As part of the new “Hilti Innovation Hub”, the Hilti Foundation is funding three professorships at the University of Liechtenstein for four years in the fields of innovation, technology, digitalisation and artificial intelligence. An additional competence centre for more sustainable construction, funded by the Hilti Group, will strengthen the transfer of knowledge into practice.

The long-standing collaboration between Hilti and the University of Liechtenstein has brought research and practice closer together. To consolidate the university’s academic foundation, the Hilti Foundation is funding three professorships through the “Hilti Innovation Hub”: “Technology and Innovation”, “Artificial Intelligence and Data Science” and “Information Systems and Digital Innovation”. The aim is to secure existing areas of collaboration, develop new ones, and raise the quality, speed and practical relevance of knowledge transfer.

“By developing the commitment of the Hilti Foundation and the company further, we want to strengthen research and knowledge transfer in and from Liechtenstein. Greater continuity in science and research makes it possible to achieve better results that can be put to practical use,” explains Michèle Frey-Hilti, member of the Board of Directors of the Hilti Group.

“Research and teaching are central to us. With the support of the Hilti Foundation and the Hilti Group, we can achieve even more in both areas,” says Christian Frommelt, Rector of the University of Liechtenstein. “The more closely students are involved in real-world questions, the greater their contribution to developing skilled professionals and thus to the region’s capacity for innovation.”

Competence centre brings research and industry together

As part of the collaboration, the Hilti Group is supporting joint projects, doctoral theses and internships at the company, among other things. Of particular importance is the “Competence Centre for Sustainability and Digital Innovation in Construction”, which was established at the beginning of 2026 and is funded by the Hilti Group for an initial period of three years.

The centre’s activities focus on the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of construction projects across their entire life cycle. Key areas include more climate-friendly, more efficient and digital construction, from planning and execution through to the operation of buildings. To this end, the university’s research and international network are combined with Hilti’s practical expertise and market knowledge.

To transfer results to the construction industry as quickly as possible, the competence centre is designed as an open platform where students, researchers, companies and international partners come together to share their knowledge and learn from one another.