The symbolic ground-breaking ceremony on 27 November 2025 marked the start of exploratory work. For the town of Leipheim, the campus is a milestone – and a decisive step towards officially becoming a "university town", a title it is now entitled to bear after around 20 years of effort. The HNU's recommendation was a decisive factor in this. HNU President Prof. Dr. Uta M. Feser said: “With the new campus for teaching, research and transfer at AREALpro, it is not only the HNU that is growing – an entire region is growing beyond itself. This campus is more than a building: it is a promise to the region. Leipheim shows how decisive action and shared visions can turn a town into a university town. We at HNU are proud to accompany this new beginning.”
Model factory at the heart of it all: research into climate-friendly and AI-supported production
A 600-square-metre model factory, operated by HNU's TTZ Smart Production and Logistics, is being built at the centre of the new campus. It will be planned entirely as a digital twin and then built in real life. The model factory will serve as a blueprint for a zero-emission smart factory and create a state-of-the-art environment for research and teaching. Here, students will explore how production can be carried out in the future – primarily through the use of digitalisation and AI. This will make the district of Günzburg a model region for smart, sustainable and resilient production.
Christian Konrad emphasised: “The designation of Leipheim as a university town is a strong, forward-looking sign of progress and education. we are sending a strong, forward-looking signal for progress and education. An innovative campus is being created here where young people can study, research and develop – in close cooperation with the economy and companies in our region. This demonstrates our firm commitment to leading the town of Leipheim and the entire region into the modern age and the future.”
A growing network for innovation and start-ups
Since 2020, HNU has been working closely with the AREAL Digital start-up centre, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the new building. Initially, the Systems Engineering (B.Eng.) degree programme found a home in the AREAL Digital premises together with a Digital Operations Lab. In 2023, the TTZ Smart Production and Logistics was established in AREALpro. With the new building, HNU's second TTZ – currently still located in Günzburg – will also move to Leipheim. Its focus is on the application of AI in companies. At the same time, the introduction of a further master's degree programme is being planned. This will tie in with the existing bachelor's degree programme in Systems Engineering (B.Eng.) and will also be developed in collaboration with regional partners. The aim is to retain qualified specialists in the region and offer them attractive academic prospects directly on site.
Jens Kolb, Vice President for Transfer and Continuing Education, emphasised: “The physical merger of the two TTZs will create a powerful innovation campus that closely integrates research, teaching and transfer, enables new development opportunities in the TTZs and can support companies in the district even more actively in their digital and sustainable transformation. The new campus expands the physical possibilities and creates additional capacity for projects, collaborations and innovative teaching formats.”
Contact person
Prof. Dr. Jens Kolb
