“Many of the challenges of our time cannot be solved without technological and cultural progress,” emphasized Professor Jutta Günther, President of the University of Bremen, in her speech. New knowledge is the prerequisite for progress.
Whether it’s technomathematical findings on autonomous vehicles in agriculture, collecting climate data through research flights in the field of environmental physics, or a linguistic research project on digital humor – this selection shows the range of disciplines in research at the University of Bremen that have provided new knowledge in the past year alone.
Science’s Social Responsibility
However, it is not enough for scientists to concentrate solely on the pure transfer of new knowledge. “Our social responsibility as a university is not just about releasing highly qualified graduates into the labor markets or providing technical solutions, algorithms, or knowledge about social and cultural phenomena for politics and business.” The responsibility also applies to teaching: “The University of Bremen in particular is also a place of personal and academic growth for young people.”
The University of Bremen Is Regionally Anchored and Internationally Networked
The university is a strong community – it is regionally anchored and internationally networked. This is how Jutta Günther described the position of the University of Bremen within the state’s academic system. Against this background, the university is well equipped to participate in the Excellence Strategy. In addition to the existing MARUM Excellence Cluster, three other initiatives in materials science, cognitive robotics, and social sciences have recently submitted their applications for the initiative. “Our participation is due to the teams of researchers who have been passionate about the necessary preliminary work, new ideas, and collaborations for a long time”, said the President.
“City Campus Offers Great Opportunities for the University”
In addition, the university is preparing for a partial relocation to the city center this year: “We plan to use the new location not only for lectures, but also as a unique opportunity for the university to meet citizens and as a venue for exhibitions and conferences. We look forward to these opportunities and a great spirit of togetherness.”
In his speech, Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte also stressed the importance of the university’s partial relocation to the city center, as this should help expand the exchange between science and society. “The City Campus offers a great opportunity for the university. We are on the right track. It is an important step to further increase visibility in Bremen’s civic society.”
In view of the upcoming application for the Excellence Strategy, the Mayor of the University also assured the state government’s support for the university. “We all have to stand up for this and work together to make the University of Bremen a university of excellence once again.” The effort is worthwhile, and he sees a very good chance of success. “The research institutes in the state of Bremen deliver top performance on an excellent level every day”. This applies from the deep sea to outer space.
24 New Professors Welcomed
The 18 newly appointed professors at the University of Bremen and the six newly appointed professors at Constructor University were also welcomed at the New Year’s reception.
The traditional New Year’s reception for the University of Bremen and Constructor University (formerly Jacobs University) is hosted by the unifreunde association. The aim of the association is to promote science.
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