Especially in the areas of automation, computer science and organization, HTW carries out a great number of research and development projects in conjunction with industry. Thesis projects in the engineering departments usually deal with solving practical problems for industry within individual companies. The career prospects for HTW graduates are very good, even excellent for the graduates of the Franco-German Institute of Higher Education. HTW contributes to structural change, helps to maintain jobs and provides incentives for young people to remain in their Land. The institution, mainly tackling issues of logistics in production and information management in cooperation with regional and supraregional industrial enterprises, was founded in 1986 on a private basis by its current head, Prof. K.J. Schmidt.
Professional contacts extend far beyond Europe.
The HTW library comprises the specialized libraries of technology and economics with a total of 55,000 volumes. In addition, it subscribes to some 164 periodicals. This department offers all the facilities necessary for proficient studies in electrical engineering. It is particularly important to be able to communicate fully with business and technical experts. Research and development projects mainly concern linear optimization, interactive network techniques, industrial control systems, technical information systems, Artificial Intelligence, networked databases, expert systems, object identifications, information and communications logistics.