As part of his high-tech tour of Thuringia, Christian Tischner, Thuringia's Minister of Education, Science, and Culture, visited the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS at its Hermsdorf and Arnstadt sites on July 29 and 30, 2025.

Strong signal for research and innovation

The visit demonstrates the role of IKTS as a driving force for research, innovation, and technology transfer in Thuringia.

At the Hermsdorf site, the minister was welcomed by site manager Prof. Ingolf Voigt and deputy institute director Prof. Michael Stelter. The meeting focused on overarching issues of research strategy and the promotion of young talent. Discussions focused in particular on strengthening the network of Thuringian research institutions, attracting and retaining skilled workers, and career options for young scientists. The role of ceramics as a key material across industries was also discussed. Another highlight was the presentation of the Sensor Space student laboratory, which is an extracurricular learning center designed to spark interest in STEM subjects among young people. The discussion focused on prospects for promoting and financing such pre-academic educational initiatives.

In Arnstadt, site manager Dr. Roland Weidl welcomed the minister together with institute director Prof. Alexander Michaelis and presented the institute's current developments and strategic priorities. The main topic was the site's expertise in the field of electrolysis technologies. Dr. Stefanie Seitz also highlighted the training and continuing education programs in the field of Industry 4.0 and data science. The highlight of the visit was a tour of the building and the research hall. There, the Minister of Science was shown the pilot production facility for SOEC electrolysers, which was recently opened with thyssenkrupp nucera, and the laboratories, among other things.

Dialogue between science and industry

With his high-tech tour, Minister Tischner aims to gain insights into forward-looking research facilities and strengthen the dialogue between science and industry. The visit to Fraunhofer IKTS impressively demonstrated the potential of materials-based research and its industrial applications.