Twenty-six students from Germany, Japan and Taiwan explored the transformation of the automotive industry during the 2026 Global Study Programme in Chiba. Fourteen students from HTW Dresden worked alongside six students from Chiba University and six students from the National Chin-Yi University of Technology (NCUT) in Taiwan. The HTWD students were accompanied by Professor Stephan Zipser from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Professor Thomas Himmer from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

The focus was on the challenges facing the automotive industry in Germany and Japan. Among other things, the students examined the transition to electrified powertrains, securing supply chains for batteries and semiconductors, and the digitalisation and connectivity of vehicles. Working in groups, they examined, for example, how car manufacturers are shaping the shift towards electric mobility and which strategies can safeguard their competitiveness.

In doing so, the students combined their work with insights from research and industry practice. Representatives from Isuzu, Bosch, TRUMPF and Atlas Copco, as well as researchers from Chiba University, shared their perspectives on current developments in the automotive industry. They engaged in discussions with the students and helped them to further develop their research questions.

In addition to the technical issues, the focus was also on exchange between the students. They worked together on the tasks, drawing on their experiences from Germany, Japan and Taiwan.