Heinz-Piest Institute of craft art

The Heinz Piest Institute (HPI) for craft technology at the Leibniz University of Hanover is one of five in the German Craft Institute. V. (DHI) affiliated research and service institutions. These institutions work nationwide and cover the spectrum of technology, business administration, economics, law and vocational education in the craft sector. The HPI was founded in 1950 as a “Trade Technology Institute” and is responsible for the area of technology and qualification in the trades.

It was named after its founder and first director of the institute, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Heinz Piest, who, as head of department in the Lower Saxony Ministry of Economics, did essential development work for the craft sector. By addressing future-oriented questions, the institute takes on the task of conducting scientific research in the field of craft technology and enabling small and medium-sized craft companies to adapt to technical developments (technology transfer). To this end, the institute works, among other things, with consultants and representatives of educational institutions and also contributes to the basics of vocational training in the skilled trades. There has been a cooperation agreement with the Leibniz University of Hannover since 1953, in which the HPI was recognized as an “At the University” institute. The collaboration will take place via aCoordinated by the Board of Trustees .

The institute is supported by two legally independent associations: the  Association for the Promotion of the Heinz Piest Institute for Craft Technology at the Leibniz University of Hannover e. V. and the interest group of the Heinz Piest Institute for Craft Technology at the Leibniz University of Hannover e. v.

The cooperation between the two independent associations is regulated by a cooperation agreement. The aim of the partnership-based cooperation regulated there is to achieve synergy effects and, in particular, to increase technical competence and performance capacity. For this purpose, subcontracts are awarded for individual tasks in accordance with the statutory objectives of both associations, whereby the most suitable and available employees of the respective association are used to provide the respective service. This ensures performance and customer satisfaction.

Today, the HPI is primarily concerned with dealing with inter-company issues in the interests of innovative development in the craft sector. In the early days of the institute, individual company problems were at the forefront of the institute's activities. The shift in focus results from the broader range of work and the nationwide orientation of the HPI's activities. The HPI's broad-based engineering knowledge, from civil engineering to mechanical engineering to electrical engineering/electronics/IT, guarantees that the necessary technical and craftsmanship expertise is covered. This competence of the HPI is supplemented by vocational education, social science, economics and economic geography know-how (see also: contact persons andHPI organizational chart ). The institute's main focus today is, among other things, to promote innovation, as well as the transfer of technology into the craft sector and the introduction of new techniques in the broadest sense.