News in research and teaching

Vom 20. bis 24. Juli wird der Campus der Universität des Saarlandes zum Experimentierfeld für neugierige Nachwuchstalente: Eine Woche lang erleben 22 Schülerinnen der 8. und 9. Klassen spielerisch und praxisnah, wie spannend Mathematik, Informatik, Naturwissenschaft und Technik (MINT) sein können. [...]

Die Universität des Saarlandes erweitert ihr Weiterbildungsportfolio im Management und bietet ab dem Wintersemester 2026/2027 einen einjährigen, englischsprachigen Weiterbildungsstudiengang „MBA Entrepreneurship & Innovation“ an. Der Vollzeit-MBA richtet sich an Absolventen und Absolventinnen aller Fachrichtungen mit mindestens einem Jahr Berufserfahrung, die Gründungsvorhaben vorantreiben, Innovationsprozesse gestalten oder unternehmerische Verantwortung in Organisationen übernehmen möchten. [...]

Ein neuer Forschungsverbund von htw saar, Universität des Saarlandes und Fraunhofer IZFP stärkt mit Unterstützung des Transformationsfonds den Technologietransfer im Saarland. Im Fokus stehen KI, Sensorik und neue Anwendungen für Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Digitale Technologien verändern schon heute, wie wir leben, arbeiten, uns fortbewegen oder medizinisch versorgt werden. [...]

Haven’t yet graduated secondary school, but already ready for the next challenge? Apply for the Saarland University early-access scheme. In the 2026/27 winter semester, secondary students can study 25 subjects, including three new programmes. Applications can be submitted through 23 August 2026 via: www.juniorstudium.de [...]

Die gemeinnützige Klaus Faber Stiftung unterstützt die Einrichtung einer Stiftungsprofessur W2 am Klaus-Faber-Institut für Neuroimmunologie, das an der Medizinischen Fakultät am Campus Homburg aufgebaut wird. Dafür wurde jetzt eine vertragliche Vereinbarung unterzeichnet. Ziel des Instituts ist es, neuroimmunologische Mechanismen systematisch zu entschlüsseln und neue Ansätze für Diagnostik und Therapie neuroimmunologischer Erkrankungen – insbesondere der Multiplen Sklerose – zu entwickeln. [...]

Evelyn Kreb, an academic research associate at the Department of Musicology at Saarland University and founder of the concert series 'Laisse chanter les filles', has been awarded the 'Médaille du Traité de l'Élysée' by the French Consul-General, Jérôme Spinoza, in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Franco-German friendship. [...]

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. [...]

The play Zur tragischen Heldin ungeeignet! (Unfit to Be a Tragic Heroine!) relocates Gerhart Hauptmann's Die Ratten (The Rats) – a milieu study set in Berlin – linguistically and geographically to Saarland. The play will be performed by students on Theatre Practice course and premieres on Sunday 5 July at 6 p.m. in the Music Recital Room (Building C5 1). A second performance will take place on 10 July at7 p.m. Admission is free. [...]

The symbolic and declaratory motion was preceded by an extensive historical review regarding the honoured individuals' connections to the Nazi regime. The resulting assessment formed the basis of the Senate's decision. An expert commission advised the Senate during the decision-making process. [...]

The Cultural Studies in Historical Perspective programmes are opening their doors for their annual celebration on Wednesday 8 July at the Saarland University Saarbrücken Campus. The event begins at 6.15 pm in Building B3 1 (Lecture Hall I). The event is open to students, lecturers and the public. [...]

On Thursday 2 July at 5 pm, the Saarland University Society and the Teaching and Learning Centre (ZeLL) will host a lecture as a part of their science forum in the 'Aula' assembly hall (A3 3) on the Saarbrücken campus. Lara Schulschenk, a sociologist, journalist and expert on renting, will give a lecture entitled ' Four Walls, Two Classes – On Rent and Inequality'. The lecture is open to the public. [...]

Continuous monitoring of indoor air to assess health and wellbeing, smart sheets that monitor sleep quality and miniaturized hearing aids – international partners in academia and industry are collaborating on the SensorTech4Health project to develop novel technology that monitors the surrounding environment to continuously gauge health. Whether integrated into a smart home system or as a discreet wearable, these new technologies aim to monitor health and wellbeing and increase quality of life. [...]

Professor Martina Maggio has been awarded an Advanced Grant from the European Research Council (ERC), one of Europe's most prestigious research funding programmes. With funding of up to €2.5 million, Professor Maggio aims to improve the certification of the safety of computer-controlled systems that are subject to timing fluctuations during operation. [...]

Sollen humanoide Roboter in Zukunft sehen wie ein Mensch und wie dieser das Gesehene auch verstehen können, ist dies unendlich kompliziert: In der realen Welt ist alles im Fluss und unbegrenzt veränderlich. Jan Eric Lenssen will Maschinen das Sehen lehren, ihnen ein visuelles Verständnis beibringen, das dem des Menschen nachempfunden ist. Am 22. Juni hat Wissenschaftsminister Jakob von Weizsäcker Lenssen zum Informatik-Professor an der Universität des Saarlandes ernannt. [...]

The Saarland University Orchestra, conducted by Emanuele Frisardi, will play two concerts featuring Sergei Rachmaninoff’s famous Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18. The concerts will take place on Wednesday 8 July at 6.30 pm in the Music Hall at Saarland University (Building C5 1) and on Friday 10 July at 7.00 pm in the Alte Evangelische Kirche St. Johann. [...]

An exhibition of comic books entitled 'Excellent! Comics in the SULB Collection' will be on display at the Saarland University and State Library (SULB) from 25 June to 24 August 2026. A highlight of the exhibition is a comic reading with comic artist Valérie Minelli (Mrs.Frollein) on Wednesday 1 July at 5 pm. [...]

Saarland University will host the 14th UniGR Center for Border Studies seminar entitled Relational Borders and (Cross-)Border Relations on 25 and 26 June 2026. The event brings together students, international academics and early-career researchers to discuss current perspectives in border studies. [...]

Staaten und internationale Institutionen stehen vor der doppelten Aufgabe, Stabilität zu gewährleisten und zugleich Wandel zu ermöglichen. Wie sie das Recht als Instrument dafür einsetzen können, und wo es dabei an seine Grenzen stößt, erforscht Dr. Anne Dienelt. Sie übernimmt zum 25. Juni den Lehrstuhl für Öffentliches Recht und Völkerrecht, insbesondere für Nachhaltigkeits- und Resilienzforschung an der Universität des Saarlandes. [...]

Ultraschall, CT, Röntgen – eine echte Notaufnahme im Spezial-Truck ermöglicht erkrankten Bewohnern direkt vor dem Pflegeheim medizinische Untersuchungen ohne lange Wege: Das Modellprojekt aus dem Saarland stellt sich vom 23. bis 25. Juni auf dem Hauptstadtkongress Medizin und Gesundheit in Berlin (Messe, hub27) vor. Ab September 2026 wird das Spezialfahrzeug mit Hightech-Diagnostik im Saarland im Einsatz sein. [...]

Mehr als 300 Oberstufen-Schülerinnen und -Schüler aus dem Saarland kommen am 23. Juni von 9 bis 13 Uhr in die Aula (A3 3) auf den Saarbrücker Campus. Das Europa-Institut, das selbst in diesem Jahr sein 75-jähriges Bestehen feiert, will ihnen die Politik und Geschichte Europas durch eine eindrückliche Reise durch 75 Jahre europäische Integration im Kinoformat näherbringen. [...]

Claus-Michael Lehr, professor of biopharmacy and pharmaceutical technology at Saarland University and a departmental head at the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), has been inducted into the '3Rs Hall of Honor' by the Center for Alternatives to Animal Testing (CAAT) at Johns Hopkins University in the United States. Professor Lehr received the distinction at the Microphysiological Systems World Summit in Washington, D.C., on 26 May 2026. [...]

The earlier a child masters the national language, the better their chances of succeeding in school. In May 2026, a new app, WUSCHEL, was launched in Saarland as part of the 'Startklar Deutsch' project. The app aims to help assess four-year-olds' language skills and provide individual support for learning German where needed – whether they are acquiring German as their first or their second language. [...]

Künstliche Intelligenz im Studium und die weitere Verbesserung der juristischen Ausbildung: Diese Themen beschäftigen auch 2026 die Vertreterinnen und Vertreter der 46 Jura-Fakultäten an Universitäten in Deutschland und elf weiterer juristischer Fakultäten aus Österreich, der Schweiz und Ungarn: Der 105. Deutsche Juristen-Fakultätentag (DJFT) findet auch in diesem Jahr in der Aula auf dem Saarbrücker Campus statt (9 bis 16 Uhr). Seit 2020 steht Professorin Tiziana Chiusi an der Spitze des DJFT. [...]

Rivers have no legal voice. They cannot bring legal action, defend themselves nor testify in court, even when they are polluted or permanently damaged. A global movement for the rights of nature is fundamentally revolutionizing this perspective. The project 'Rivers Beyond Borders – The Saar as a Worker' handles these international debates and asks how they apply to the Franco-German border region. [...]

How do molecules move? What do the interactions within cells look like in real time? How does this activity on a microscopic scale influence the bigger picture – and thus our health? Dr. Fabian Erdel's research aims to tackle these questions. The multi-award-winning molecular and cell biologist is moving from the Centre de Biologie Intégrative in Toulouse, France, to Saarland University. [...]

Das „Startup Launchpad“ richtet sich verstärkt an technologieorientierte Gründungsteams und unterstützt diese beim Übergang in den Markt. Das Programm wird gefördert vom saarländischen Wirtschaftsministerium und begleitet von SouthwestX, der Startup Factory im Südwesten.
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In recognition of his scholarly achievements, Markus Messling, Professor of Romance and General Literature and Cultural Studies and Director of the Käte Hamburger Centre for Cultural Practices of Reparation (CURE), has been elected a full member of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities. He was admitted to the Academy's Humanities Class during the committee meetings held for Leibniz Day 2026 at the Konzerthaus on Gendarmenmarkt. [...]

From 25 to 26 June, the second annual conference of the Käte Hamburger Centre for Cultural Practices of Reparation (CURE) will explore the social dimensions of cultural practices of reparation. Under the title 'Reparative Futures: Utopian Thinking in Times of Crisis', the symposium asks what forms utopian thinking can still take in a present shaped by dystopian visions of the future and invites participants to reimagine a positive future beyond resignation and fatalism. [...]

Materials science meets climate protection – innovative membrane adsorbers will be used in the future to efficiently and cost-effectively recover CO₂ from air and exhaust gases. In the SAFE-CO₂ project, Saarland University and several research institutes – coordinated by the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB – are pooling their expertise to develop suitable membrane modules for industrial purposes.
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Why do cancer therapies have different success rates in men and women? How do immune cells tailor their attacks on tumours? Dr. Hsin-Fang Chang from the Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM) and the Center for Gender-specific Biology and Medicine (CGBM) at Saarland University has been awarded more than €330,000 in research funding from the prestigious Else Kröner-Fresenius Foundation (EKFS) to investigate these very questions. [...]

This year's Saarbrücken edition of the Tête-à-tête discussion series will focus on the topic 'The Rights of Nature and Their Significance in the Face of Ecological Crises'. The event will take place on Thursday, 18 June, at 6.30 pm at Villa Europa (Kohlweg 7, 66123 Saarbrücken). [...]

Under the title 'Relations, Resilience, Resistance: Challenges for Higher Education in Ukraine and Beyond', Saarland University will host a public lecture series in June and July focusing on the current challenges facing higher education institutions in times of war, crisis and societal change. The lectures will be held as online events on Zoom. [...]

The internationally renowned structural biologist Nicholas Taylor is joining Saarland University as an Alexander von Humboldt Professor bringing with him award funding of €9.9 million. Saarland University was successful with its nomination for Germany's most highly endowed research award. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation announced the eight award winners today (10 June).  [...]

Whether rancid nuts in chocolate or unnoticed mould, quality defects in products pose an enormous risk for food manufacturers, ranging from costly recalls to reputation damage. Existing testing methods are often slow and expensive. At the SME Innovation Day organised by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy on 11 June in Berlin, the SENT-GC-MOS research project presented portable gas chromatography detectors that test food for spoilage in a matter of seconds and at low cost. [...]

Starting next winter semester, students will be able to enrol on the new Master's degree programme in Quantum Information Theory (QIT) at Saarland University. The M.Sc. programme, which is taught in English, allows students to acquire knowledge and skills at the intersection of mathematics, computer science and physics – equipping them with the tools required to work with the key technologies that will be shaping our digital future. [...]

For the 13th time, Saarland University is awarding the internationally renowned Saarbrücken Lectureship in the Theatrical Arts in collaboration with the Saarländisches Staatstheater, the City of Saarbrücken and the VHS Regionalverband Saarbrücken. This year, the award-winning author, doctor of cultural studies, dramatist and translator Maria Milisavljević will take up the Saarbrücken Lectureship in Theatrical Arts at Saarland University.
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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. [...]

Artificial intelligence (AI) and digital tools are becoming increasingly indispensable in chemistry research laboratories and in industry. At Saarland University, two researchers from chemistry and computer science are working together to develop a teaching concept that will introduce chemistry students to data-driven methods early on in their studies and equip them with the tools to meet the changing demands of science and industry. [...]

How do software developers respond when they come across code they do not intuitively understand? Neuropsychologists have now explored this question by recording brain activity alongside eye movements. A team of psycholinguists then compared the findings with established patterns from natural language processing and identified some surprising parallels. The interdisciplinary team from Saarland University and Chemnitz University of Technology has now published its study in Scientific Reports. [...]

A lorry packed with high-tech diagnostic equipment will visit care homes in Saarland, enabling examinations to be carried out on site for residents who are unwell, sparing them hospital stays. The pilot is the first of its kind in Germany. For the project, Saarland University, the Saarland University Medical Center and several partners have secured over eight million euros in funding from Germany's Joint Federal Committee. The partners presented the vehicle to the public for the first time. [...]

Die Webseite „Tarnkappe.info“ berichtet aktuell über einen Angriff eines Hackers auf die Universität des Saarlandes im April. Eine Kompromittierung oder Manipulation von Systemen oder der Zugriff auf sensible Daten waren dem Angreifer zu keinem Zeitpunkt möglich. Gleichwohl nimmt die Universität den Vorfall sehr ernst und arbeitet kontinuierlich an der weiteren Verbesserung ihrer Sicherheitssysteme. [...]

By becoming first German university to join the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Network, Saarland University is setting an example for inclusion across the nation. This step is a reaffirmation of the university’s commitment to providing targeted support for students, lecturers and staff with invisible disabilities. [...]

The prospect of humans travelling to Mars is attracting considerable attention. Human missions to Mars are often portrayed as an exciting adventure and as an attractive goal that may soon be within reach. Space medicine specialist Bergita Ganse examines the medical realities behind the idea. [...]

On 12 June, Saarland University will open its doors for Open Campus 2026. The latest issue of the university newspaper 'campus extra' offers a preview of the around 200 events and activities covering research, study programmes and teaching. To help visitors prepare for the wide range of activities on offer, 'campus extra' is already available online. On Saturday, 6 June, the university magazine will be included as a supplement in the Saarbrücker Zeitung. [...]

How are digital tools such as ChatGPT changing the study and teaching of history? How can students and lecturers take advantage of these new technologies – and how can they avoid the pitfalls? From 10 to 12 June, experts in history and educational science will explore these questions together with students. [...]

On 5 June, Reinhard Wilhelm, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at Saarland University and Honorary Doctor of the RWTH Aachen University (Germany) and the University of Tartu (Estonia), will celebrate his 80th birthday. [...]

In einer Zeit wachsender geopolitischer Spannungen und globaler Unsicherheiten stellt sich eine zentrale Frage für Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft neu: Wie offen kann und soll Forschung heute noch sein? Die Universität des Saarlandes lädt alle Interessierten ein, am Donnerstag, 11. Juni, ab 18:30 Uhr in der Stadtbibliothek Saarbrücken mit Expertinnen und Experten über dieses Thema zu diskutieren. [...]

Saarland University will be offering around 200 programme events and activities spanning all departments at its 'Open Campus' on Friday 12 June. From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the Saarbrücken campus, the focus will be on research, studying and teaching. Prospective students can find out about Saarland University's extensive range of degree programmes and get to know the campus. Researchers will be opening their laboratories and giving short talks and presentations on current research projects. [...]

Der Verein Charta der Vielfalt bringt seine bundesweite Veranstaltungsreihe „Charta on Tour“ am 3. Juni an die Universität des Saarlandes. Im Rahmen der 5. Diversity Weeks lädt die Universität gemeinsam mit der Charta der Vielfalt Vertreterinnen und Vertreter aus Organisationen und Unternehmen der Region zu einem exklusiven Netzwerkevent in das Innovation Center (Gebäude A2 1) ein. Im Mittelpunkt steht das Thema: „Aus Haltung wird Wirkung: Was nach dem Deutschen Diversity Tag zählt.“ [...]

On 2 June, ‘Technology Day@School’ will reach a milestone – since the series began at the end of 2022, more than 10,000 school students will have taken part in the programme. The programme features science rallys, talks, hands-on workshops and technology exhibitions. Researchers visit schools across Saarland to spark students' interest in technology and engineering. On 2 June, Professor Christoph Kutter, President of the VDE, will also visit the Von der Leyen Gymnasium in Blieskastel. [...]