stages: theory, application of the theory, prototype testing and transfer to industrial application. Because the TU relies upon interdisciplinary work across faculty boundaries, and brings together many skills thereby, the following highly competitive research activities have been established: Mobile communications Nano-engineering Precision engineering, instrumentation and measurement Technical and biomedical prosthetic systems Drive technology, energy and environmental engineering Digital media technology The university has a major centre contributing greatly to its research performance, the ZMN, Centre for Micro- and Nanotechnology. So that results achieved in applied research can be transferred rapidly to industrial use, and so that spin-off companies are founded by the university and new partners found for collaborative projects, the university has set up public-private partnerships on new models, with the university taking a seat on the management boards of industrial companies. This concept is underlain by the entities known as "TU Ilmenau Service GmbH" and the "Technologiegesellschaft Thüringen mbH & Co. KG". The university is actively participating in the restructuring and development of the region ("Technologieregion Ilmenau-Arnstadt"). It also contributes to regional planning with its thinking on the encouragement of a high-tech periphery to the campus itself. There is a large number of innovative technological companies which have taken root in the immediate area of the university. With the "Energietechnisches Zentrum Thüringen" (Energy Engineering Centre for Thuringia), the TU Ilmenau is also steering its research strategy into energy engineering. Here the intention is to unite the academic strength of the university in energy engineering and management with the interest of other Thuringian enterprises and institutes. National and International Networking The Technische Universität Ilmenau is an active partner in the scientific-technological just as economic promotion of the Ilmenau Technological Development Area. In addition to this, it seeks to gain wide reputation on both a national and international scale. Considering educational export as one its main tasks, the university supports the international exchange of its students and collaborators on the basis of programmes set up for this purpose. The Technische Universität Ilmenau strives to increase the number of foreign students and, therefore, promotes the cultural education as an important aspect of an ever increasing international competence requested. Every two years the Initiative Solidarische Welt Ilmenau e.V. hosts ISWI (International Student Week Ilmenau) at the TU Ilmenau. It is an International Conference for students from all around the world. It aims to foster tolerance, understanding among nations and an international attitude.