The idea: Scientific Perspectives on Global Issues of the 21st Century
How do we tackle the pressing global challenges of our time – from the climate crisis and social inequality to the impact of new technologies? Science provides important insights and potential solutions, but their implementation depends on political, economic and societal decision-making processes. Sustainable development is therefore not a purely technical issue, but a deeply political one. The Young Colloquium explores how scientific findings can help tackle these challenges and what political framework is needed to bring about effective change.
As a student-organised, interdisciplinary lecture series, we are particularly keen to encourage discussion – for example, in the informal discussions following the lectures, over pizza and drinks. Experience has shown that we certainly find plenty to discuss after the talks: it is no coincidence that the problems at hand have not yet been solved… However, that shouldn’t stop us from thinking about how we might approach solutions more constructively and to what extent dialogue between academia and society could play a role in this. We look forward to seeing lots of new faces at the fourth edition of the event! :)
Schedule overview
Here is a detailed list of our dates and speakers:
| Date | Topic and speaker: |
|---|---|
| 12 November 2026 | How to Change Your Mind: On Logic and Economics in the Revision of Beliefs Prof. Hans Rott (University of Regensburg) |
18 November 2026 5 pm! | Europe & the age of climate consequences: The new world of energy, AI & the role of journalism Sven Egenter (Clean Energy Wire) |
| 10 December 2026 | The Future of Space Exploration Volker Schmid (DLR, Mission Manager for Blue Dot, horizons and Cosmic Kiss) |
| 17 December 2026 | The Economy of ‘Zeitenwende’ Ulrike Herrmann (journalist at TAZ, columnist) |
| 7 January 2027 | Technology Assessment Prof. Armin Grunwald (KIT, Head of the Office for Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag) |
| 14 January 2027 | China’s economic future Prof. Doris Fischer (University of Würzburg) |
| 21 January 2027 | Universities and Security Policy Lieutenant General Alfons Mais (Retired Inspector General of the Army) |
| 4 February 2027 | Closing event and essay presentation Prof. Ferdinand Evers, Franziska Fröhlich, Simon Spörl |
Further details on the individual talks, credit allocation and the event in general can also be found in the associated GRIPS course or on Instagram (external link, opens in a new window).
The lectures usually take place from 4 to 6 pm c.t. in the auditorium of the RUN (Regensburg Centre for Ultrafast Nanoscopy) on the first floor and consist of a 60-minute lecture followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session and discussion. Afterwards, everyone is warmly invited to join us for further discussion in a more relaxed setting with pizza and drinks!
Credit transfer at the University of Regensburg
The Young Colloquium is open to all students, whether you just want to attend one talk or come along every time. However, there is also the option of having the Young Colloquium recognised as a module worth 3 ECTS credits. To do so, you must:
- attend all lectures (with the possible exception of one session)
- write and present a two- to three-page essay in which you explore the topics covered in the lecture series
The Young Colloquium can be credited towards, amongst other things,
- the combined BA in Humanities
- the BSc in Physics and Mathematics
- the MSc in Physics
- other degree programmes on request
We are working to make credit recognition available to students from all disciplines; please feel free to email us at young.colloquium(at)uni-regensburg.de (opens your email program) if you are interested in the event and your degree programme is not listed here.
In any case, credit is merely an offer: we’re delighted to welcome everyone, even if you just pop in once!
Your organisers,
Franzi and Simon