INUAS Annual Meeting 2025 in Munich

On 17 and 18 November 2025, this year’s meeting of the INUAS Munich–Vienna–Zurich university network (International Network of Universities of Applied Sciences) took place at Hochschule München. Through joint projects and initiatives, INUAS is committed to the sustainable development of urban environments. This year’s meeting focused on current strategic developments in the higher education sector and new impetus for transdisciplinary collaboration.

A warm welcome

HM President Martin Leitner, Vice-President Sonja Munz and Vice-President Thomas Stumpp welcomed the heads of the partner universities in the INUAS network – Regula Jöhl, Rector of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Rector Heimo Sandtner and Head of Administration Wilhelm Behensky of Hochschule Campus Wien University of Applied Sciences (HCW) – along with other colleagues from the universities' executive boards and the International Offices at Hochschule München.

Strategic developments and future opportunities

Following the welcome, the university leaders exchanged views on current developments in their respective countries and discussed shared challenges and opportunities. Then the new MUC.Health campus, which brings together interdisciplinary degree programmes in the health sector, was presented. The key focus was on the academisation of healthcare professions in Bavaria, Austria and Switzerland, as well as potential collaborations between the INUAS universities in this field.

A Focus on Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Entrepreneurship was another important topic. HM Vice-President Thomas Stumpp and Klaus Sailer, Director of the Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship (SCE), provided insights into fostering entrepreneurial thinking and action at HM and discussed the role of universities with the participants. Joint initiatives in this area, such as an INUAS Entrepreneurship Certificate, are also planned. In addition, the results of the third round of the INUAS funding call were presented, and it was decided to continue the programme.

As part of a campus tour, the guests were given an insight into HM’s BioMedLab and the innovative health start-ups at the SCE Incubator, including COBY and Art-Glove. Finally, the participants discussed the network’s future prospects and adopted the 2026 Action Plan.

Outlook and significance of the network

This 2026 Action Plan sets out specific steps for future collaboration with initiatives, along with the corresponding responsibilities. The annual meeting once again highlighted the role of INUAS as a think tank for sustainability, digitalisation, internationalisation and social responsibility in the metropolitan regions of Munich, Vienna and Zurich.

INUAS Munich–Vienna–Zurich

The INUAS university network was founded in Vienna in 2011 and is an institutional partnership between Hochschule München, Hochschule Campus Wien University of Applied Sciences and the ZHAW. The three member universities are among the largest providers of application-oriented teaching and research in their respective countries.

Further information can be found on the INUAS website at www.inuas.org