Here is the program.
 

Understanding each other – Together into the future

On September 27, 2025, this year’s Academy Day(external link) took place in Heidelberg—a joint event organized by the Union of German Academies (external link) and its eight member academies(external link). Under the theme “Understanding One Another – Moving Forward Together,” the Academy Day invited anyone interested in science to engage in a lively dialogue with experts, research projects, and artists.

The four discussion panels focused on pressing issues of our time: How can we strengthen Europe as a shared scientific community—beyond bureaucracy and national borders? How can we foster a genuine dialogue between generations? How can we communicate research in a way that is understandable, credible, and effective—even in times of crisis? What is the current state of academic freedom, and what is needed to safeguard it in the long term?

Between the panels, musical and artistic performances—such as a dance choreography and a piano poetry slam—provided creative inspiration. An accompanying interactive exhibition invited visitors to experience the Academy’s research firsthand—for example, by listening to the sounds of ancient languages, marveling at Buddhist cave paintings through virtual reality goggles, or discovering the diversity of German dialects.

The public Heidelberg Academy lecture featuring Prof. Dr. Christian Drosten took place the evening before, on September 26, 2025.

This year, the Academy Day was organized by the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities theBavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities(external link). The program was also co-organized by the Young Academies.

For more information, click here.

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