An Evening Honoring the Donors and Sponsors of the Friends of Landshut University 2023

The Friends of Landshut University is one of the most significant supporters of Landshut's largest educational institution. Under the leadership of its chairman, Ludwig Zellner, and managing director, Michael Schramm, the head of personnel service at Landshut University, the association collects and administers donation funds. "These contributions are fundamentally important for the further development of Landshut University," emphasized University President Prof. Fritz Pörnbacher. "Your contributions are incredibly valuable because they allow us to allocate resources differently from what the Bavarian state's grants permit," he added to those present at the recognition event.

Friends of Landshut University Chairman and City Councilor Ludwig Zellner expressed profound gratitude to all donors on Tuesday evening: "You are the ones who, through our Friends of Landshut University, make a significant contribution to realizing the vision of an innovative, practical, and future-oriented university in Landshut. Thank you for over 7,300 euros! Thank you for being here tonight so that we can further deepen our good contacts and relationships."

Special Investments for the University Thanks to the Friends of Landshut University and Its Donors

A prominent example from this year is the performance of "the Drummers and Pipers" at Landshut University's Study Information Day, which coincided with the start of the Landshut Wedding at that time. Some of the donation funds were used to draw the attention of prospective students to the rich Landshut culture around the university campus through the performance of costumed musicians. During the recognition event hosted by the Friends of Landshut University, there was also mention of the "Open Campus" event planned for 2024. This mix of an open house and campus festival will be made possible primarily through the support of the Friends of Landshut University and is expected to be a significant measure to further enhance the institution's visibility and popularity next year. It's also worth mentioning, for example, the high-visibility university-red running shirts that were sponsored for all participants in this year's "Landshut Runs." Students have also been greatly appreciative of the tablets in the university library financed by the Friends of Landshut University.

A Ten-Year Tradition of Holding an Awards Evening

Since 2014, it has been a fixed ritual for the Friends of Landshut University to honor the companies, institutions, municipalities, and individuals who have proven themselves as important supporters of research, teaching, and campus life in Landshut by making significant contributions each year. "You are more than just donors and sponsors to us. You are our partners and companions in our efforts to support Landshut University," emphasized Zellner.

The 15 companies, institutions, and municipalities that donated between 250 and 1,000 euros in the calendar year 2023 are Attenkofer'sche Buch- und Kunstdruckerei Verlagsbuchhandlung Straubing KG, Bayernwerk Netz GmbH, ebm-papst Landshut GmbH, ERLUS AG, Flottweg SE, HA-BE Gehäusebau GmbH, Handwerkskammer Niederbayern-Oberpfalz, Industrie- und Handelskammer für Bayern, Landratsamt Landshut, Leipfinger-Bader GmbH, SEHLHOFF GmbH, VR-Bank Landshut eG, and the cities of Landshut, Passau, and Straubing. Donors who exceeded 1,000 euros, such as BMW Group Werk Landshut and Sparkasse Landshut, were honored in separate appointments this year.

A Financial Windfall and a Strong Network

With its over 200 members, the association not only provides significant financial support for the university but also serves as a network that connects individuals involved in the educational institution with other stakeholders in society, enabling synergies. This was clearly demonstrated towards the end of the event when the attendees, donors, and journalists engaged in discussions about the university's future development and potential. One of the attending journalists raised the question of whether it posed a dilemma for employers that people were increasingly obtaining academic degrees. Hanno Froese, Vice President Operations & Supply Chain of ebm-papst Landshut GmbH, responded: "University and craftsmanship go hand in hand. Employees who have been trained by us and wish to further their education don't need to leave us. The proximity to Landshut University is a win for us. This way, you can pursue a dual path, and I wholeheartedly support that." Michael Luger, the city of Landshut's economic development officer, also emphasized how much he appreciated the proximity to and collaboration with Landshut University: "Especially coming from the private sector, I enjoy working with Landshut University. I'm delighted about the many intersections and joint projects, as we work very dynamically on innovative future topics for Landshut."

Summary of Honored Companies, Institutions, and Municipalities

In summary, on October 17, 2023, the Friends of Landshut University e.V. expressly thanked the following companies, institutions, and municipalities for their generous support: