News in research and teaching

On Wednesday, 29 April 2026, at 7 pm, the concert series 'Laisse chanter les filles' will continue highlighting women artists from today’s French music scene. Saarland University will welcome Pauline Roth and Petite Gueule as guest performers in the 'Aula' assembly hall. The strong women each have their own unique musical style – while the soulful Pauline Roth’s piano and guitar songs are more classic, Petite Gueule’s rap songs are cheekier and more urban. Admission is free. [...]

Am 22. April findet der UdS-KI-Tag für Studierende im Innovation Center (Gebäude A2 1) statt. Der Untertitel lautet: „Entdecke, wie KI dir hilft, effizienter zu studieren, dich gezielt auf deine berufliche Zukunft vorzubereiten und eigene Lernagenten zu entwickeln – präsentiert von der Universität des Saarlandes und dem AStA mit Microsoft als besonderem Gast“. Die Veranstaltung wird von der Stabsstelle Digitalisierung, ZeLL, dem Dezernat Lehre und Studium, dem DFKI und dem AStA organisiert [...]

'Europe has never been more important than it is today' – with this statement, Professor Thomas Söding, Vice President of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), began his presentation last September on the ZdK's declaration 'Shaping the Europe of the Future'. On 5 May, Thomas Söding will be a guest at Saarland University. All interested parties are invited to his public lecture 'Under pressure: Europe's challenges and the Church's role and responsibility today'. [...]

The extensive structural modernization of Building C5 2, a building used by the Faculty of Humanities, which was built in 1964 and is a listed building, is nearing completion. [...]

Im aktuellen Sommersemester veranstaltet die Universität des Saarlandes wieder öffentliche Vorträge, zu denen alle Interessierten eingeladen sind. Hier kündigen wir die Vorträge der jeweils folgenden Kalenderwoche an. Die aktuellen Termine sind auch im Veranstaltungskalender auf der Startseite der Universität zu finden. [...]

Heute geht das neue Gebäude des Unisport-Zentrums in den Betrieb. Dort stehen jetzt drei neue multifunktionale Sport- und Bewegungsräume zur Verfügung, die komplett neu ausgestattet wurden. Zudem wurde das Fitnesszentrum Unifit aufwändig renoviert und optisch neugestaltet. Mit dem Neubau hat sich das Hochschulsport-Zentrum in Unisport-Zentrum umbenannt und die drei neuen Bereiche Unisport, Unifit und Uniboost eingeführt. [...]

Individuals with high intellectual ability frequently occupy leadership roles across business, science and politics. To date, it has not been definitively established whether a high intelligence quotient correlates with specific political orientations. However, recent research reveals a significant gender-specific distinction: Intellectually gifted men tend to be less conservative than men of average intellectual ability. [...]

Deep within the Earth’s crust, massive tectonic plates shift. But what happens at the microscopic level? Physicists from Forschungszentrum Jülich and Saarland University have proposed a new explanation: The rock grains do not simply interlock – they bond together at their contact points. [...]

Den Effekt plötzlich eintretender Kälte kann die Besucherschaft der Hannover Messe mit eigenen Sinnen erfahren: Es genügt vom Prinzip her, das Material zu ziehen und wieder zu entlasten, um damit zu kühlen – oder auch zu heizen. Das Team von Paul Motzki von der Universität des Saarlandes entwickelt die klimaschonende Kühl- und Heiztechnologie Elastokalorik für den Praxiseinsatz weiter. Mit den 3D-Druck-Experten um Dirk Bähre forschen sie an neuen Kühlmittelformen. [...]

Das Gleichstellungsbüro der Universität des Saarlandes lädt auch in diesem Sommer wieder zum Uni-Camp für MINT-interessierte Schülerinnen ein. Es findet vom 20. bis 24. Juli statt und bietet eine Woche lang spannende Einblicke in Wissenschaft und Campusleben. Mit Unterstützung des Ministeriums für Bildung und Kultur wird das Programm bereits zum 23. Mal organisiert. Eine Anmeldung ist ab sofort möglich. [...]

Ab Tag eins der Operation sollen sie erkennen, ob ein Knochenbruch gut verheilt, und bei Bedarf gezielt nachhelfen: Implantate, die nicht nur den Knochen stabilisieren, sondern selbst etwas für seine Heilung tun, entwickelt an der Universität des Saarlandes ein Team aus Ingenieurwissenschaft, Medizin und Informatik. Das Ingenieurteam um Paul Motzki liefert hierfür Mikroantriebe mit Formgedächtnistechnologie samt Sensorik. Den medizinischen Part steuern Bergita Ganse und ihre Arbeitsgruppe bei. [...]

'Being a Friend's Friend – On Friendship and Literature' is the title of the 15th Saarbrücken literary studies lecture series, which will be held this summer semester. The series explores friendship and the relationships between friends in literature across a wide range of periods and cultures. The public lectures will take place every Monday at 7 p.m. from 20 April in the Great Hall of the St Johann Town Hall in Saarbrücken. No registration is required. [...]

Eine dünne Silikonfolie sorgt dafür, dass Pumpen ohne Motoren, ohne Druckluft, ohne Schmiermittel und ohne zusätzliche Sensoren auskommen. Sie lassen sich beliebig schalten und in bisher unmöglichen Bauformen unterbringen. Wo Vakuum in Industrie und Fertigung, Fahrzeugtechnik oder Labor und Forschung gebraucht wird, macht die Folientechnologie leichte, flache und energieeffiziente Pumpen möglich. Das Team von Professor Paul Motzki demonstriert die Technologie auf der Hannover Messe. [...]

A sponge is more elastic than an eraser: if you deform it, it returns to its original shape. This phenomenon is often crucial for the development of new materials. Physicists at Saarland University have now demonstrated in an experiment that the elasticity of a material decreases significantly when it is enclosed in pores measuring just a few millionths of a millimetre. This effect is all the more notable the smaller the diameter of the pores. [...]

The transistor is one of the most important components in electronics. By switching or amplifying electrical signals, transistors make sure that our smartphones, computers and even coffee machines do what we want them to do. A new generation of energy-efficient transistors is now being developed based on thin, lightweight, electrically conducting films. Imagine miniature actuators with their own built-in sensing capability integrated into flexible, film-based circuit boards. [...]

During the summer semester, Saarland University is once again hosting public lectures. The lectures for the upcoming week will be announced here. The planned lecture dates can also be found in the event calendar on the university's homepage. [...]

How much entrepreneurial potential do I have? How can I keep growing? Students at Saarland University and others interested in an entrepreneurial career can now find the answer to these and many other questions in less than 15 minutes using a new online tool. With this scientifically based self-assessment, they can find out how well their personal strengths align with an entrepreneurial career. [...]

Superconductors – materials that allow electricity to flow with zero electrical resistance – are central to many high-tech applications, from quantum computing and medical technologies to high-performance energy systems. Over the next two and a half years, researchers from Saarbrücken, Dortmund, Eindhoven and Toronto will investigate the fundamental physics of these materials, which are still not yet fully understood, as part of a project funded by the Klaus Tschira Foundation. [...]

Studierende, die sich als Hobbykünstler betätigen, sowie Angehörige der Universität und des Universitätsklinikums des Saarlandes können ihre Kunstobjekte vom 8. bis 30. Mai in der Homburger Mensa ausstellen. Ob Zeichnungen, Acrylbilder, Skulpturen, Fotografien oder Videoinstallationen – welche Art von Kunst man ausstellen möchte, hat jeder selbst in der Hand. [...]

Hannover Messe: Electric motors are getting smaller, lighter and more powerful – and that makes overheating a growing risk. A research team led by Professor Matthias Nienhaus at Saarland University has developed an AI-assisted method of determining the temperature distribution inside a running electric motor in real time – and without the need for additional hardware. The team will be showcasing the technology at the Hannover Messe (20–24 April). [...]

The interdisciplinary lecture series on climate protection and sustainability will continue in the summer semester of 2026. The public lectures on the Saarbrücken campus will take place every Tuesday at 4.15 p.m. in the new Chemistry lecture hall building (Building C4 3, small lecture hall II). Online participation is also possible. The series begins on 14 April with a lecture on 'Sustainable raw material extraction and urban mining'. [...]

Last June, the Saarland state government announced that it would provide over €53 million in funding to establish a Center for Quantum Technologies (QuTe) at Saarland University. Today, QuTe officially launches, with a ceremony to mark the occasion. In addition to Saarland's Minister of Finance and Science Jakob von Weizsäcker and University President Ludger Santen, Astrid Lambrecht, Chair of the Board of Directors of Forschungszentrum Jülich, will also be in attendance. [...]

Thinking ahead is a skill taught to learner drivers from the outset – and the intelligent wheels being developed by Professor Matthias Nienhaus’s research team at Saarland University seem to do just that. By anticipating where the user intends to go they can provide a helping push at just the right moment, offer stability when cornering and make manoeuvring under load easier. The team will be showcasing the latest generation of their smart wheel technology at the Hannover Messe. [...]

Wie stelle ich einen BAföG-Antrag, wie funktioniert die Bewerbung für ein Stipendium oder welcher Nebenjob passt zu mir? Und wie kann ich ein Auslandsstudium finanzieren oder finde Hilfe bei einem finanziellen Engpass? Diese Fragen werden beim Tag der Studienfinanzierung am 27. Mai von 14 bis 17 Uhr beantwortet. Die Teilnahme ist kostenlos, eine Anmeldung ist nicht erforderlich. [...]

This summer semester, the European Visiting Professorship at CEUS | Cluster for European Research will be held by Francesco Cappellano. Professor Cappellano is an economic geographer whose work focuses on regional transformation, cross-border governance and the implementation of climate policy in Europe's border regions. [...]

The Department of Business Science and Economics at Saarland University is once again offering a public lecture series in the 2026 summer semester. Under the title 'Economy and Society in the Face of Global Challenges: Responsible Corporate Leadership amid Protectionism, Technological Change and Sustainability', the series will examine how businesses, policymakers and society can respond to today's global challenges. [...]

Even the most advanced AI language models – known as large language models – can go badly astray on logic-based tasks. Calculations may be wrong, sequences misordered, or the AI may hallucinate and fabricate figures or quotations. Computational linguist Michael Hahn has already produced promising research findings that address these problems. For this work, he has now been awarded the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize by the German Research Foundation. [...]

For the fourth time in a row, Manager Magazin has named Saarland University a leading university for prospective auditors. In its 2026/27 ranking, 'Germany's Best Universities for Auditors', the university placed 14th with a rating of ‘very good’. [...]

Quantum networks have gained increasing prominence in the research community in recent years. Not only do they have the potential to strengthen the security of critical infrastructure they may also enable new applications –from the secure interconnection of quantum computers through to a future quantum internet. Such networks rely on devices known as quantum repeaters. [...]

The Delegate General of the Canadian province of Quebec, Geneviève Rolland, visited Saarland University today together with Anke Rehlinger, Minister-President of Saarland. University President Ludger Santen and the Vice-President for Internationalization and European Relations, Dominik Brodowski, welcomed the guests to the Saarbrücken campus for a moderated discussion and dialogue, which also involved students with ties to Canada. [...]

This year’s Girls' Day returns on Thursday, 23 April, 9 am – 2 pm, with the theme ‘Hands‑on science and technology’. Saarland University is joining this nationwide event with an exciting programme of activities and interactive workshops for girls from Year 5 and above. Registration is now open. [...]

Using the motto 'Teaching the subject – teaching the senses', more than 500 STEM teachers will gather at Saarland University from 26 to 29 March 2026 for this year’s national congress of the Federal Association for the Promotion of STEM Education (MNU). The programme features over 150 lectures, workshops and laboratory tours. [...]

Dr Ahmad Aljohmani is one of two award winners who were recognized by the Hans and Ruth Giessen Foundation on 19 March in a ceremony in the Saarland University 'Aula' assembly hall. Dr Aljohmani is an early career medical researcher and leads a research group at Saarland University Hospital that investigates potential treatments that can lessen harmful inflammation in the body without compromising its antibacterial defences. [...]

Roland Aydin was named Professor of Data-Driven Simulation and Analysis in Materials Science at Saarland University. In his research, Roland Aydin combines state-of-the-art artificial intelligence methods with simulation-based approaches. He uses large language models in conjunction with autonomous agent systems and other AI methods to address questions in the natural sciences and engineering. [...]

Quantencomputer können manches besser als klassische Computer, aber vieles eben auch noch nicht. Wissenschaftler der Saar-Universität wollen nun gemeinsam mit den Industriepartnern BMW, Infineon und dem Quantencomputer-Start-up planqc beide Welten zusammenbringen. Ein Quantencomputer soll klassischen Rechnern dabei helfen, hochkomplexe Optimierungsherausforderungen aus dem Industrie-Alltag zu bewältigen. Gefördert wird das Projekt mit 2,3 Millionen Euro vom Bundesforschungsministerium. [...]

On 23 March, Professor Herbert Schneider, Professor of Musicology at Saarland University, will celebrate his 85th birthday in Mainz. [...]

Eric Grosse wurde zum Professor für Betriebswirtschaftslehre mit Schwerpunkt Digitale Transformation im Operations Management an der Universität des Saarlandes ernannt. In seiner Forschung geht es um die Frage, wie sich Prozesse in der Produktion und Logistik digitalisieren lassen. Dabei zielt er auf die gesamte Wertschöpfungskette, an der interne und externe Partner beteiligt sind. Eric Grosse interessiert sich auch für die Zukunft der Arbeit in Industrie- und Logistikunternehmen. [...]

Krebs ist die zweithäufigste Todesursache in den westlichen Ländern. Häufig entsteht der Eindruck, unser Körper sei dieser Krankheit schutzlos ausgeliefert. Der menschliche Organismus ist jedoch durchaus in der Lage, Krebszellen über lange Zeit erfolgreich zu bekämpfen. Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler der Universität des Saarlandes haben nun einen solchen körpereigenen Abwehrmechanismus gegen Krebs entdeckt. Er könnte Grundlage für neue Therapien sein. [...]

Viele Erkrankungen, von chronischen Wunden etwa infolge von Diabetes bis hin zu Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen, entstehen, weil geschädigtes Gewebe im Körper nicht mehr stabil aufgebaut werden kann. Statt zu heilen, wird die körpereigene Struktur durch ein Ungleichgewicht in den körpereigenen Regulationsmechanismen zunehmend abgebaut. Ein Forschungsteam der Universität des Saarlandes hat nun gemeinsam mit Partnern ein Gel entwickelt, das diesen Prozess stoppen und so die Heilung beschleunigen kann. [...]

Dr. Sinan Durant from the Centre of General Medicine at Saarland University's Faculty of Medicine has been awarded the State Prize for University Teaching alongside an award of €24,000. The award recognizes a new digital teaching programme for the year of clinical practice in general medicine which was developed by the general medicine teaching team and led by Dr. Durant. The programme is being implemented in collaboration with 14 German universities. [...]

Adults with ADHD often have difficulty concentrating and structuring their daily lives. Many people with ADHD require therapy, yet places for the service are scarce. According to a recent clinical study involving 337 adults, a digital intervention can provide immediate support and has been shown to be as effective as behavioural therapy. Saarland University's Roberto D'Amelio was the study's lead author and the renowned journal Psychological Medicine published the study's findings. [...]

Saarland University's alumni reunion on 12 June promises to be evening full of memories, familiar and new faces and special moments. As the first university-wide gathering of its kind, it offers a varied programme with many opportunities for attendees to exchange experiences. The reunion aims to bring together people who studied, researched, worked or taught at the Saarbrücken or Homburg campuses. [...]

Scientists from Saarland University, RPTU Kaiserslautern–Landau, VIB-VUB Brussels and collaborating institutions have discovered that important enzymes in our cells, known as peroxiredoxins, can combine more flexibly than previously assumed. The discovery shows how cells create molecular diversity and fine-tune stress responses.
[...]

On 11 March, Dr. Hans Leo Krämer, Professor of Sociology at Saarland University and founder of the World of Work Partnership Office (KoWA), will celebrate his 90th birthday. [...]

Innovative materials could help to reduce the energy consumption of electrical devices, allowing drones to fly longer and e-bikes to travel further. By introducing components made from metallic glass into electric motors, researchers aim to minimize energy losses during motor operation. Professor Ralf Busch and his team at Saarland University have developed new alloys for just this purpose. [...]

Werner Pitsch has been appointed Professor of Sociology of Sport. The sports scientist has been working at Saarland University since 2005 and will now take up the five-year fixed-term professorship until his retirement. Pitsch conducts research on a wide range of topics in sociology of sport and is considered a pioneer in the application of randomized response technology in sports science. [...]

Fraudulent emails are currently in circulation requesting students at Saarland University to pay alleged tuition fees. The message claims that outstanding fees of €350 must be transferred at short notice, otherwise the matter will be referred to a “legal department”. The email contains a request to transfer money to an external account and to send proof of payment to an email address that does not belong to the university. [...]

Frank Mücklich, Professor of Functional Materials at Saarland University, will give a lecture on material surfaces that can be used in the medical field and have also been tested in outer space. The lecture is a part of the University Society's science forum and will take place on Wednesday, 18 March at 6 p.m. in the 'Aula' assembly hall (Building A3 3) on the Saarbrücken campus. [...]

On 12 and 13 March, experts from around the world will gather at the Europa-Institut at Saarland University to discuss legal issues relating to sexual identity, human dignity and social diversity from an international perspective. The conference, entitled Sexual and Gender Minorities in International Law and European Union Law, is being held to mark the retirement of Professor Thomas Giegerich, long-time co-director of the Europa-Institut. [...]

A Saarland University study is taking a look at how courts and IT experts might handle smart contracts in the future – before a real case is even on the docket. Researchers and legal professionals simulated a court case as a part of a project entitled Industry 4.0. On 18 March at 3 p.m., the Institute for Legal Informatics at Saarland University under the leadership of Professor Georg Borges will present the simulation study 'Smart Contracts' in Frankfurt am Main. [...]