Uni-Fest 2025 – Celebrating.Research.Together.

From a kids' university to “speed dating” with researchers and casual conversations: the Uni-Fest in September 2025 offered visitors of all ages a comprehensive look into research at the University of Mannheim. The new format, which replaced the traditional Schloss for the first time last year, fostered dialogue between the university and the local community and brought science to life.

Among other things, the Otto-Selz-Institute presented its work in psychotherapy and the TransforMA joint project invited visitors to try out various chatbots. Guests eagerly took advantage of the opportunity, showing great interest. At the kids' university, the younger visitors learned how lines come to life: Annika Frank, a doctoral student at the Chair of Modern German Literature, vividly explained how comics manage to tell lively stories even though they are just drawings on flat paper. 

Focus on artificial intelligence

Visitors could satisfy their thirst for knowledge at other events as well: At ExpressWISSEN, four professors answered questions in face-to-face discussions and at the Science Marathon, four researchers gave 20-minute presentations about current research projects. The research program wrapped up with the WISSENsdurst bar talk: After a short keynote speech, Professor Dr. Heiko Paulheim discussed the topic of artificial intelligence with the audience. 

Later that evening, the chairpersons of the AStA and the student representative council as well as the President of the university, Professor Dr. Thomas Fetzer and Lord Mayor Christian Specht welcomed the new students at the Schneckenhof. “In addition to studying, life outside the university is also very important – for example the parties at the Schneckenhof, which I still remember from my days as a student,” says Fetzer. 

Music, art, and sport

Newcomer bands, supported by the music promotion program Bandsupport Mannheim, provided the soundtrack: Ceycey, Die Firma dank, Elaj and vielleichtliebermorgen played at the Rektoratshof. There were also various exhibitions to discover, in the Aula the actors from the improv theater made the audience laugh and in the MLP Foyer visitors could learn more about the Elite Sports Scholarship Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region. During a talk, Olympic athletes and former Mannheim students from Mannheim Nathalie Weinzierl, Lisa Nippgen, Sarah Brüßler and Tobias Buck-Gramcko shared their experiences and successes. 

Those who preferred to get active themselves could test goal wall shooting, offered by the Institute of Sports, or learn the dances Bachata, Salsa and Forró in workshops. The university festival concluded at the Schneckenhof with the SWR3 GoesClubbing party, where DJ D White wowed the crowd until the early hours of the morning. 

Text: Katja Bauer and Emma-Lena Sester / April 2026