Those are the words of Heiko Witte from the Centre for Hybrid Electric Systems Cottbus (CHESCO GmbH), one of the newest partners in the Newton network, following the Newton Partner Summit in Bodø.
Heiko, alongside Julia Thom, Head of the Newton Flight Academy in Brandenburg, and Martin Richter, a Newton teacher, represented Germany among participants from nine countries at the Newton Partner Summit 2024.
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CHESCO GmbH, in collaboration with FIRST Scandinavia and Boeing, celebrated the launch of the Newton Flight Academy Brandenburg earlier this July.
Reflecting on the summit, Heiko expressed his excitement: “We're a startup in Germany, but in Norway, you have a well-established network. You're doing incredible work with municipalities, and the school system, and implementing some of the educational modules, as we learned during the summit.
“For me, the first key takeaway is that it's amazing to feel part of the Newton family. Per-Arild Konradsen referred to it as a network, but I would go even further and call it a community. “It’s a network, but it’s also a family—a place where you share experiences and learn from one another.
Sofie Langset Pedersen from Newton Steigen was one of the Norwegian Newton teachers who shared a story about how the municipality, the industry, and the Newton Room can work together. For many years, Newton has benefited from a strong academic and financial partnership with the local energy company in Steigen.
"Moreover, we’ve realized that we can leverage this network and community to a much greater extent to develop our educational content, establish our funding strategy, and share experiences. In the future, this could extend to potential sponsors, partners, and collaborative activities.
“My second key takeaway is the understanding I gained about the application of Newton here in Norway, where it is well-established.
“And finally, my third highlight has to be the hike to Keiservarden and the exceptional food—those were definite highlights of the summit.”
Martin Richter, a new Newton teacher, also found the summit valuable: “It was great to hear about the experiences of others. I’ve met so many new teachers here, and it’s been rewarding to share my experiences with them and to hear theirs. It’s been a very enriching experience for me.”
Julia Thom, Head of the Newton Flight Academy in Brandenburg, was similarly impressed with her time in Bodø:
“It was my first time in Norway and my first interaction with Newton and the network. It was fantastic. The culture of this region is so interesting. Hearing from others in similar situations, particularly regarding how they deal with financial challenges, was one of the most valuable aspects of the summit for me.”
