How can Mannheim’s city center become a more vibrant and welcoming space for students?
This question sparked the imagination of a Design Thinking seminar at University of Mannheim , where a group of international students showcased their creativity by tackling real challenges to enhance the city’s appeal for living, leisure, and culture. Offered by Jürgen Seifrieds chair, connected to ENGAGE.EU, and involving partners who are also part of TransforMA, the seminar showcases a way to bring Campus-Community-Partnerships to life. And it delivered a range of exciting results, tailored to challenges of the city of Stadt Mannheim : Meet Mannheim: A platform designed to foster connections, spark positive emotions, and promote inclusivity. The goal is to create an urban experience that feels safe, welcoming, and inspiring. Drone Patrol & Community Safety Totem: A forward-thinking concept that leverage technology to improve public safety. These ideas were presented through captivating animated storytelling, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. A collaborative success story: The project demonstrates the power of Campus-Community-Partnerships: – The Stadt Mannheim contributed real-life challenges to the seminar. – Jury members Katharina Schäfer, Harald Pfeiffer, and Eric Klebeck offered valuable feedback and insights from their diverse areas of expertise. – The students brought passion and creativity to the table, tackling the city’s real needs with innovative solutions. – The expert guidance of seminar leaders Dr. Christian Knirsch and Jürgen Seifried played a vital role in steering the students through the design process. – A big THANK YOU! to Katharina Schäfer for facilitating access to the inspiring AppHaus (including an AppHaus-Tour), which provided an environment that fueled the students’ creativity. Driving real change: The students’ work has already inspired tangible actions. One immediate initiative involves forwarding their suggestions for improving the accessibility of Mannheim’s women’s taxi program to the relevant authorities – a concrete example of the seminar’s real-world impact. ❤️ Many thanks to everyone involved! We look forward to more Campus-Community-projects with our partners in 2025! Special thanks to 📸 :Viktor Georg for capturing the Team-Moment!