Celebrating 100 years new University of Cologne

More than a century after the French government closed the old “Universitas coloniensis” in 1798, a long-cherished wish of the people of Cologne became reality: a new university was founded.

Today, 100 years later, the University of Cologne is not only one of the largest and most renowned universities in Germany, it is also an internationally esteemed research location. The alma mater of scholars, scientists and students from around the world, it is the starting point from which the people we educate and the ideas we develop embark on their journeys.

A jubilee is not simply an occasion to look back and celebrate developments and achievements of the past decades, it is also an opportunity to contemplate new goals.

Because the citizens of Cologne founded both the old and the new university, one of the goals for the jubilee year 2019 is to become even more accessible for the city of Cologne and its 1.1 million citizens. The institution wants to present itself as an open university with strong research and strong ties to the city, and to present its work to diverse audiences at different events and with different formats. Together with actors from politics, business and society, the University aims to actively shape the future.

Celebrating the anniversary

A series of events (all in German language) will be spread out over the entire year. Here’s an overview:

• 100 years of women’s studies: The women’s studies programme at the University of Cologne was launched by Jenny Guysk 100 years ago. On April 11, a programme commemorating this event will be held in the university’s main auditorium.
• Exhibition: The exhibition “100 Years of the New University of Cologne” will run from May until October at the University and City Library of Cologne and the Historical Archive of the City of Cologne.
• Science Slam: Three events in May and June will offer brief and snappy insights into scientific research.
• Anniversary concerts: On June 3, it will be “Summertime” at Cologne’s Philharmonic Hall. In November, interpretations of Giuseppe Verdi will be on the programme.
• Uni Festival: Alice Merton, Brings, Decoy and many other artists will perform at the Tanzbrunnen on June 8.
• Science on location — The university at various sites in Cologne (powered by KWR): This series of presentations will enable participants to experience, understand and be inspired by the research being done at the university. Lectures presented in diverse locations throughout the city will show how research is influencing daily life.

Continuously updated information about the anniversary programme is available at 100jahre.uni-koeln.de. Starting in April, there will also be an app that presents the interlinked history of the university and the city over the centuries. The points of interest in the metropolitan area were selected in cooperation with the history project connected with the university’s anniversary.

Science as a factor for the event sector

Numerous scientific congresses are held in Cologne every year. For example, the International Congress of Classical Archaeology (AIAC) and the annual congress of the European Economic Association (EEA) and the Econometric Society (ES) were held here in 2018. The Cologne Convention Bureau cooperates closely with the University of Cologne and other research and innovation institutions to reinforce Cologne’s reputation as a location for events with a scientific background.

Here you can read an interview with Patrick Honecker, who heads the university’s Communication & Marketing department, in which he talks about the effects of digitalization and about the University of Cologne as part of the state and federal Excellence Initiative.