University:Future Festival
The (digital) future of higher education – the University:Future Festival (U:FF) has been exploring this topic since 2020. With a comprehensive programme of lectures, workshops and discussions, it is the largest and most innovative hybrid event of its kind. The University:Future Festival is a cooperation between Hochschulforum Digitalisierung, Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre and Stifterverband.
As a leading event on digitalisation in studying and teaching, the U:FF offers orientation, networking and inspiration. And it is community-orientated and open to all! In terms of content, the festival covers a wide range of topics relating to AI, architectures, technology, strategy development, skills, didactics and much more. It is aimed at everyone involved in the present and future of academic education: University employees and students; research and politics; civil society and artists.
The fifth edition of the University:Future Festival will take place from 13-15 May 2025.
The motto: /imagine
The festival motto for 2025 is /imagine. It is an invitation to everyone to think fundamentally, creatively, critically and, above all, for themselves in these politically and socially difficult times.
The mottoaddresses all levels of university development: /imagine agile and sustainable university structures! /imagine innovative teaching at all universities! /imagine digitally sovereign and modernly equipped institutions! /imagine a smart and sustainable use of AI in university teaching
With a known image AI, /imagine starts the command to create a new image. By referencing the command line and artificial intelligence, we also place current technical issues at the centre of the festival.
What makes the University:Future Festival special
Size and overview: As the largest event of its kind in the DACH region, U:FF offers a unique overview of futures in tertiary education, making it THE place for inspiration.
Community-based: Our community does not just meet for the annual festival – we work together in a spirit of trust throughout the year. The content and formats of U:FF are largely fed by the diverse communities of Hochschulforum and Stiftung Innovation in der Hochschullehre. Members of the community inspire others and share information about the festival.
Innovative and colourful: U:FF always strives for innovations in content and format. This includes artistic interventions, new and diverse format ideas and a contemporary digital and analogue event experience.
Spaces rethought: U:FF rethinks digital and analogue spaces. It is digital-first-hybrid: digital participants are the most important group of attendees. Everyone can join online with a click. But we are also geographically connected and following the successful pilot in 2023, we offered opportunities for regional exchange at five locations in Germany in 2024.
