Today marked the closing event of the first ECIU Challenge round in collaboration with Elfenwiese School, a school specializing in physical and motor development. On behalf of Hamburg University of Technology, the Challenge was supported by the WorkINGLab, the Institute of Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering, and the Kinderforscher initiative.
Over the past three months, students participating in the Challenge worked closely with the pupils of Elfenwiese School, engaging in meaningful exchange and developing a range of ideas. As the collaboration evolved, the focus shifted toward improving break times and leisure activities. The closing event was opened with welcoming remarks by TUHH President Prof. Timm-Giel and School Principal Mr. Holtz, followed by project presentations. Three projects received particularly high evaluation scores: a redesign of the schoolyard with permanently installed colorful patterns and play areas (planned for implementation in spring), a cherry pit cleaning machine that removes polystyrene and dust particles, and a computer game controlled through head or eye movements. Guests were then invited to test the machine and the game themselves.
Beyond developing innovative solutions, the ECIU Challenge fosters interdisciplinary and intercultural collaboration while encouraging participants to broaden their perspectives. For the pupils, it demonstrated that a disability is not a barrier to pursuing higher education. For the university students, it provided valuable experience engaging with a group they might not otherwise encounter. Following this successful first round, both the teaching team and the school are already looking forward to the second round next winter semester.
