March 3, 2021

With an interactive city game by bicycle in the Karlsruhe city center, the newly appointed BMVI endowed professor for cycling Angela Francke was officially welcomed at the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences - Technology and Economics yesterday. At the 15 stations, the invited guests and interested citizens rode a course and solved knowledge, estimation or opinion questions related to the bicycle. Each station consisted of a board with a QR code, via which the respective task could be called up in the form of a video clip. By answering the question, participants received a hint to the next station.

Prof.'in Dr. Angela Francke also took part in the tour together with colleagues, staff and students of Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences as well as other people from the circle of supporters around the cycling professorship and made initial contacts with representatives from transport associations, administration and interest groups. At the end of the tour, she met with her colleagues from the Transport Systems Management program and the rectorate for an online meeting with Transport Minister Winfried Hermann. Minister of Transport Hermann MdL: "Today's action of the Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences makes the strengthening of cycling in the state visible and tangible. The new cycling professorship thus sets an example for the growing cycling culture in Baden-Württemberg. Especially in Corona times, many people have rediscovered healthy and climate-friendly cycling. As a state, we have established very good framework and funding conditions that will help to further strengthen this trend. We want to double the cycling share to 20 percent by 2030!"

The campaign was supported by numerous stakeholders in cycling, including the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, the Ministries of Science, Research and the Arts and Transport Baden-Württemberg, Paul Lange & Co. OHG, the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Fahrrad- und Fußgängerfreundlicher Kommunen in Baden-Württemberg e. V, the city of Karlsruhe, the Rhine-Neckar transport association, the Karlsruhe transport association, the TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe, the Karlsruhe district office, the Lastenkarle cargo bike loan system, the Allgemeine Deutsche Fahrrad-Club e. V. and the Verkehrsclub Deutschland.

The Endowed Chair of Cycling at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). Federal Minister Andreas Scheuer: "Germany is getting new cycling experts! For the first time, we are funding seven cycling endowed professorships - including one here in Karlsruhe. Those who study with Dr. Francke learn to view cycling holistically. Graduates can then apply their know-how in a targeted way in cities and municipalities to advance cycling in Germany and make it better."

"Enthusiasm for cycling has increased enormously. And the infrastructure and services for cyclists in the country are getting better and better. Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences has long been at the forefront when it comes to promoting climate-friendly and healthy mobility. I am very pleased that the university has succeeded in recruiting Dr. Angela Francke, an extremely renowned and experienced transport scientist, for the endowed professorship in cycling. This further strengthens the outstanding expertise of Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences in the field of transport ecology and sustainable mobility," said Science Minister Theresia Bauer MdL.

"As a bicycle capital, Karlsruhe already occupies a top position throughout Germany. We not only want to defend this position, but also to expand it further. The endowed professorship for cycling is an important building block for this, especially since we can welcome a proven expert in our city in Prof. Dr. Angela Francke. We are already looking forward to a lively exchange and new impulses," emphasizes Karlsruhe's Lord Mayor Dr. Frank Mentrup.

About the endowed professorships cycling
For the first time, the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) is funding professorships for cycling at seven universities. The aim is to ensure that the interests of cyclists are adequately taken into account in a sustainable mobility mix - from infrastructure planning and mobility management to bicycle-friendly legislation. The universities are funded with a maximum annual amount of up to 400,000 euros per professorship. In addition to Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, RheinMain University of Applied Sciences in Wiesbaden, Ostfalia Hochschule Salzgitter, Wildau University of Applied Sciences, and Kassel University received funding.