Press releases

• The new cooperation agreement establishes the strategic framework for continued collaboration between the city and the university.
• The collaboration ranges from knowledge and technology transfer to support for startups and securing a skilled workforce, all the way to sustainable urban and campus development.
• The partnership between the city and RWTH has a long history: it was first formalized in a cooperation agreement in 1996.

The City of Aachen and RWTH Aachen University are laying a new foundation for their long-standing collaboration. With a new cooperation agreement, both partners are reaffirming their commitment to working together to further develop Aachen as a hub for science and innovation.

Five Areas of Cooperation
The focus is on five joint areas of cooperation: the further development of Aachen as a city of science, with knowledge and technology transfer as its shared brand essence; sustainability and transformation; Aachen’s appeal as a place to work and live; joint regional development; and the strengthening of ties between science, daily life, and culture.

“With RWTH, Aachen has a unique engine for innovation and the future. Together, we want to harness this engine even more effectively for our city. Our goal is clear: We want to translate scientific excellence into new companies, good jobs, and sustainable value creation, and further advance Aachen’s international standing as a hub for innovation. To achieve this, we must collaborate efficiently, develop sites, attract talent, and create favorable conditions. With this agreement, we are giving this collaboration a clear strategic direction,” says Mayor Dr. Michael Ziemons regarding the new cooperation agreement.

This is supported by Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h.c. mult. Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University: “We want to build on overarching innovation and transformation policy objectives and, in the future, work together even more intensively to identify, prepare, and advance strategically significant project developments. The aim is to better translate scientific excellence into economic value creation, support regional structural change, and increase Aachen’s international visibility as a hub for innovations and technologies featuring solutions ‘made in Aachen.’”

From cutting-edge research to urban development
: The collaboration ranges from knowledge and technology transfer to startup support and securing a skilled workforce, all the way to sustainable urban and campus development. Aachen possesses outstanding expertise, particularly in future-oriented fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, quantum computing, the bioeconomy, and space exploration. The city and RWTH aim to work together to translate this strength even more clearly into innovation, business development, and value creation in the region.

Thomas Hissel, Deputy Mayor for Housing, Social Affairs, and Economic Development, explains: “Our shared mission is to translate Aachen’s tremendous scientific expertise into tangible results even more effectively. We want to strengthen the transfer of knowledge to businesses and startups while also making science and innovation visible and accessible to the people in this hub of science and innovation. With KRAFTWERK, for example, we as a city are creating a place where the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship come together and new ideas can flourish.”

“Aachen’s quality as a place to live and work is an important factor for us when it comes to attracting and retaining students, researchers, and staff. This includes, among other things, an attractive cultural scene, affordable housing, family-friendly structures, and an international culture of welcome. Close and coordinated cooperation between RWTH and the city is therefore of great importance for the future development of both the university and the city,” adds Thomas Trännapp, Chancellor of RWTH Aachen.

Specific joint projects are already demonstrating the impact of this collaboration. Campus West is creating a space where science and innovation can flourish. With the development of the Bushofquartier, Aachen is set to become home to KRAFTWERK, a flagship startup hub designed to foster a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.

The city and RWTH also work closely together in the area of science communication: Together, they aim to raise the profile of research and technological developments in the city, foster dialogue with residents, and demonstrate how science contributes to shaping Aachen’s future.

The cooperation agreement is designed to be a dynamic framework. The joint areas of focus and initiatives are continuously refined and adapted to new challenges and opportunities for Aachen as a hub for science and innovation.

The collaboration between the city and RWTH has a long tradition: it was first formalized in a cooperation agreement in 1996 and further strengthened in 2004. The new agreement builds on this foundation and aligns the partnership with the challenges and opportunities of the coming years.