Science Minister Dorn: University of Kassel an "Innovation Location" - Anniversary Ceremony

Dorn particularly emphasized the research focus on the environment and materials research, but also numerous other strengths of Hesse's youngest university. "Continue to stringently go your way!" the minister encouraged the university on Friday evening.

The new president of the university, Prof. Dr. Ute Clement, who took office on October 1, outlined her vision of the university's future at the ceremony. Prof. Dr. Jutta Allmendinger, President of the Social Science Research Center Berlin, gave the keynote address entitled "Educational Expansion and its Consequences for Universities". For the first time, the anniversary song of the Institute of Music was presented live at the ceremony: https://50jahre-unikassel.de/.

The University of Kassel began teaching on October 26, 1971, at that time still as a comprehensive university in a time of educational reforms. At that time, novel approaches such as interdisciplinary research and tiered degrees have since become standard throughout Europe.

Today, the University of Kassel focuses on practice-oriented teaching, for which it has received numerous awards, on the special promotion of knowledge transfer in the region, and on socially relevant research: For example, it is currently expanding its sustainability profile with a center that is unique in Germany, in which up to 17 professorships are conducting research along the lines of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. This is made possible, among other things, by a program of the State of Hesse. In close cooperation with the state of Hesse, the city of Kassel and documenta und Museum Fridericianum gGmbH, the University of Kassel is also working with the art academy to establish the documenta Institute. The aim is to establish a non-university research institute for the study of this world's most important show of modern art and its impact Additional professorships will improve the supervision ratio between students and professors. In total, nearly 50 additional professorships are planned for the near future. The university has about 24,000 students.

"Our university is making an impact, that is our claim," Ute Clement affirmed. "That's true for sustainability research. It applies to research on novel materials, which has particular potential at our university, and to research overall." It applies to the university as a source of impetus for the region, but especially to the university's role as a shaper of options, life chances and opportunities, Ute Clement said, "It is not enough to simply open the doors to the university. The university must adapt to the different prerequisites of its students, it must offer perspectives beyond degrees, and it must enable students to critically examine the challenges of the future. Today, universities educate not only the intellectual elite, but a significant portion of the workforce. What these people are capable of shapes our world."

The celebratory program with which the University of Kassel is marking its anniversary is largely aimed at the public. For example, an exhibition at the Kassel City Museum will illustrate the university's charisma until January 9. With the app "Let's meet?" the university opens doors and offers insights into laboratories, workshops, studios and much more. So-called Brown Bag Lectures vividly prepare interesting research topics. A digital exhibition "50 Years in 50 Documents" will tell the story of the university's development starting on November 22. In the coming year, a lecture series will look at the development of Kassel University in a changing higher education landscape, and a large campus festival in the summer will conclude the anniversary year.

Press contact:

Sebastian Mense
University of Kassel
Communications, Press and Public Relations
Tel: +49 561 804-1961
E-mail: presse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de
www.uni-kassel.de
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