Gatersleben. What topics and issues are currently preoccupying companies and institutions in the region? District Administrator Markus Bauer regularly seeks direct dialogue and this week visited the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) in Gatersleben. Its Executive Director, Professor Nicolaus von Wirén, and Administrative Director, Dr Ingmar Schmidt, spoke with the District Administrator, who was accompanied by Head of Specialist Services Tilo Wechselberger, and with Seeland's Mayor Robert Käsebier about their internationally renowned research centre, scientific challenges and successes, and also about their own strategic considerations for how this location should be developed in the coming years. Last year, the 500 employees in Gatersleben put a lot of thought into developing a plan and proposals for an energy concept and cooperation with the town of Seeland. This was also recently discussed in the town council, because research needs secure infrastructure and researchers and employees who feel at home at the location.
For District Administrator Markus Bauer, this is a fundamental conviction that also defines the Salzlandkreis 2030 strategy for the future: "Our region between Magdeburg and Halle is in a position to shine far and wide with many examples. Together we are strong. And in order to continue to develop successfully, we need people who are well educated, work here, live here with their families and play an active role in society."
Markus Bauer thanked the IPK and Professor von Wirén for their open attitude. The IPK performs outstanding networking work and has just been accepted as a new partner in the CEPLAS Cluster of Excellence for Plant Sciences. The federal government is funding excellent research with other partners in Düsseldorf, Cologne and Jülich in order to secure the knowledge base for sustainable plant production. The Gatersleben research centre contributes its outstanding infrastructure: the gene bank with more than 151,000 samples of cultivated plants, the largest collection in Europe, the globally unique PhenoSphere, a high-tech greenhouse in which environmental conditions can be controlled and reproduced to simulate the field of the future, as well as special (NMR) technology that provides insights into living plants and seeds. And, of course, expertise in genetics, cell biology and physiology.
Gatersleben plays a key role in shaping the Salzland district as a centre of science. "For us, there is no question of strengthening the cooperation offered for the region, because everyone benefits from it," says the district administrator, "the institute, the town and district, the companies and, of course, the people, if it becomes concrete." These are currently primarily topics and proposals for intensive cooperation with the town of Seeland in regional energy generation and use from renewable sources, in maintaining and expanding attractive infrastructure such as daycare centres, schools, sports halls and libraries, through to packing stations or cycle path connections and e-charging stations.
"Wherever the district administration is needed and can provide support, we are there. We remain in dialogue," assured District Administrator Markus Bauer. He referred to the objectives set out in the district's strategy for the future and, based on his positive experience, suggested that a similar approach should be adopted locally in accordance with a jointly drawn up strategic development plan.