University of St.Gallen founds "Auto-Schweiz Chair for Mobility"
At the end of 2024, the University of St.Gallen and Auto Schweiz signed a funding agreement to finance a chair for mobility management. The establishment of the research institute is intended to scientifically investigate and support key topics such as the transformation of the automotive industry and the mobility of the future.
The creation of the "Auto-Schweiz Chair of Mobility" is made possible by a generous grant of CHF 2.68 million from the Association of Swiss Automobile Importers to the University of St.Gallen Foundation. The cooperation agreement provides for a term of eight years.
Transformation in the automotive industry
The automotive industry is facing major challenges worldwide and is in the midst of the biggest transformation process in its history of well over a hundred years. Megatrends such as digitalization, electrification and automation offer enormous potential for future business models, but also harbour risks for established structures, for example in the vehicle trade or mobility. With a grant totaling 2,680,000 Swiss francs, Auto-Schweiz wants to enable in-depth scientific research into these topics by the University of St.Gallen (HSG). The "Auto-Schweiz Chair for Mobility" created with the grant is to be established in the near future and filled with the help of an appointment procedure.
"The HSG is one of the most progressive and innovative business universities in Europe," says Auto Schweiz President Peter Grünenfelder. "At the same time, the automotive industry is the engine of the economy and, with its unshakeable belief in the future, invests billions in research and development of new technologies every year. Our collaboration and the HSG's research into future topics is therefore nothing but logical. With the new auto-schweiz Chair of Mobility, automobility, as one of the most important Swiss economic sectors, will receive sound scientific support in mastering the challenges of today and tomorrow."
Diverse research topics at the new mobility chair
With this partnership, Auto-Schweiz is enabling the HSG to build up additional capacities and expertise in the field of mobility management, where important future issues are arising. The chair includes one assistant and one secretarial position (100 and 50 percent respectively). "We are very grateful to Auto-Schweiz for supporting us in developing promising solutions for the optimal interaction of all mobility services," says Prof. Dr. Manuel Ammann, President of the HSG. The HSG only enters into such partnerships if the freedom of research, teaching and publication is fully guaranteed at all times. Accordingly, Auto-Schweiz has no influence on the appointment process or the content of the new chair to be created.
The variety of topics from which the HSG's "Auto-Schweiz Chair for Mobility" can select its future research areas is almost inexhaustible. For example, the future development of electromobility and its contribution to reducing emissions is currently a key field of activity for the automotive industry, explains Auto Schweiz Director Thomas Rücker. "At the same time, however, other solutions will also have their place and the differences in the needs of the various vehicle types in the overall transport and mobility system should not be underestimated. There are also spatial planning challenges, especially when it comes to the interaction between different modes of transport, as well as trends towards digitalization and automation." The affordability and unrestricted availability of mobility for society as a whole is also an important issue for the future.
Source: www.auto.swiss
