Citizens' University: Knowledge for the future - diversity in the program!

Citizens' University: Knowledge for the future - diversity in the program!

On October 8, 2025, a remarkable program of events will be presented at the Goethe University Frankfurt that deals with the connecting topics of mathematics, humanism and their influence on social change. The university has established itself as a platform that invites critical discussion of current issues. Puk.uni-frankfurt.de reports that the Citizens' University, a central format of the Goethe University, has offered an extensive range of events that are open to the public since its launch in 2008.

A total of around 200 events are planned in the Citizens University's current program. The range of topics is broad and includes, among other things, social inequality, climate ethics and justice as well as the constitutional order and international law. Particular attention is paid to the causes of authoritarian developments in today's society, which will be discussed in several lectures and discussions. The events include not only lectures and panel discussions, but also film series, book presentations, concerts and dialogue walks. Buerger.uni-frankfurt.de emphasizes that access to these offers is generally free of charge and possible without prior registration.

Diverse formats and topics

New to the program is the Monika Schoeller Lectureship in Literary Translation, which is being offered for the second time this year, with Eva Schestag as lecturer. Another exciting aspect of the events is the Friedrich Merz Foundation Guest Professorship, which deals with the interface between science and society and is held by Raymond Deshaies, a pioneer of modern drug research.

The brain research center CoBIC is introducing an innovative combination of scientific lectures and classical concerts with the newly introduced “brain dreams” format. An interdisciplinary perspective on the topics of brain research is offered here, which, in conjunction with music, should lead to new insights.

Science Talks and Social Responsibility

Another highlight of the community university is the science talk “Knowledge tapped”, which was launched at the book fair. This covers a variety of topics, including communication in amphibians, the sound of the Middle Ages, and the exploration of oceans and their influence on Earth's history. A particularly current topic is the influence of sense influencers on pastoral care and churches, which addresses the interaction between society and digital influences.

The Citizens' University program can be viewed both online and in various public facilities in the city. The Goethe University has not only committed itself to its tradition as a foundation university, which was revived in 2023, but has also taken on a central role as a provider of critical and interdisciplinary discourses in society.