Open University 2025: Research you can touch, campus you can experience

Visitors to the University of Siegen's "Open University 2025" event on Schlossplatz at the Lower Castle Campus were able to immerse themselves in various topics at more than 50 stands - hands-on and interactive. They experimented for themselves, exchanged ideas with researchers, looked into virtual worlds and found out about degree programs. Many young and old guests took the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes.

The "Ready to Study" information fair was once again a central component of this year's event: In personal discussions and information events, prospective students were able to find out about degree courses, application procedures and stays abroad. This year, for the first time, there was not only a Bachelor's but also a Master's fair. "We have many great study programs at the University of Siegen as well as a very good supervisory relationship between students and lecturers. In addition, the affordable rents in Siegen and the surrounding area are a great advantage," said Rector Prof. Dr. Stefanie Reese in her welcoming address to the event. "From the city's point of view, the university in the middle of the city is an absolute asset," said Siegen's deputy mayor Angela Jung during the talk on stage "Vacancies and old buildings are being used. The students are bringing new life to the upper town and the gastronomy is developing very well. We want to continue to move Siegen forward together."

The Schlossplatz had been transformed into a small tent city. The themes of the stands ranged from science and technology to history and culture. At the particle physics stand, visitors were able to talk to the professors who had been awarded the contract for the multi-million euro "Color meets Flavor" Cluster of Excellence just days before. Those who successfully completed the STEM rally at eight different stations could, with a bit of luck, win one of four top-class prizes. At university sports, you could compete in the basketball competition. The university's s3racing team was on site with its formula racing car. Culinary science was on offer at the Solid State Physics stand. There, researchers produced raspberry ice cream in -196 degree cold nitrogen. At the stand of the new INCYTE research building, guests took selfies in cleanroom suits. The Phänomenta from Lüdenscheid was there as an external partner.

Social issues were not neglected either: at one stand, visitors were able to trace which construction projects of the "Third Reich" shaped Siegen in the past and have now disappeared from the cityscape. Those interested could also immerse themselves virtually in sacred spaces with VR glasses - for example in a synagogue, a Buddhist temple and an Orthodox church.

Science meets YouTube

There was also a large crowd in the Friedrich Schadeberg lecture hall when YouTuber and Terra X presenter Mirko Drotschmann (MrWissen2go) spoke about "Fake news - a threat to democracy?". His lecture was an absolute highlight of the Open University. Invited by the House of Science, he used practical examples to explain how to expose false reports. "It's a bit like detective work," said Drotschmann, who presented his source research and Google reverse search to the audience. Fake news, he explained, is not a new invention - it has been with us since time immemorial. Afterwards, he answered numerous questions from the audience, signed autographs and took selfies.

The university library also opened its doors: with guided tours and an escape game based around "The Secret of the Library", bookshelves became an adventure. Culinary highlights awaited in the FoodCourt of the Studierendenwerk. A colorful program provided entertainment on the stage - including live music, a hands-on course from the university sports department and a K-Pop dance group.