Ulrich Grüner (UG): Rail is an important factor in solving current challenges such as climate change and in the design of future sustainable transport systems. There is still a lot of work to be done by engineers and Master's graduates in this field. In other words, there is an enormous need for young professionals. As a consulting company for engineering services in the rail sector, we are also aware of this. With the scholarship, we want to support the faculty in drawing attention to attractive study programs such as Railway System Engineering or Electrical Transportation Systems and thus attract more new Master's students to the faculty. In addition, the scholarship holders should be able to concentrate fully on their studies and not get caught up between their part-time job and their studies. And, of course, we want to present ourselves as an attractive employer and promote ourselves.

UG: Well, first and foremost a love of technology and a certain affinity for the railway system. After all, we see the selected young person as an ambassador for these topics, perhaps to inspire other students for the engineering profession and the railroad sector. Independence, a desire for self-organization and communication skills are also values and required soft skills in our company.

UG: Finding enough qualified employees is one thing. Finding professionals with certain skills is another. And here I'm not so much referring to engineering expertise, but to language skills, for example. In an international context, language is a kind of superpower to stand out. In every country, the rail industry is more local than international - also in terms of language. This means that end customers such as Deutsche Bahn or Hamburger Hochbahn are based in Germany and expect our employees to speak German - or the customer's national language. Our employees don't always get any further with English. Another challenge is to stand out from the crowd of employers and be noticed. The entire industry is looking for young professionals. That's why the scholarship is also an opportunity for us to raise awareness of IKOS as a company among students.

UG: It depends. Our employees want a hybrid structure, i.e. partly working from home and partly in the office, in order to have a social connection and office culture. We have therefore expanded our office infrastructure in Germany and rented more offices. These shared offices can be booked on a daily basis via an online booking system. In the virtual space, the teams also come together briefly every day for around 15 minutes in a video call, there is a longer consultation meeting once a week and a face-to-face team meeting takes place once a month.

UG: Absolutely - but not only for these reasons. Transport, and rail transport in particular, is a key global issue when it comes to solving and managing current and future challenges. Getting more goods and people "onto the rails" is a central component of a sustainable transport transition. However, this requires a massive expansion of infrastructure, sustainable concepts, new technologies and much more. This will keep us busy for generations to come. The electrification of transport, hydrogen drives, Hyperloop for rail, networked transport on road and rail - there is so much to do. Innovative (engineering) solutions are needed, and not just for the railroads. These must be devised and implemented by well-trained, creative and enthusiastic people. Traffic and transport are colorful and diverse. They are needed, today and tomorrow. Because tomatoes (just like other goods and people) cannot be delivered to your home via the Internet. Sustainable transport systems are needed to transport them.