Artificial intelligence is one of the key topics of the future in science and business. Through Prof. Dr. Markus Lange-Hegermann, TH OWL is now a partner in the new ELLIS Unit NRW—the only university of applied sciences among the associated institutions. The unit brings together research on machine learning and artificial intelligence in North Rhine-Westphalia, thereby establishing the state as a distinct hub within the European ELLIS network of excellence.
The ELLIS Unit NRW was founded on April 1, 2026, and officially announced in May as part of the European network ELLIS (European Laboratory for Learning and Intelligent Systems). ELLIS is a pan-European network of excellence for artificial intelligence (AI) that is built on machine learning as the driving force behind modern AI.
A robust research ecosystem for machine learning
The ELLIS Unit NRW has set itself the goal of establishing a collaborative and internationally visible ecosystem for research in the field of machine learning. By connecting the state’s leading AI institutes, the initiative aims to create one of Europe’s most comprehensive hubs for open, trustworthy, and impactful research in this field.
The research agenda includes, among other things, the further development of open foundation models, for which data, models, and source code are freely accessible. Other key areas of focus include the reliability of such models in rare events as well as in sectors such as healthcare, applications in embodied AI, home care, and sustainable agriculture.
A notable achievement in applied research
For TH OWL, this participation represents a significant achievement: Prof. Dr. Markus Lange-Hegermann, Professor of Mathematics and Data Science at TH OWL and a member of the board of the Institute Industrial IT (inIT), is one of the few professors at universities of applied sciences in Germany who is a member of the ELLIS network.
Prof. Dr. Markus Lange-Hegermann contributes in particular his expertise at the intersection of machine learning, mathematical modeling, and industrial applications. In doing so, TH OWL strengthens a perspective within the network that combines scientific excellence with application-oriented research.
“Artificial intelligence is advancing particularly rapidly where excellent basic research meets concrete applications. It is precisely this connection that TH OWL can bring to the ELLIS Unit NRW: research that is scientifically rigorous while remaining closely tied to real-world problems,” says Prof. Dr. Markus Lange-Hegermann.
Further expand networking in AI research
Artificial intelligence is already a key research focus at TH OWL, particularly at inIT. Through its participation in the ELLIS Unit NRW, the university can contribute its expertise in machine learning and trustworthy AI more effectively to academic discourse, draw on new research ideas, and further strengthen its profile in this field.
European network continues to grow
The ELLIS Unit NRW is part of the current expansion of the European ELLIS network. In addition to the ELLIS Unit NRW, six other units have been added to the network. ELLIS is thus strengthening collaboration among research institutions in Europe and further expanding regional centers of scientific excellence.
Learn more here:
https://ellis.eu/news/seven-new-units-join-the-ellis-network-czechia-denmark-franconia-grenoble-nrw-slovenia-sweden
About the ELLIS Unit NRW:
https://ellis.eu/research/sites/unit-nrw