The RailCampus OWL Association (RailCampus OWL e.V.)
RailCampus OWL e.V. – Shaping the Railway of Tomorrow Together
RailCampus OWL e.V. is an association founded in 2022 and based in Minden. The aim of the association is to actively shape the rail technology of the future and to specifically advance innovation within the railway system. As an innovation ecosystem, RailCampus OWL connects education, research, and industry, thereby creating the foundation for intelligent, sustainable, and practice-oriented rail systems.
At the RailCampus OWL site in Minden, located on the premises of DB Systemtechnik and embedded in the Ostwestfalen-Lippe region, new spaces for exchange, qualification, and innovation are being created. Among other things, innovative degree programs such as “Digital Railway Systems” are offered in order to educate urgently needed specialists for the railway industry. Qualification and the promotion of young talent are central building blocks for ensuring the future viability of rail transport.
A particular focus of RailCampus OWL lies in application-oriented research and testing. In projects such as enableATO and AuToRail OWL, automated and autonomous vehicle solutions are being investigated – including dual-mode vehicles that intelligently connect rail and road transport. As one of four locations of the German Center for Future Mobility (DZM), RailCampus OWL offers ideal conditions for testing innovations under real operating conditions – including traffic monitoring, safety systems, and authentic track environments.
RailCampus OWL coordinates cooperation between universities, companies such as DB Systemtechnik, suppliers, as well as municipal and regional stakeholders. The goal is to accelerate technology transfer and bring research results into practical application as quickly as possible. In this way, a close integration of scientific development and operational reality is created.
Mission
At RailCampus OWL, we are creating an innovation ecosystem consisting of education, research, and industry for intelligent rail systems. Our mission is to develop the Minden location into a central hub for future railway technologies.
In doing so, we promote the rail technologies of tomorrow, combine knowledge and expertise from science and industry, and create spaces for exchange, qualification, and innovation. Through application-oriented research, we contribute to ensuring that new technical solutions find their way into practice and further strengthen rail transport as a sustainable mode of transportation.
Vision
Our vision is to actively shape the mobility of the future on rail.
Under the guiding principle “Technology – Transfer – Qualification – Innovation – Integration. We shape innovative rail systems.” we connect research, teaching, and industry in order to jointly develop intelligent and connected rail systems.
We see ourselves as a central network and research center for rail technology in Germany, with strong regional roots in Ostwestfalen-Lippe and an impact extending far beyond the region.
Our Goals
Our work focuses on five central objectives:
Technology
We promote the development and testing of innovative technologies for the railway system and create framework conditions to quickly transfer research results into practical application.
Transfer
We connect stakeholders from science, industry, and railway operations in order to effectively share knowledge and ideas and develop them further together.
Qualification
We qualify specialists for the railway sector of tomorrow, develop new degree and continuing education programs, and connect students with real-world projects at an early stage.
Innovation
We initiate and support research and development projects that provide new impulses for railway operations, digitalization, and automation.
Integration
We support the implementation of research results into practice and promote collaborations that enable sustainable, safe, and high-performance rail systems.