Pforzheim University Senate’s vote on February 7, 2024 marked a milestone in vunk’s history. A process that the vunk-members, under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Tobias Brönneke and Prof. Dr. Steffen Kroschwald, had initiated almost three years ago has finally reached its goal: the transformation of the research center into an official institute of the university.

Initially founded in 2017 as a competence center, vunk conducts applied research into issues that focus on consumers and users in an increasingly digital society of the future. Previous vunk projects have approached, for example, questions on product obsolescence in the meaning of the premature wear and tear of products, questions on dispute resolution between consumers and companies, protection against false reviews on the internet and, more recently, the use of artificial intelligence, e.g. for the enforcement of consumer rights. Scientists from various disciplines – law, ethics, economics, computer science, technology and design – work together in interdisciplinary research work. The results of their research are later passed on to industry, the media and politics, as well as to the teaching at Pforzheim University.

In 2021 already initial structural considerations and "market analyses" for the further development of vunk have been taken. Followed by an intensive examination of the current and future subject matter and objectives of vunk. This led to the adoption of a "vunk brand core": Consumer and sustainability research for people in the future society. In short: research for the future society.

In its previous form as a competence center, vunk had already begun to strengthe its internal structure and also modernized its internal processes between research and administration. Since then, specialist groups have bundled research on "Digitalization and IT", "Sustainability", "Consumer Law" and "Dispute Resolution", "Teaching" and "Values" (the group "Values", for example, deals with ethical questions of value decisions and balancing interests in consumer and user research). A series of presentations in committees and a large number of intensive discussions then followed on the home stretch to the institute.

The work was worth it: since February 7, vunk is now an institute within the meaning of Sec. 15 para. 7 LHG BW: a permanent research institution of the Faculty of Business & Law at Pforzheim University. The current guidelines of Pforzheim University describe its institutes as follows: "Institutes are characterized by academic excellence and aim to implement the university's mission holistically with a particular focus on research and the arts. In addition, they make a substantial contribution to achieving the university's vision."

"For us, this, in conjunction with the Senate's decision, is both recognition and a mandate," says Prof. Dr. Steffen Kroschwald, one of the two directors of the vunk. "We look forward to continuing and expanding our work as vunk. After all, digitalization, climate change and much more will pose new challenges for consumers in the near future, leading to new fascinating research questions. And solutions to these highly complex problems can only be found through joint research between the disciplines." His fellow director, Prof. Dr. Tobias Brönneke, who had founded the vunk 7 years ago, adds: "With our interdisciplinary research for people, the vunk has made a name for itself, particularly in consumer science but also in sustainability research. I am happy that our important work is now firmly anchored in the university's research organization for the long term."

Vunk is grateful for the support provided by the university management and the faculty throughout the entire transformation process. The Rector of the University, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Jautz, underlines his support for the institute in a greeting printed below. Vunk was also encouraged in a special way on its path to becoming an institute by its advisory board. Accordingly, vunk would like to express its sincere thanks for the following greeting from one of its advisory board members, Hubertus Primus, retired Chairman of Stiftung Warentest.