The anniversary festivities serve to increase the visibility of the university in both Bielefeld and the surrounding region, strengthening the linkages among the city, the public, and the campus. This is the aim of the expansive programme that already began in November 2018 with the publication of this timeline.
In the year that followed, almost every month sees at least one extraordinary event on offer: celebrations kick off in January with a dance performance by sports students, who translate the university’s aspirations into movement. In December, the final event includes a public workshop on controversies at the university, held on the premises of today’s WissensWerkStadt.
The Bielefeld Philaharmonic performs the modern symphony ‘De l’art d’induire en erreur’, composed by Fabien Lévy and directed by General Music Director Alexander Kalajdzic. The music is not for everyone, but it is still a night to remember.
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Source: Bielefeld University
Students party at the two-day #ubijubi-Festival, a sold-out show held at the Lokschuppen event space.
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Source: M. Werner
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Uni.Stadt.Fest., a festival on the campus of Bielefeld University, offers a range of activities for families and children.
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Source: Bielefeld University
Live beer-brewing at the Uni.Stadt.Fest in the Bürgerpark.
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Source: Bielefeld University/Sarah Jonek
Financed by the alumni network e.V, light-rail signage on Line 4 advertising the university’s anniversary passes by.
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Source: Bielefeld University
A find-and-seek book for the university’s anniversary is launched with an exhibition at the UniShop. Pictured here are the publisher Roland Siekmann, Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Reinhold Decker, the illustrator Peter Menne, and Jürgen Heinrich, who heads the University Society, which made publication of the book possible with a financial contribution.
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Source: Bielefeld University
At the staff party – the university’s birthday party – staff members from research, technical services, and administration celebrate side by side.
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Source: Bielefeld University
A year marked by impressive events
There are several events throughout the year that stand out in particular. In May, as part of the anniversary gala with invited guests from politics, business, science, and society, a lively show is presented, including variety acts, a panel discussion, and as the pinnacle of the evening, a symphony of modern classical music composed especially for the occasion – though the piece is admittedly a bit challenging for some guests. Some listeners leave the Rudolf Oetker Hall in consternation, but this does not detract from the festive atmosphere of the evening.
In September, the university holds the Uni.Stadt.Fest on campus, at the Bürgerpark and the Alten Markt. This festival offers public science project presentations, games for children and families alike, and a musical programme from the university orchestra as well as international bands performing on a Radio-Hertz stage. There is something to discover about science for all ages, from a physics experiment demonstration for the kids, to a beer-brewing demonstration for the adults.
The official ceremony to mark the founding of the university takes place on 4 October: keynote speaker Professor Dr. Andreas Voßkuhle, President of the Federal Constitutional Court until 2020, pays tribute to the past 50 years and ventures a vision of the future.
The decided highlight of the year is a major conference held on 14–15 November called ‘The Theoretical University’ in the Age of Big Data: Have the Big Theories Held Up? Researchers from around Germany and the world come together to discuss the future of the university. A student conference called Student Research – Students Do Science is held in parallel, where over 30 students present their research projects.
There is also a two-day festival for students at the Lokschuppen event space with bands and DJs, as well as a big party for staff members at city hall.
Everyone joins in with campus anniversary projects
To encourage participation in anniversary festivities from all campus communities, the Rectorate institutes a funding scheme for members of the university, whether students, researchers, or instructors, to apply for financing to put on their own anniversary project. This results in a wide-ranging programme throughout the entire year in which everyone on campus has the opportunity to participate. Events include a poetry and rhyme project, a beach party for students, a psychological exhibition in cooperation with the natural science museum of Bielefeld, and a math puzzle with support from moBiel light rail system – to name just a few.
Other projects include the publication of a find-and-seek book, the wrapping of a light rail vehicle on line 4 with signage advertising the university’s anniversary, a mobile showroom with an exhibition on the university shown at various city locations for different occasions, and a play put on by the Bielefeld Theatre, which is commissioned by the university and runs for several months as part of the theatre’s programme. All this is possible thanks to the support of the many sponsors, who together donate over €200,000 for the anniversary festivities.
Looking back, the anniversary programme makes an important contribution to cultivating and further developing the positive image of the university, as well as strategically positioning the university in the public perception. And most importantly: it is a lot of fun.
