SAP becomes "TUM Partner of Excellence"

11/12/2021
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The software concern SAP is a new Technical University of Munich "TUM Partner of Excellence". The company is supporting the TUM University Foundation with a donation of one million euros. Thomas Saueressig, member of the SAP SE Executive Board and responsible for SAP Product Engineering, signed the corresponding declaration on Wednesday. The non-profit TUM Foundation promotes in particular talented young individuals in research and studies.

Partnership of Excellence: SAP board member Thomas Saueressig (left) und TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann seal SAP's support for the TUM University Foundation

TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann expressed his gratitude to SAP for the endowment. "This is a further expression of the trust-based, long-term partnership between TUM and SAP. The company's endowment demonstrates a strong sense of responsibility for the future of university education. Our students will benefit directly from the donation, which will help them apply their knowledge in practically-oriented research areas and put their innovative spirit to the test in problem-oriented team projects."

Digitalization for increasing sustainability

Addressing students in the university's Audimax main auditorium during the TUM Speakers series, Saueressig made an urgent call for sustainable behavior, management and technology: "Humanity cannot continue as it has in the past. We need innovative solutions to the global challenges which result from climate change and scarcity of resources." Saueressig sees digitalization as an important tool for increasing sustainability.

Collaboration between TUM and SAP

TUM and SAP have been collaborating intensively for decades. The groundbreaking for the new SAP Labs Munich Campus research center took place as recently as July 2021 at TUM Garching. Starting in 2023 the center will bring together approximately 600 SAP employees and 120 TUM researchers under a single roof to work on Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning topics. This partnership is part of the TUM "Industry on Campus" strategy whose objective is to transfer leading-edge science to innovations which are of practical value to business.

Further information and links

The TUM University Foundation

The non-profit TUM University Foundation was formed in 2010 to provide the Technical University of Munich with continuous support, to promote the best academic talents, drive socially relevant research topics and to make TUM stronger in international competition. Since then, the Foundation's endowment has grown to over 57 million euros. Today the TUM University Foundation is Germany's largest university foundation, financing for example postdoctoral grants and Deutschlandstipendium scholarships for high-achieving students through the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

The TUM Speakers Series

Since 1999 the student-organized TUM Speakers Series has brought a wide variety of prominent personalities to address the university. In addition to SAP Executive Board member Thomas Saueressig, speakers have included Microsoft founder Bill Gates, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Ban Ki-moon and Kofi Annan, both former Secretaries General of the UN. The objective of the Series is to provide students with insights into the working world and the career paths of leaders and shapers as impetus for their own professional and personal development.

TUM Partners of Excellence
TUM University Foundation
Deutschlandstipendium at TUM
TUM Fundraising
SAP-Vorstand Thomas Saueressig
TUM Speakers Series