Starting at 4 pm on Thursday, 25 April 2024, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar will be celebrating its student volunteers. All interested university members are invited to this opportunity to talk to each other in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere. Together we want to celebrate the voluntary engagement of students, something that is often not recognised.

On 17 and 18 April, student from the Medienmanagement (Media Management) Master’s degree programme took part in the »Medientage Mitteldeutschland« (central Germany media days) in Leipzig as part of the »MTM-Pioneers« young talent programme. Together with Prof. Dr. Jutta Emes (Professorship of Marketing and Media), Jr. Prof. Dr. Jürgen Rösch and Maxi Rauch (scientific employee in the Junior Professorship of Digital Economies), and Dr. Gianna Ehrlich (Deputy Director of the Junior Professorship for Organisation and Networked Media) attended the exciting panel discussions on topics such as AI, fake news and public broadcasting on both days of the event.

The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar will be focussing on the achievements of female leaders in engineering during the 2024 summer semester with an outdoor exhibition and accompanying guest lectures. 18 portraits of successful female engineers will be on display with the intention of inspiring women in particular to pursue a career in engineering. Engineer Agnes Weilandt will be giving a guest lecture at the vernissage on 25 April and examining the exciting question: »How do we want to plan and build in the future?«

At nearly 30 percent, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar has a higher than average proportion of international students. Some of these students stay in Thuringia and join the workforce, but this is by no mean the majority. Just one third are successful in starting a career in Germany, specifically in Thuringia. In order to increase these numbers and integrate more international graduates into the local and national job market, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar will be receiving over one million euros in funding from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) »FIT - Promoting Academic Success and Labour Market Integration of International Talents« programme.

More than 30 university members attended the event hosted by Vice President for Social Transformation Dr. Ulrike Kuch: At the »Demokratie stärken« kick-off networking meeting, attendees discussed project plans, developed ideas and established new contacts.

Vom 26. April bis 14. Juni 2024 widmet sich die Ausstellung »Gildenhall 1921 – 2024: Siedlungskultur am Ruppiner See. Arbeiten Wohnen Leben« den lebensreformerischen Ansätzen des Arbeitsrats für Kunst, des Deutschen Werkbundes und des frühen Bauhauses. Zur Ausstellungseröffnung am 26. April, 15 Uhr, im Foyer der Universitätsbibliothek sprechen Dr. Frank Simon-Ritz, Direktor der Universitätsbibliothek, sowie Bauhaus-Experte Michael Siebenbrodt. Die Autor*innen und Kurator*innen Brigitte Kochta und Matthias Frinken führen in die Ausstellung ein.

Am 10. April läutete die »Fakultät Bau- und Umweltingenieurwissenschaften« (kurz: Bau und Umwelt) das Sommersemester 2024 im Audimax der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar ein. Gemeinsam mit hunderten Gästen zelebrierten Forschende, Lehrende und Studierende das 70. Jubiläum sowie die Neuausrichtung der Fakultät in einem bunten, geselligen Rahmen.

On 18 April 2024, 4 to 6 pm, President Prof. Peter Benz invites all University members to a Spring Reception hosted by the Presidential Board at the interim campus of the Faculty of Media I, Schwanseestr. 143.

Artificial intelligence, or AI for short, isn’t really a new phenomenon. In fact, its roots go all the way back to the 1950s. And yet: Since the OpenAI company made the »ChatGPT« generative AI system available to the public in November 2022, AI has rapidly become one of the most dominant topics of our time. AI not only influences our daily lives, it also has an impact on university instruction. The eTeach Netzwerk Thüringen is investigating the ways AI is changing teaching and how these challenges and opportunities can be understood by universities in Thuringia.

Wissenschaftler*innen, Studierende und Beschäftigte an der Bauhaus-Universität Weimar kommunizieren täglich miteinander, arbeiten an Projekten und erschaffen Neues. Doch wie gelangen die Ergebnisse ihrer Arbeit an die Öffentlichkeit? Für die vielen Möglichkeiten, wie eine Nachricht ihren Weg an die richtigen Zielgruppen findet, gibt es ab sofort einen neuen Leitfaden.

Mysterious, magical, and at the same time familiar and learnable – this is how Dr. Simon Frisch understands teaching. Frisch has been Vice President of Student and Academic Affairs for the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar’s Presidium since 2023. He has been teaching for over 25 years, more than 10 of these at the Faculty of Media where he is a lecturer for Film and Media Studies. As Vice President, he raises some highly pertinent questions: How can we use AI effectively in a university context? How are reading and writing evolving as a result of new technologies? How can studying and teaching change, and what does good teaching mean anyway? Frisch wants to change how we look at the »new« teaching and learning and to help us overcome our fear of engaging with new practices.

Vom 8. April bis 27. Mai 2024 wird im Foyer der Universitätsbibliothek Bauhaus-Universität Weimar eine Ausstellung über das immaterielle Kulturerbe in Thüringen zu sehen sein. Zur Eröffnung der Ausstellung am 8. April, 17 Uhr, sind Interessierte herzlich eingeladen.

That was the 2024 Leipzig Book Fair: From 21 to 24 March, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar was represented for the first time since 2019. A highly interactive stand titled »Even more reading, even more writing. Neues Schreiben – neues Lesen«, designed by a team of ambitious students, was staged in the exhibition area for art schools.

On Thursday 11 April, the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar will launch its 2024 focal point »Demokratie stärken«. All university members are warmly invited to have a look at current projects, exchange ideas and help generate new ideas at the Bauhaus.Atelier from 3 to 5 pm.

The Faculty of Civil Engineering was established 70 years ago at the University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (HAB), which is now known as the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. Since then, the requirements of the construction industry have changed considerably. To address challenges such as the energy and climate crisis, the digital revolution, and the shortage of skilled labour in the engineering sector, the faculty will undergo a strategic realignment under a new name starting in April 2024. In the future, there will be a growing emphasis on sustainable and resource-efficient construction in research and education.

The upcoming summer semester at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar marks a first at the university: On Monday 8 April, 2024, the first podcast of its kind in Germany on the topic of university teaching and learning will be launched under the title »Zwischen Magie und Handwerk« (Between Magic and Craft). The podcast features instructors at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar speaking candidly with Dr. Simon Frisch, Vice President of Student and Academic Affairs and host of the podcast, about their teaching experiences, didactic methods and their passion for teaching.

A joint project between the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar’s Faculty of Media and the Klassik Stiftung Weimar allows scientists to digitalise historical garments. This involves using the so-called »3D-RealityCapture-ScanLab«. With the help of digital cameras, the ScanLab can produce realistic images of Goethe’s clothing. 3D models are generated in a complex process that helps us better understand Goethe’s life and personality through his clothing and makes it accessible to a wider audience.

In 2024, the Institute for European Urban Studies (IfEU) at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at the Bauhaus-Universität will be celebrating its 20th anniversary.