About 5,000 visitors attended the second “Science Night” in Dortmund on Friday, September 25. Right in the thick of it was Fachhochschule Dortmund, which made its presence felt with interactive stations, immersive experiences, and scientific expertise.
From the opening at 4:00 p.m. until the program ended at midnight, the Dortmunder U was transformed into a massive research lab where visitors could experiment and get involved. To kick things off in the Brauturm of the Dortmunder U, Prof. Dr. Tamara Appel, president of the Fachhochschule Dortmund, welcomed the crowd. She also took part in the interactive family quiz.
At around 50 stations and during numerous events, children, teenagers, and adults were then able to experiment, tinker, discuss, and experience science from a wide variety of perspectives. “The tremendous response shows just how enthusiastic the people of Dortmund are about science,” emphasized Angela Märtin, the City of Dortmund’s Commissioner for Higher Education and Science.
A Strong University of Applied Sciences Program on Every Floor
Fachhochschule Dortmund was represented on nearly every floor of the U building by its faculties of Design and Computer Science, as well as the Women’s Project Lab and the storyLab kiU.
- University Floors: The experiment “AI Avatar or Professor—Who Would You Rather Learn From?” invited visitors to make a direct comparison. How well can AI-generated avatars convey knowledge, or do real professors perform significantly better? Several workshops and video screenings explored this question. At the same time, the storyLab kiU at the Fachhochschule Dortmund offered a behind-the-scenes look at the immersive 3D experience space that the university has installed in the foyer of the U-Tower.
- 3D Worlds in the Foyer: Together with the Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences (ISAS e.V.), the storyLab kiU took visitors on a visually spectacular journey into the human body. In the immersive space, visitors could experience new perspectives on the immune system.
- Inspiring the Next Generation of STEM Students (UZWEI): In UZWEI’s Maker Space, the Women’s Project Lab at Fachhochschule Dortmund sparked great enthusiasm among children and teens at its own soldering station.
- An eye-catcher in front of the U: Even on the forecourt, die Fachhochschule Dortmund made a statement that couldn’t be missed: the university’s orange Citroën HY served as a meeting and information point.
A strong signal for the research community
Whether it was live gaming, robot programming, AI panels, or the hands-on activities organized by the University of Applied Sciences: Science Night 2026 demonstrated how research can inspire. There were also numerous activities for adults. The lineup ranged from a guitar concert to panel discussions on artificial intelligence and a social science walking tour through the Nordstadt neighborhood, all the way to the comedy show “Reading for Beer.” At the Science Slam, researchers presented their topics on stage in an entertaining way, followed by a pub quiz where everyone puzzled over the questions together.
A special focus was placed on the question of how artificial intelligence is changing health, society, and art. In doing so, Science Night also addressed current issues that extend far beyond universities and research institutions.
50 partners brought science to life
Science Night was organized by approximately 50 partners from the Dortmund Science Master Plan network. Universities, research institutions, cultural organizations, municipal agencies, and other partners collaborated to design the program. The event was coordinated by the City of Dortmund’s Office for Higher Education and Science.
Science Night is an initiative of the Science Master Plan 2.0 and is supported by the Dortmund Foundation. The next Dortmund Science Night will take place in two years.