New students: Viadrina invites you to an exciting introductory week!

New students: Viadrina invites you to an exciting introductory week!

On March 27, 2025, the European University Viadrina announced a series of important events that are particularly aimed at new students, teachers and the general public. The introductory week begins next Monday, March 31st, with a wealth of information and activities hosted by Viadrina Vice President Janine Nuyken, Dr. Franziska Boll from the Central Student Advisory Service and the Mayor of the City of Frankfurt, René Wilke.

For interested students and teachers, an online exchange via Open Educational Resources (OER) is offered on the same day from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The topic of this session is “The Open Library Badge or how libraries are becoming more open”. Registrations are possible at kontakt@co-woerk.de. This event reflects current trends in education that are increasingly promoting access to knowledge through open resources.

Important workshops and conferences

Another important program item is the workshop on the European AI Act, which will take place on Wednesday, April 2nd, at 4:00 p.m. in the main building, Senate Hall, Room 109. Prof. Dr. Hacker from the European New School of Digital Studies will explain the impact of the new EU legislation on the use of artificial intelligence in companies. Anyone interested can also register here at info-transfer@europa-uni.de.

Additionally, a conference entitled “Who is in charge here?” opened on Thursday, April 3rd. The opening lecture will be given by Dr. Katharina Hoppe from the Goethe University Frankfurt and is entitled “Ecodependence: Affirming dependencies in the Anthropocene”. The afternoon lecture by Prof. Dr. Didier Debaise from the Free University of Brussels deals with the topics "From nature to precarious beings. The strange materialism of Whitehead and Latour" and thus offers an interesting, deep insight into current scientific discourses.

Cultural highlights and exhibitions

There is also an exhibition entitled “Oder-Los” in the Gräfin Dönhoff building. This shows photographs of the Oder river landscape taken by Oleksandra Bienert between 2020 and 2021. Particularly in conjunction with the events already mentioned, this exhibition helps to reflect the connection between art, nature and science.

For those interested in education in the digital age, the 3rd UNESCO World Congress on Open Educational Resources, to be held at the Dubai World Trade Center on November 19-20, 2024, will shed light on the future of education. This congress will discuss international challenges and advances in the field of OER with the aim of developing recommendations for publicly funded educational materials under open licenses. These recommendations, arising from the context of the 2019 UNESCO Recommendations, aim to promote the world standard for open access to knowledge by reflecting successful approaches and developments.

One of the important functions of the Congress is the online consultation until October 31, 2024, which is intended to collect the opinions and views of experts in order to provide a comprehensive basis for the conclusions of the Congress.

Integration of artificial intelligence in education

With regard to the integration of artificial intelligence in the education system, a recommendation for action published by Kearney and the German Children and Youth Foundation highlights important aspects. The analysis looks at governance, strategy and technology to ensure AI is effectively implemented in schools. A central guideline calls for, among other things, suitable infrastructure and the consideration of data protection—particularly with regard to the GDPR and the AI ​​Act.

A clear governance framework with defined processes and responsibilities is considered essential. Creating attractive and safe learning environments that effectively integrate new technologies contributes to the further development of an innovative educational landscape.

The comprehensive events and initiatives at the European University Viadrina are evidence of a dynamic commitment to education and technology that takes into account both current needs and the challenges of the future.

For more information about events, exhibitions and conferences, please visit the official website of the European University: www.europa-uni.de/events, www.europa-uni.de/exhibitions, and www.europa-uni.de/conferences.