society.

In the latest edition TUM is again the German number one university in the areas of Engineering & Technology (number 19) and Natural Sciences (number 23).

In the following seven individual subjects, TUM placed among the top 25 universities worldwide:

• Physics & Astronomy: 18
  (1st in Germany)

• Electrical & Electronic Engineering: 19
  (1st in Germany)

• Chemistry: 20
  (1st in Germany)

• Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering: 21
  (2nd in Germany)

• Materials Science: 23
  (1st in Germany)

• Statistics & Operational Research: 23
  (1st in Germany)

• Architecture / Built environment: 24
  (2nd in Germany)

In another eight subjects, TUM was among the top 50:

• History of Art: 21 – 40
• Computer Science & Information Systems: 31
  (1st in Germany)
• Data Science & Artificial Intelligence: 35
  (1st in Germany)
• Chemical Engineering: 38
  (2nd in Germany)
• Civil & Structural Engineering: 40
  (1st in Germany)
• Agriculture & Forestry: 44
  (3rd in Germany)
• Biological Sciences: 46
  (3rd in Germany)
• Mathematics: 47
  (2nd in Germany)

In the latest QS World University Rankings, which show overall ratings for universities along with other indicators, TUM is ranked number one among German universities for the ninth time in a row (37th worldwide). In the European Union it is number two.

The excellent research and teaching at TUM is also reflected in other subject rankings. In the most recent THE World University Rankings by Subject, it placed 15th worldwide in Computer Science, 22nd in Engineering and in Physical Sciences, 27th in Business and Economics, 33rd in Life Sciences and 50th in Education.

During their tour of the Münchner Kammerspiele, Shend and five other TUM students walked past the wing entrances, along countless corridors and through a whole host of workshops. This excursion was part of a project week: a special teaching format during which students work together on a specific subject during a week-long project.

“I had no idea that it would be so much theater-related,” said Tengman, who studies Mechanical Engineering. “I just thought the topic sounded interesting.” The students’ assignment? To spend a week experimenting with video, language, painting and theater techniques, working with artistic forms to develop a vision for life in the future. The ultimate aim would be to create a new civilization in a distant galaxy. “The creative approach intrigued me,” said Micaela, an Electrical Engineering and Information Technology student.

"The idea has been maturing for me since my Master's thesis," explains Patrick Consul, CEO and co-founder of LEAM. "Back then, I was working on sand cores made from high-performance materials for casting applications and wondered whether their possible complex structures could be achieved in other ways." In 2020, Patrick Consul met Ting Wang, who had also been researching in this field for years. "It was immediately clear that we had a common basis for an innovative approach. But to achieve our goal, we needed one more person," explains Ting Wang, CTO of LEAM. This person was to be Benno Böckl, who was writing his doctoral thesis in automated manufacturing processes for carbon parts before taking on his role as COO at LEAM. "The work is currently on hold. Getting our company up and running demands my full attention, but I'll get the title!" says Böckl. What all three founders have in common is that they worked at the Chair of Carbon Composites at TUM before founding the company.

Until now these non-medical topics were also handled by the Medical Ethics Committee. But the numbers are increasing with each passing year. Around 150 of the 850 submissions in 2023 were no longer related to medicine. As a result, the Ethics Committee now has a new non-medical subcommittee to address such topics. It will evaluate the technical and societal conditions relevant to research initiatives and will require changes when needed. The up to 10 voting members of the subcommittee will come from TUM schools in such diverse areas as management, social sciences, natural sciences and engineering.

The Financial Times emphasizes UnternehmerTUM's strong network, which includes large companies, small and medium-sized enterprises, investors, international research institutions and politicians. Another strength is that TUM students can take part in UnternehmerTUM courses as part of their degree programs.

The newspaper, in collaboration with the data company Statista, surveyed graduates of the start-up centers as well as investors, entrepreneurs and academics for the ranking. The success of the start-ups was also assessed.

• On Tuesday, 12 March, a discussion evening will be entitled "Is a transition to a sustainable economy possible?". Together with the Bavarian Bioeconomy Expert Council, the KoNaRo Competence Center for Renewable Resources, and the student initiative TUMCSGreenTalk, the TUM Campus Straubing is organizing this so-called "Green Industry Talk." The event starts at 18:30 followed by a panel discussion with, among others, Dr. Wolfgang Kraus, Research Director of Südzucker AG, Dr. Philipp Brodbeck, Head of the Bioeconomy Department at the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs and student representatives. The event will take place in the garden hall of the NAWAREUM in the Schulgasse 23a in Straubing.
• One day later, on Wednesday, 13 March, the Straubing schoolchildren will perform at the Science Slam "Clear the stage for science!". The Science Slam aims to present scientific topics in ten minutes excitingly and understandably. The presentations deal with the issues of sustainability, bio-economy, and biotechnology. The event begins at 18:00 in the Uferstraße 53 building in the large lecture hall of the TUMCS.
• In addition, on Wednesday, 13 March, in cooperation with BioCampus Straubing GmbH and the TUM Venture Lab Sustainability/Circular, there will also be a start-up afternoon for students and pupils. The participants will be shown, among other things, how to found a bio-based start-up.
• As part of the festival, the TUMCS is organizing will host the event "Next Steps after Straubing - Careers in Academia, Industry, and Beyond" on 14 March from 17:00. Academia, Industry, and Beyond". In lectures, TUMCS alumni from various research areas will present their careers after their work on campus in Straubing, giving valuable insights into their day-to-day work and being available for questions and discussions.

The researchers investigated issues relating to physical activity, bullying and cyberbullying, mental well-being, health literacy and health inequalities. The most recent survey in 2022 involved 6,475 students aged 11 to 15 from all over Germany. The results are published in the Journal of Health Monitoring.