Final presentation for the event “Case studies in innovation”

The goal of the event “Case studies in innovation” is for students – who are completing their semester abroad at FH Kufstein Tirol – to work on a practical problem from the region and apply innovative solution approaches. The focal points of the current event were in the areas of mobility & transport and tourism. Students presented the results of their investigations to an expert panel consisting of Mag. Thomas Ebner and Fiona Aschenbrenner, MA – both Urban Marketing Kufstein – and Qualified Engineer Tin Muskardin, vice manager of the navigation services of DLR GfR – a company of the German Aerospace Center reg. assoc. The event was accompanied by Rector of FH Kufstein Prof. (FH) Private Lecturer Dr. Mario Döller and Director of Studies Prof. (FH) DDr. Mario Situm. Acceptance of drones

The term “drones” currently has a negative connotation as it is generally viewed as a weapon in military conflicts and because drones have caused security problems for air traffic in the past. However, the reality is quite different. Drones can be used in various ways as e.g. in forestry, for rescue operations, transports, etc. In the future, drones will make many tasks easier and support us in our daily lives. Students analyzed possible application fields and presented select approaches for increasing the acceptance of drones among the population.

Big data analytics for SME

The topic of “big data analytics” as a subarea of Industry 4.0 has not yet arrived in the SME (small and medium sized enterprises) landscape. These kinds of analytics would be especially helpful for groups of companies since there is an enormous potential for information usage for strategic and tactical decision-making, which has not been comprehensively utilized thus far due to a lack of knowledge and capacities. Students analyzed the possibilities for SME – especially from a financial perspective – so that big data analytics can attain a greater distribution. The main focus of their analyses was on EU funding, which can promote the development and implementation of data hubs for storing data at various locations.

Regional tourism & the region of Kufstein as an attractive employer

Tourism plays a significant role in the Kufstein region. Students therefore analyzed how tourism can be made more sustainable. Examples from tourism destinations were consulted, and the attempt was made to transfer the applied approaches to Kufstein. Two groups dealt with the attractiveness of Kufstein as a workplace for non-German-speaking students from abroad. Some interesting insights and recommendations for increasing the attractiveness as a working location were developed within the context of surveys among international students.

All in all, students were able to provide interesting impulses, which employers can take into account with respect to the further development of problem areas. The rector draws a positive conclusion: “Students familiarized themselves with the topical field and interacted with employers within the context of the processing phase. Thereby, a high practical transfer was made possible so that, in addition to technical expertise, interpersonal skills were also conveyed.”