50 years of Fulda University of Applied Sciences : Looking back on the anniversary year 2024

The beginnings in the founding year of 1974 were rather modest. Just 750 students were enrolled at the university of applied sciences at the time. 50 years later, there are almost 9,000 young people studying on around 60 study programmes in eight departments at Fulda University of Applied Sciences. The number of employees has risen to over 850. As a result, Fulda University of Applied Sciences has also become an important employer in the region.

Fulda University of Applied Sciences celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024 with numerous courses spread across the entire anniversary year. The highlights were the ceremony with Minister President Boris Rhein in June and the open day for the public in November.
On this page, you can look back at all the dates.

• 01 January:University in a new guise
• 22 January:Press conference on the anniversary year
• 13 and 14 March:DHIK network meeting
• 02 and 03 May:"Innovative together" conference
• 04 May:Rhönenergie Challenge Run
• 13 and 14 May:University Rectors' Conference
• 16 May:Start of the Wandelbar Talks
• 05 June:University Sports anniversary convention
• 12 June:Ceremony on the occasion of the 50th anniversary
• 12 June:Jubilade and anniversary spices
• 03 July:Building Bridges: Women in Academic Research
• 01 August:Domplatz concert: Paul Kalkbrenner
• 09 to 11 September:DELFI conference
• 30 September and 01 October:E³UDRES² General Assembly
• 02 November:Open Day
• 02 November:Alumni meeting in the anniversary year
• 23 and 24 April 2025:Classical spring concerts

50 years - you wouldn't know it from looking at Fulda University of Applied Sciences. The new corporate design was developed as part of the anniversary celebrations and will be used from the start of the anniversary year. During the development of the corporate design, particular emphasis was placed on barrier-free accessibility and sustainability. The Fulda University of Applied Sciences thus presents itself as modern, accessible and focussed on the essentials.

In addition to the corporate design, the website of the university and the University, State and Public Library was also given a visual and functional overhaul. A first look at the new design in the web area was available from January 2024: A microsite for the 50th anniversary accompanied the anniversary year and showed important events from the university's fifty-year history.

The new website for the university and the University, State and Public Library went online with a contemporary look and improved user-friendliness for the ceremony in June 2024.

Half a century of teaching, research and practice: Fulda University of Applied Sciences celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. The Presidential Board of Fulda University of Applied Sciences heralded the anniversary year with various activities and courses throughout the year at a press conference.

University President Prof Dr Khakzar, who has been in office since 2008, gave a positive assessment at the press conference: "We can be proud of these 50 years, of what we have achieved together. Fulda University of Applied Sciences has repeatedly done pioneering work in the German higher education system, including with the introduction of innovative study programmes such as midwifery, dietetics, physiotherapy, social law or international business and management and with innovative formats, for example in the field of blended learning. With our own profile, which is characterised by the topics of quality of life and health, we have made a name for ourselves nationwide."

There was also a birthday cake to mark the start of the anniversary year, which University President Karim Khakzar cut.

The German University Consortium for International Cooperation (DHIK) celebrated its 20th anniversary at Fulda University of Applied Sciences. The network supports the exchange of students and the establishment of internationally recognised double degrees with universities in China, India and Mexico. Fulda University of Applied Sciences has been a member since 2019.
More than 100 international and national guests from the fields of higher education, politics and business celebrated at the ceremony in Hall 8 and the gala dinner that followed.

Membership of the consortium enables students from the cooperating universities to complete double degrees and complete semesters abroad, summer schools or internships. In addition to subject-specific training, the program teaches students language skills, communication skills and intercultural competence.

"Innovative together" - this was the motto of the two-day transfer conference of the projects funded by the Foundation Innovation in University Teaching (StIL) at Fulda University of Applied Sciences at the beginning of May. The main topics were innovation, networking, knowledge transfer and sustainability.

The conference was organised by the GO-IN (Gemeinsam Online-Formate weiterentwickeln - innovativ und nachhaltig) project together with the H³ (HyFlex, HighTech & HighTouch) project and the "Freiraum" projects ImPuls and Invent2Innovate at Fulda University of Applied Sciences.

In short impulses and longer interactive phases, the participants were able to find out about the results and findings of the projects, exchange ideas with the project staff and reflect on the transferability of the results to their own institution.

During a joint tour of the campus, participants also had the opportunity to take a look at selected rooms at Fulda University of Applied Sciences that are used for digitally supported teaching - including the hybrid laboratory of the Department of Food Technology and the TV studio of the Department of Applied Computer Science.

At the Rhönenergie Challenge on 4 May, the Fulda University of Applied Sciences team was bigger than ever before: 588 registrations were received from students and employees who wanted to set off on the approximately seven-kilometre route across Fulda.

To mark the anniversary year, University Sports - as the organiser of the university's own team - had set the goal of having more than 500 runners at the start for the first time. And the re-enrolment was enormous, so that the previous record of 444 participants from 2013 was clearly exceeded.

In the "overall performance" category, Fulda University of Applied Sciences also took third place with 4,694 kilometres. In addition to the in-person run, there was a virtual Rhönenergie Challenge, in which team members could run or "walk" kilometres in advance until 1 May.

To mark the 50th anniversary of Fulda University of Applied Sciences, representatives of the 271 member universities of the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) came together for their annual meeting and other committee meetings in Fulda. For the first time, this conference was held at a university of applied sciences, and for the first time in Fulda.

The (HRK) is the voluntary association of state and state-approved universities in Germany. Around 90 per cent of all students in Germany are matriculated at its member universities. This makes the German Rectors' Conference the voice of the universities vis-à-vis politicians and the public and the central forum for the joint formation of opinion and will in the higher education system. The HRK deals with all topics relating to the role and tasks of universities in research and society.

The meeting in Fulda centred on the panel discussion "Principiis obsta? - Dealing with illiberal tendencies inside and outside universities" in the Fürstensaal of the City Palace. Democracy, the rule of law and the protection of academic freedom are essential conditions for the success of research and the higher education system in Germany. The debate focussed on where universities see themselves challenged by illiberal developments, populism and extremism and what scope for action passes.

With "Wandelbar: Topics of our time", the Centre for Continuing University Education (ZWW) presented a new open series of events together with the adult education centre of the city of Fulda in its anniversary year. The focus was on the big questions and challenges for a world worth living in tomorrow. The philosopher and futurologist Christian Uhle kicked things off with a committed plea for courageous steps into an uncertain future.

"Wandelbar" took place at various locations in the city of Fulda. It creates spaces for encounters and exchanges and encourages people to learn and think ahead. As a result, we explored and tasted the ingredients for sustainable nutrition in dialogue with guests from the Fulda University of Applied Sciences and civil society in the Wir-Garten Fulda. The promises and challenges of artificial intelligence were the focus of a "pub talk" at the end of the series in 2024.

Two halls and six hours of training: the anniversary sports convention invited students, employees and interested parties to explore the University Sports programme through a selection of workshops from 3 pm to 9 pm.

Because the University Sports programme offers a wide range of activities. And anyone who wanted to find out what exactly is behind titles such as "Fit & Strong", "Coordinative Fitness", "Goalball" or "Park Pong" could do so in 30-minute workshops at the innovative sports event.

Of course, there was also a special feature of the anniversary convention: the event kicked off with a unique warm-up programme that celebrated the university's 50-year history in the form of movement.

Nicolai Kram, deputy head of division at University Sports, was delighted with the positive response - more than 60 people had registered. He emphasised: "The convention not only supports the community, but also the motivation for physical activity and the well-being of everyone involved."

50 years of eventful history, a lot of pioneering work, excellence in research and teaching as well as strong growth: University President Prof Dr Karim Khakzar welcomed around 800 guests, including Hesse's Minister President Boris Rhein, Hesse's Science Minister Timon Gremmels, State Secretary Christoph Degen, Fulda's Lord Mayor Dr Heiko Wingenfeld and the Chair of the University Council and President of TH Köln, Prof Dr Sylvia Heuchemer, to an official ceremony to mark the anniversary in mid-June in the modern canteen building on campus.

The president of Fulda University of Applied Sciences looked back on the proud development of the educational institution, which has developed "from a university of applied sciences limited to teaching in the 1970s to one of the strongest research universities for applied sciences in Germany" within half a century.
Fee Weidmann, First Chair of the General Student Committee (AStA), spoke on behalf of the students.

The project trio "50 years later" provided the musical accompaniment to the ceremony - a special intermezzo, as double bassist Gerhard Klink had already performed on stage with the university band at the founding ceremony of Fulda University of Applied Sciences in the Fulda Stadtsaal in 1974.

Bio Campus Cajun and Bio Campus Cocoa - these are the names of two organic spice blends that were specially created by students to mark the 50th anniversary of the Fulda University of Applied Sciences. They symbolise the diversity and international spirit of the university, but also its close links with the region and its enterprises. The two anniversary blends were created as a cooperation project between the Department of Nutritional, Food and Consumer Sciences (Oe) and the Fulda-based enterprise Fehrmanns Gewürzkontor and are available in stores and in the university shop.

Louisa Page, a member of staff at the Department of Oe at Fulda University of Applied Sciences, and Patricia Fehrmann from Fehrmanns Gewürzkontor agree: "It was great to develop products with students that then go on sale." Both women played a key role in ensuring that Fulda University of Applied Sciences was able to celebrate its 50th anniversary with its own flavours: Bio Campus Cajun brings out the colourful culinary flavours of the US southern states, and Bio Campus Cocoa conjures up an exotic, sweet grade.

In addition to the spices, the students also created their own jubilee lemonade ("Jubilade"). This Jubilade, which was produced with regional partners Hannheinehof and Elm, was available to drink at various courses at the university. However, Jubilade is not commercially available.

Fulda University of Applied Sciences can look back on a very successful equal opportunities policy. Building on these successes, we want to use this conference to open up an interdisciplinary university policy discussion on the future direction of the gender equality agenda at Fulda University of Applied Sciences and create a space for exchange, creativity and solidarity.

We will do this by critically reflecting on university cultural traditions such as the exclusion mechanisms that still exist in the academic system, by exchanging ideas with experts from the field of research, by engaging in an authentic dialogue of solidarity and by thinking about how to permanently anchor innovative visibility mechanisms for women in academia.

We also see this conference as an ongoing democratic project that not only discusses contemporary issues relevant to gender equality with its programme, but also points to the future of Fulda University of Applied Sciences and its important role as an actor for gender equality issues through its innovative setting of future workshops.

The university came up with a special anniversary highlight for its students at the beginning of August: As part of the annual Fulda Cathedral Square Concerts, it acted as a co-operation partner for the concert by electro producer and DJ Paul Kalkbrenner.
This meant that 1000 concert tickets could be purchased at a discounted price by Fulda University of Applied Sciences students via the university shop. The offer was extremely well received.
And on the evening of the concert, the atmosphere was already exuberant at the entrance and a lot of anticipation could be felt among the 10,000 visitors. After the warm-up with Tony Heart, Kalkbrenner really got the crowd going. He performed for two hours and the crowd danced to the electro beats.

The 22nd conference on educational technologies organised by the Gesellschaft für Informatik (GI) took place on the campus of Fulda University of Applied Sciences. Under the motto "Open education: Shaping the future through technology, transparency and traceability", 150 participants gathered to exchange views on current developments in the areas of artificial intelligence in the education system, open research data, learning analytics and VR/AR learning environments.

In addition to the 55 technical contributions, the highlights included the two invited keynotes on the use of 'rich and big data' in programming education by Dr Hieke Keuning (Utrecht University) and the overview of challenges and solutions for the use of open research data by Dr Daniel Schiffner (Goethe University Frankfurt). The poster and demo session in the style of an exhibition in Hall 8 also met with great interest and offered a platform for intensive discussions and impulses.

Thanks to the organisational team around the General Chair, Prof. Dr Johannes Konert from the Department of Applied Computer Sciences, the conference was a complete success for Fulda University of Applied Sciences as a research site.

Fulda University of Applied Sciences has been a full member of the European University Alliance E³UDRES² ("Engaged and Entrepreneurial European University as Driver for European Smart and Sustainable Regions") since October 2023. More than 100 members from all 9 partner universities met for the first time in Fulda for the alliance's second general assembly.
The universities are located in small and medium-sized towns outside the large metropolitan regions, as the aim of the alliance is to network rural regions and support their long-term development.

The participants spent two days exchanging ideas on joint initiatives in the areas of teaching, research and transfer. University President Prof. Dr Karim Khakzar drew a positive interim balance: "Last year, a total of 137 students were able to strengthen the transfer between the nine cooperation partners as part of an exchange programme, 16 of them from Fulda."

As a symbol of the growing community and the solidarity of the cooperation partners with their joint European university alliance, a cherry tree was planted on the campus of Fulda University of Applied Sciences, which will blossom in the cooperation colour pink.

With an "open day", the university offered interested members of the public a unique opportunity to get to know the campus and the departments in all their facets. Hundreds of visitors came in sunny autumn weather and enthusiastically took advantage of the more than 130 offers in the varied program: exciting demonstrations, project presentations, short lectures, insights into laboratories, hands-on activities for children and young people or tours of the campus.

The cafeteria also took part with culinary offers, and there were also several stalls selling delicacies from regional suppliers. The musical entertainment was provided by "Chris & me + Stefan Jehn" with handmade live music.

The university organised its first general alumni reunion at the same time as the open day. During the day, in addition to the public program, former students had their own meetings and courses in their respective departments, where they were able to discover many new things due to the numerous structural changes on campus and further developments in the study programmes. The Central University Administration meeting began at 7 p.m. with a welcome from University President Prof. Dr Karim Khakzar and time for networking. And from 8.30 pm, the revival party started in Hall 8 under the motto "Back to Campus: the Night of the Profs with Marc & Sascha". Almost 900 alumni responded to the call and came to the get-together. Almost 700 former students partied late into the night in Hall 8. Of course, there was also the university's own Jubilade, developed by Master's students from the Nutritional, Food and Consumer Sciences department.

"We didn't expect such a great response and are very happy about it," emphasised Svenja Dietz, coordinator for courses at Fulda University of Applied Sciences. She regretted that she was unable to admit everyone interested to the revival party and added: "We could have admitted significantly more people than is possible in Hall 8."

Concertgoers experienced two unforgettable evenings on the campus of Fulda University of Applied Sciences. For the first time, two prizewinners of the PIANALE International Academy & Competition were guests on campus for a spring concert. Julius Egensperger and Milda Daunoraite told the success stories of their budding and ongoing careers and wowed the audience with their skills.

Julius Egensperger from Munich was celebrated as the youngest PIANALE Audience Award winner in 2021. He is now 18 years old and is studying in his second semester at the Hochschule für Musik in Hamburg. Lithuanian Milda Daunoraite is now 24 years old. She won the PIANALE jury prize in 2016 at the age of 15 and has been one of Lithuania's most promising young pianists ever since.

The two talented pianists played works by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Chopin and Ginastera.