On July 23, 2024, Ina Brandes, Minister for Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, visited to immerse herself in the world of digital media and get to know the research fields of three universities. Together with the Executive Board of the OWL University of Applied Sciences, a practical insight into current transfer projects was given during a tour of the laboratories. The minister then exchanged views with the university and institute management on the upcoming developments at the Detmold Creative Campus and the influence of current technologies on modern degree programs.
Minister Ina Brandes: “The KreativInstitut.OWL impressively shows the far-reaching opportunities that lie in a digitalized music and media industry. For example, companies are using a computer game developed at the KreativInstitut to attract new skilled workers. 3D body scanners help researchers to work on an object in different locations at the same time. And concert experiences are possible from the perspective of musicians. At the KreativInstitut, researchers from the University of Paderborn, the University of Music in Detmold and the TH OWL are developing digital products of the future together with partners from industry and are already making them tangible.”
During the tour of the laboratories, the three universities involved in the KreativInstitut.OWL network presented their current projects. In the Virtual Reality (VR) laboratory, Minister Brandes was able to see how the traditional company STRABAG goes about recruiting new employees. With the help of a cooperative VR game, young people are encouraged to get to know the company.
The “Walk-in Orchestra” was presented in the 3D audio laboratory, which makes it possible to experience the New Year’s Concert of the Detmold University of Music, recorded this year, interactively from the perspective of an orchestra musician. The findings will also be applied in the context of teaching, where aspiring musicians can practice in a virtual orchestra. Music-making itself is also changing through the use of new technologies. Digital sheet music can display scores in real time and allow interaction with concertgoers. Organs can be controlled and played with a computer via the MIDI interface. A completely new development is that an organ can be controlled using singing. A performance of this will be offered in the autumn in the Holy Cross Church in Detmold.
The laboratory tours were rounded off with a demonstration of the 3D body scanner, which makes it possible to scan people and objects and transfer them into the virtual world as digital objects. This means that objects can be viewed and analyzed in different locations at the same time. The scans also offer the possibility of generating models for later movement analysis. A research infrastructure is planned for this purpose at the Lemgo site.
In the subsequent exchange with the minister, the previously presented projects and technologies were taken up in order to discuss the content and possibilities of future courses. In the discussion, it was highlighted that more technologies must be taught that are currently used in completely different fields of application. An example of this is the field of virtual reality, which will be used in the media environment, in the construction sector, in medicine and many other areas. In order to equip young people for these challenges, this should also be taught using modern and adapted teaching methods, for example project-based ones.
In addition to the topic of study programs, the history of the KreativInstitut.OWL and the development perspective for the Kreativ Campus Detmold on Bielefelder Strasse were presented. The focus was on the topic of founding and working on the campus in Detmold in the context of the creative industry. Another component is the Center for Sustainable Digital Construction (ZNDB), which addresses the topic of construction in the future and will bring digital methods to the construction site.
The KreativInstitut.OWL is a project funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
