Tuesday, 1 September 2020: The large blue illuminated letters "NTB" are being removed by the Interstate University of Applied Sciences Buchs. One day later, the lettering of the new University of Applied Sciences of Eastern Switzerland "OST" including the logo will be installed: A circular sign with a widening on the right side symbolising the direction east. The concise colour scheme in blackberry, pink and black illustrates the pulsation of the university in Eastern Switzerland. Lothar Ritter, the long-serving rector, follows the exchange of the building's signage with one laughing and one crying eye: "It makes me a little nostalgic to see how a brand that you have helped to form over 30 years simply disappears. At the same time I am convinced that the merger to form OST is the best possible way to lead the former NTB into a good and secure future".

Ritter's milestones at the NTB

The fusion will unify the appearance of the three former universities of applied sciences from the canton of St. Gallen. They now operate under the name OST - Ostschweizer Fachhochschule. There is now only one governing body, a university council, a rector and a university management. "The merger of the three universities NTB Buchs, FHS St. Gallen and HSR Rapperswil has created one of the strongest research universities of applied sciences in Switzerland," explains Lothar Ritter, "synergies and existing know-how can now be used across locations. Cooperations are significantly simplified".

Another major milestone for Lothar Ritter was at the end of the 1990s, when the degree programmes in precision engineering FWT and electronic, measurement and control engineering EMRT were combined to form the interdisciplinary degree programme in systems engineering. Probably the biggest change in his working life was the recent merger of NTB with the FHS St. Gallen and the HSR Rapperswil to form the OST - Ostschweizer Fachhochschule.

Head of the Department of Technology

The fusion will unify the appearance of the three former universities of applied sciences from the canton of St. Gallen. They now operate under the name OST - Ostschweizer Fachhochschule. There is now only one governing body, a university council, a rector and a university management. "The merger of the three universities NTB Buchs, FHS St. Gallen and HSR Rapperswil has created one of the strongest research universities of applied sciences in Switzerland," explains Lothar Ritter, "synergies and existing know-how can now be used across locations. Cooperations are significantly simplified".

The thematic priorities of the degree programmes and research are divided into six departments: "Technology", "Economics", "Social Work", "Information Technology", "Health" and "Architecture, Construction, Landscape, Spatial Planning". Buchs is the headquarters of the management of the inter-locational Department of Technology. This management responsibility for the Department of Technology and Campus Buchs is held by the former NTB Rector, Lothar Ritter: "The fact that we are allowed to take over the management of the largest department is also a little reward for the good performance and networking that has been done at NTB over the past 50 years.

A great opportunity for Buchs and the students

According to Lothar Ritter, Buchs and the surrounding area benefit greatly from the cooperation between the three OST locations in Buchs, St. Gallen and Rapperswil. The location Buchs has a much larger field of activity within the OST. At the same time, the local industrial and commercial enterprises now automatically have access to the technical institutes of the other locations and also have the opportunity to make use of expertise in other areas, such as health or IT. Ritter emphasises: "The previous quality and level of teaching and research will of course be maintained within the OST. The regional companies can continue to count on specialist staff in the immediate vicinity".

The effects on students of the former NTB are similar. The previous offer was assured in its current quality. However, according to Lothar Ritter, new opportunities are opening up for the students: "From now on, they can also attend study modules at the other locations and gain access to industry and business throughout Eastern Switzerland". The new OST will also create new opportunities. Specifically, there will be an additional IT degree programme in St. Gallen from autumn 2021. Until now, the focus of IT education has been in Rapperswil. The systems engineering course will continue to be offered in St. Gallen in addition to Buchs.

Three offices for Lothar Ritter

As head of the Department of Technology of the OST, Lothar Ritter is now responsible for a certain percentage of students, personnel and infrastructure at all three locations. This means that he no longer works only in Buchs, but can also be found several times a week in Rapperswil and St. Gallen. This is a new and very exciting experience for him, as he says in an interview: "My function allows me to feel the power of the total of 17 institutes at the three locations very closely and to see and use the synergy opportunities across all locations". On the other hand, as head of the campus in Buchs, not much will change for Lothar Ritter. "Here, it is simply my job to support the Rector of OST in optimally representing the new Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences in the Alpine Rhine Valley - on both sides of the Rhine. The area Sarganserland-Werdenberg, as a large part of the host region, is of particular importance here".

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