Lausitz Science Park: Almost 5 million euros for Cottbus' future!

Lausitz Science Park: Almost 5 million euros for Cottbus' future!

In Cottbus there is a breath of fresh air for structural change in Lusatia. Dr. Klaus Freytag, the Prime Minister's Lausitz officer, has now handed over a grant to the development company Cottbus (EGC) over around EUR 4.972 million. This support is used for the development of the core area of Lausitz Science Park, a project that is considered an essential component of the structural change. According to [Cityreport.pnr24-online.de] (https://cityreport.pnr24-online.de/tartschuss-fuer-lausitz-lausitz-laus-laus-lauplter-uebergt-zuber-ueber-Als-als-------millione-euro-zur-----erschliessung-des-kern area Approval to expand supporting infrastructures and to provide suitable development areas.

The vision behind Lausitz Science Park is clear: Innovative approaches for the region are to be developed on an area of a total of 420 hectares. The core area comprises 145 hectares, of which 65 hectares are initially developed, including the core renovation of the service building. The work should be complete by 2031. The EGC will take on the necessary tasks on behalf of the city of Cottbus.

collaboration and funding

An important part of this project is the close cooperation between the city of Cottbus, the Brandenburg University of Cottbus-Senftenberg and Wista Management GmbH. This cooperation promises to use the strengths of the region even better and to promote the development of science and technology location. Overall project results are funded by the Federal Structural Strengthening Act, which was launched in response to the loss of industrial workplaces by the coal phase -out.

A total of 10.32 billion euros in structural funds are available for the development of Lausitz by 2038, as lausitz-structurwandel.de reports. ARM 1 of these funds secures 1.6 billion euros for Brandenburg alone, while ARM provides 2 over 6.7 billion euros for projects in Lusatia, of which a large part has already been awarded.

challenges and criticism

Despite the positive prospects, there are also challenges. Smaller municipalities are particularly difficult to finance their projects. The economic assessment of structural change is consistently critical: According to a survey, 76 % of companies see cooperation with politics skeptical. In addition, the fear is that the funds provided may not be sufficient in order to offer sufficient support in particular.

politics also has a lot to discuss. When the special committee for structural development Lausitz was founded to accompany the change, important topics such as the preservation of industrial workplaces and broadband expansion were unfortunately not in focus. Instead, equality policy goals were discussed, which is incomprehensible in many companies.

Overall, the Lausitz Science Park project shows both the ambitions and the difficulties in front of which the region is facing. The next steps are crucial to actually realize the vision of a reformed and sustainable Lausitz. More information can be found on the website of the city Cottbus.