Anniversary 2026 Saturday, 25 July 2026
Ceremony and reception at the Old University: The official start of the celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of Heidelberg Alumni International and many other activities are waiting for you.
The programme overview is continuously updated. To make sure you don't miss any additions and changes, please check back from time to time. If you have any questions about the anniversary, please contact us by email: jubilaeum@alumni.uni-heidelberg.de
Please note: Events marked with * have a limited number of participants.
Welcome & Registration
From 10:00 am – Old Town
Registration and welcome at the HAI office
Please come to the HAI office at Marstallstraße 6 for registration and a welcome. There you will receive all the important information regarding the celebrations and you will have the opportunity to clarify all kinds of organisational matters. The HAI office will be open daily during the anniversary celebrations and the HAI team will be on hand to offer advice and assistance. Further useful information can be found in the event app.
30 Years HAI – Impact Heidelberg: Generations in Dialogue
11:00 am-1:30 pm – Old Town
Ceremony in the Great Hall of the Old University followed by a reception
Prof. Dr Frauke Melchior, Rector of Heidelberg University, welcomes guests to the “30 Years HAI” anniversary celebration in the Great Hall of the Old University. In her speech, she will look back on formative events of recent years and link them to an outlook on future developments and upcoming challenges for Heidelberg University.
In a moderated discussion with selected alumni, the impact of the university on their careers, lives, and work will be highlighted, as well as the opportunity to get involved with their alma mater. With the presentation of a current student initiative, you will also gain insights into today's student life and engagement at Heidelberg University. Members of the Collegium Musicum of Heidelberg University will provide the musical accompaniment for the ceremony.
After the ceremony, we look forward to discussions and exchanges at a reception in the rooms of the Old University and, weather permitting, in front of the building on University Square.
HAI Members in Focus
Time TBA – Old Town
Photo shoot at the HAI office
People from all over the world are the driving force and soul of the HAI network. We are delighted and proud to show this: in our publications (alumni magazine, newsletter, flyers, etc.) and on our websites, HAI members of the HAIsociety already present a diverse face. This is as varied and interesting as the community it represents.
Join in and have your photo taken! With a photo in classic HAI style, you will not only receive a wonderful portrait, but also a souvenir of the alumni anniversary.
Time TBA – Old Town
Short video portraits: STEM Careers – Encouraging Outlooks
Did you always know what you wanted to do for a living? Or did you ask yourself after graduating: What can I actually do with my degree? And how did I get to where I am now?
If you have asked yourself these questions and now even have answers to them, then we would like to get to know you.
Share your experiences with us and the next generation of students and show how diverse the paths after a (STEM) degree can be. Our two phänoMINTal! reporters will ask you a few questions about your experiences, your path and your current working life and create a short video portrait that offers the next generation possible perspectives, individual paths and valuable insights.
phänoMINTal!
Time TBA – Location TBA
Discover and try out STEM subjects
Your children don't yet know exactly what they want to do later in life? Perhaps they are about to choose their advanced school courses? Or is graduation approaching and they still don't have any idea what to do next? We have a tip for you: study a STEM subject. STEM is exciting, but also somehow very complicated? As part of the HAI anniversary celebrations, your children can experience exciting phenomena from the world of STEM through small experiments and hands-on activities, and also gain personal insights into studying.
A Floating Cube of Knowledge – The New audiMAX
* 3:00-4:00 PM – Im Neuenheimer Feld
Guided tour of the new audiMAX (GER/EN in parallel)
After a long wait, the time has finally come: Heidelberg University now has its own AudimaX lecture hall! In our HAIlife 2020 issue, we followed the start of construction and are now looking forward to inviting you on a tour of this revolutionary university building. The audiMAX, Heidelberg University's new lecture hall and learning center on the natural and life sciences campus, impresses with its unusual architecture and now houses the university's largest lecture hall. Learn more about the university's “Lernorte” (learning places) project, which is changing habits and creating new spaces for learning, working, and communication.
Educate, Celebrate, Incarcerate? – The Old University and the Student Prison
* 3:00-4:30 PM – Old Town
Guided tour of the “Alte Universität” (Old University) (GER)
Are you familiar with the university? Of course, you studied or conducted research here. But we are sure that we can tell and show you a lot more than just facts and figures. Join us on a journey through the history of the university. This tour combines history and stories spanning over 600 years of university life in the style of “public history.” With a wink, you will visit the Old Auditorium, the University Museum, and the former student prison. Prepare to be surprised!
City and castle in one package
* 3:00-5:00 PM – Old Town
City tour with castle visit
With a tour through the winding alleys of the old town you can get to know the many different faces of Heidelberg - dreamy squares, the oldest university in Germany, the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit). And then it's up to the castle with the funicular railway. In a tour around the inner courtyard and the castle garden you can enjoy the magnificent view, discover the electoral residence ruins and visit the famous giant barrel. We will cover the admission fee for you.
7 minutes. No boredom. Your verdict: Excellent research, served up in an entertaining way.
7:00 pm – Location TBA
Science Slam
Forget dusty lecture halls! Tonight, the stage becomes an arena: Heidelberg scientists swap their laboratories and libraries for the spotlight and convince you how exciting their work really is. The slammers performing reflect the breadth of science in Heidelberg in their contributions. Experience the university's entire research profile in a compact ‘best of’ presentation.
Events organized by departments and institutes
This year, departments and institutes are once again planning to offer activities. These will be added soon.
Overview of the entire programme
A list with all the “30 Years HAI” events can be found here:
