Research, quo vadis?

AluReport: Prof. Antrekowitsch, as Vice-Rector you will be responsible for research and sustainability. Do you see further potential to develop the cooperation between AMAG and MUL?

HA: AMAG and MUL can already look back on years of successful cooperation. In addition to a considerable number of completed dissertation projects, an endowed professorship and the CD Lab, we have also worked together to develop globally visible research expertise in the field of aluminium-based materials. At the same time, the requirements placed on research and sustainability have increased significantly, both for AMAG and for MUL, and both parties have now completed a sustainable change process. Although the university in Leoben has engaged with sustainability-related issues since its foundation, it has intensified these activities considerably in the last three decades. In particular, the topics of material design, recycling, the circular economy, energy engineering, secondary materials and resources have become increasingly important. Today, almost every program of study in Leoben deals with sustainability. We launched our Recycling Technology program ten years ago, followed by the Environmental and Climate Protection Technology program in 2022.The introduction of two programs taught in English, Responsible Consumption as well as Production and Circular Engineering, helped improve our international visibility. In 2022, MUL adopted its 2030+ Strategy, which primarily focuses on the circular economy, sustainability, resource security, recycling technology, climate neutrality and recycling-friendly material design. And this brings us back to AMAG, which has made huge efforts in recent years in sustainable production, material development and recycling. It would have been impossible for AMAG to put these measures into practice without its highly skilled employees, which is the next chapter in AMAG and MUL’s shared success story. MUL graduates now work in many parts of AMAG, supporting the company on its journey to further success. To return to your question, I think there’s significant potential in the future in many areas, specifically recycling-friendly material development, recycling process optimizations, climate-neutral production (using hydrogen and electricity), and further cooperation in teaching and providing highly skilled personnel.

AluReport: In your view, are there particular areas or measures that should be driven forward more forcefully? What can we expect to change at MUL?

HA: I would say that recycling-friendly material design and the transformation of entire production processes and the aluminium cycle are particularly important in promoting sustainability and climate neutrality. Creating a suitable legal framework isn’t the only way to support this - every company and every university has a responsibility to humanity to promote this. I’d like to highlight two examples that we intend to drive even further forward in the future. One is the development of crossover alloys, which not only have a new performance profile but also provide a solution for the recycling of aluminium-based materials. The other is the use of hydrogen as a replacement for fossil fuels. In this context, I’d also like to mention that MUL established a hydrogen-carbon cluster two years ago, which already has 120 staff working on hydrogen production and use as well as sustainable use of the carbon resulting from hydrogen production. On the one hand, this has facilitated increased networking of research projects; on the other hand, it has enhanced the implementation of research outcomes in the field of research-led teaching. We have also intensified our international activities and will continue to do so. Examples have included our successful application to join the EURECA-PRO European University project alongside seven other European partner universities, increasing student exchanges through the Erasmus program, and expanding our study programs with an international focus.

AluReport: In the public eye, there is often a perception that sustainable activities and metal production are two wholly unrelated areas. What’s your take on this?

HA: It’s important to take a nuanced view of these things! All products are either made from metal or are manufactured with the help of metal. Metals have a decisive role to play in establishing the circular economy, in the energy transition, and in climate and environmental protection. We need only think of exhaust and wastewater systems, recycling plants, photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, geothermal installations, e-mobility, electricity transport, hydroelectric power stations, and so on. In many of these areas, aluminium has become utterly essential due to the importance of lightweight construction along with its corrosion resistance, excellent formability, out­standing mechanical properties and recyclability. The bottom line is this: without metals, a sustainable future simply isn’t possible! At the same time, it’s important to acknowledge that it takes a lot of energy to produce these metals, which sometimes means significant emissions and residues. That said, we can make metal production significantly more sustainable by using innovative process technologies, recycling and recycling-friendly material design, and by moving away from fossil fuels. We have to get started - and we’re doing it together.

AluReport: What would you like to see from industry, politics and society in relation to research and sustainability?

HA: This is another question where nuance is important! Although a large part of industry is making a decisive (and often very expensive) contribution in relation to climate change and the energy transition through a sustainable approach and actions, many political actors are still living in the past. Still, it’s the political sphere that has to set realistic targets and create appropriate framework conditions for business, rather than squandering away our country’s future with pointless pseudo-debates, such as constitutional protections for the use of cash. At the same time, in the context of education and research, it’s incumbent upon political actors to ensure that vital topics - like the climate, the circular economy, the energy transition, the use of AI, etc. - are increasingly covered in teacher training programs, along with well-funded, competitive research programs and a major reduction in bureaucracy. Here in Austria, bureaucracy is more extensive than in most other countries. In any case, it’s vital that business, politics and wider society are all pulling in the same direction. We already have a hugely successful example in this regard. The targeted introduction of systematic waste management [in Austria] in the early 1990s demonstrated that we can be successful when everyone works toward a common goal. The topic was promoted in all areas of society - in business and politics, in kindergartens, schools and universities, and through­out the media sector. We can all marvel at the success of this initiative when driving through our beautiful country. Something similar needs to happen in relation to sustainable development, covering climate and environmental protection, the energy transition and the transformation brought about by digitalization.

AluReport: You mentioned the media as a whole. How important are the media in achieving the transformation we need?

HA: The media have an absolutely crucial role to play. They have a huge influence on public opinion and perception, which in turn has consequences for politics, business and the entire education landscape. The strong hostility towards science - which, in an enlightened country like Austria, should have been consigned to history long ago - could significantly impact the country’s development in the future. When even politicians are proud to espouse a certain degree of skepticism toward science, that should set alarm bells ringing. So, for the transition to a sustainable future to be successful, it is immensely important that the media recognizes its responsibilities to Austria as well as the opportunities and potential that this transition holds for our economy and, above all, for younger generations.

AluReport: In AluReport 01/2021, AMAG COO Helmut Kaufmann criticized the extensive freedom of choice in the university system. There’s an argument that this offers students cheap shortcuts to doctorates while the quality of education suffers. What’s your view?

HA: In principle, greater freedom of choice is something to be supported, provided that the overall education quality remains consistently high. Future challenges will demand highly skilled employees, so it’s clear that there’s no room for compromise when it comes to the quality of research-led teaching. In fact, the opposite is true: we must upgrade our students’ skills accordingly. Otherwise, Austria and Europe will lose touch with the global elite, especially in the university sector. There’s no place for the mediocrity we so cherish here in Austria! However, it’s also vital that we not only discuss the importance of high-quality education but also take action to facilitate high-quality education, including with financial support. Talk alone is too little: it’s time to act! If we don’t, we’ll see a further decline in student numbers in engineering and science-based subjects, even though graduates in these fields are urgently needed.