The first ever Ulm University graduates, an insight into excellent research and beaming honourees: All this took place at the Dies academicus on Friday, 6 February. The university celebrated its foundation 59 years ago with a ceremony in research building N27. Today, 10,000 young people study at Oberer Eselsberg and around 1,000 externally funded research projects are carried out every year. Prizes were awarded for outstanding students, teaching staff and researchers.
In 1969, Ulm University opened its doors - in Ulm city centre, mind you, as there were fields and forests up on the Eselsberg at the time, but no campus. More than half a century later, 25 former students from the university's first graduating class have found their way to this very campus: 50 years after graduating, they took part in the Dies academicus as guests of honour on Friday, 6 February. "This clearly shows how connected students and staff are to this university," said a delighted Professor Michael Weber, President of Ulm University.
Celebrating what makes Ulm University what it is and honouring those who drive society forward with creativity and perseverance: This was at the core of the event, which was moderated by science journalist Katharina Menne and was well attended by around 200 guests from politics and society. In conversation with the moderator, President Weber reported on the events that shaped the University in 2025: "It was important that we were able to keep the total number of students at around 10,000." Despite last year's lack of school-leavers from nearby Bavaria, there were only around one hundred fewer first-year students than in the previous year. "We have also succeeded in further sharpening our profile areas, in which the faculties engage in interdisciplinary dialogue and advance scientific research: Green Energy, Quantum Science and Technology, Life Long Health and From Data to Knowledge." The conclusion of the Higher Education Funding Agreement III was also particularly important - a great success for which Weber thanked the state government.
One third of the University's budget comes from third-party funding
At 120 million euros, Ulm University's third-party funding continues to account for around a third of the total budget. These funds are used to support one thousand projects a year - "with just around 220 professors", said the President. This shows the great commitment of those involved. Most of the projects are financed via financial support programmes; only five to seven percent of third-party funding comes directly from industry via contract research.
President Weber was also happy about the uni's good performance in the Excellence Strategy of the federal and state governments, with renewed funding of the cluster of excellence POLiS, in which Ulm University, together with the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the University of Giessen, is researching the post-lithium storage of energy. Unfortunately, the second cluster of excellence application Chem4Quant was not successful. "We were therefore unable to submit a University of Excellence application, which we would have liked to have done. I think we would have had a good chance."
In terms of studies and teaching, the President highlighted the booming Biomedical Engineering degree programme as well as the new Master's in Digital Business & Analytics, which was also very well received. Structurally, the Gmünd Ulm School of Education was a milestone: "With GUSE, we want to reinforce teacher training even more." When asked about the outlook for the coming months, Weber replied: "We are in the process of drawing up the new structure and development plan, which will apply for five years from 2027. We want to reinforce the profile of our research even more and refine our degree programme portfolio so that we are in a first-class position from 2030."
It was Professor Michael Weber's last Dies academicus as President of the University: he will retire at the end of September. What are his wishes for the future of Ulm University? "That it continues on its path and continues to aspire to be excellent, to be a pacesetter for the region and for science, to maintain and expand its global standing - and to promote the values of academic freedom and open discourse, and train students to the highest level."
Awards for research and teaching
The 2025 Teaching Award , which is endowed with 4000 euros, went to Dr Maximilian Förster and Dr Andreas Obermeier from the Institute of Business Analytics for their innovative concepts in the course "Methods of Management Information Systems". In this block seminar, the award winners combine workshops, flipped classroom, paper reading and writing as well as the development and defence of students' own research concepts. By using generative AI, digital tools and modern forms of examination, they create a particularly effective, future-orientated learning environment. In this way, Dr Förster and Dr Obermeier want to activate students, especially after the coronavirus pandemic and in view of the challenges posed by AI.
The special prize for student commitment goes to the university group she.codesby TEC, which aims to get girls in particular interested in Computer Science and technical topics. Megi Hoxhalli and Johanna Scheck accepted the prize of 500 euros on behalf of the group. In free online and face-to-face workshops, around 15 female students teach the fundamentals of computer programming to participants aged between 11 and 14, making them approachable role models. The group at Ulm University has been in existence since the winter semester 2024/25 and has already held several workshops at the Ulm Verschwörhaus in cooperation with the Initiative Ulm Digital.
ExzellenziaUlm, the research prizes for excellent young female scientists at Ulm University, went to Dr Julia Zinngrebe. The 39-year-old conducts research at the Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the interface between paediatrics and molecular biology. Her work centres on the interaction between fat cells and their environment. In her research group, the paediatrician investigates how fat cells in the bone marrow support healthy blood formation and how inflammation is regulated in adipose tissue. The Excellence Award is endowed with 5000 euros and is specifically intended to promote women in research and increase their visibility.
Turning research into innovation
The Science-Industry Cooperation Award 2025 was awarded to Dr Christiane Bauer and PD Dr Caroline Willich for their collaboration with Diehl Aerospace, HS Elektronik Systeme, Deutsche Aircraft and MTU Aero Engines. Both are conducting research at the Institute of Energy Conversion and Storage on topics relating to fuel cell battery hybrid systems for aircraft engines. The prize is endowed with 8000 euros. For many years, the two scientists have been working together with a network of companies from the aviation industry in multi-million euro joint projects. These projects are funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and the Federal Ministry of Transport, among others. Together with these four partners, the engineers are pursuing one goal: to make electric flying safer, more efficient and economically viable.
The central technical challenge lies in the optimal integration of power electronics, integrated modular avionics (IMA) and drive systems and their smooth functioning under flight conditions. Intelligent power management ensures that the battery supplies additional energy when it is needed - for example during take-off or when climbing. The cooperation with the industrial companies involved the development of control and monitoring systems for the hybrid energy supply, as well as the use of innovative power semiconductor switches and cooling systems for pressurised fuel cell systems. There were also studies on the possible upscaling and use of fuel cell drives in a regional aeroplane for around 40 passengers.
Doctoral and PhD prizes from the Ulmer Universitätsgesellschaft e.V. (Ulm University Association) were awarded to:
Dr Sophia Janna Piller, Dr David Werbunat, Dr Maximilian Kohler, Dr Orkun Furat, Dr Mohamed Mahmoud Ali Elsayed Elnagar, Dr Mona Elena Arnold, Dr Bianka Kernl, Dr Caterina Prelli Bozzo and Dr Maximilian Hirschenberger. The prizes were presented by UUG chairwoman Manfred Oster. You can find a brief description of their projects here!
The event was accompanied musically by Lukas Hadinger (bassoon) and Mirko Rossini (clarinet).
The recording of the Dies academicus 2026 will be available shortly at: www.youtube.com/@uulm/videos