Anniversary 2026 Thursday, 23 July 2026
Join us as we start the anniversary weekend and discover the first exciting activities!
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 12:00 pm – 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.
German in 120 Minutes
1:00-3:00 PM – Old Town
Workshop German as a Foreign Language
Is your German a little rusty? No problem! In this 120-minute power workshop, we will reactivate your language skills. We will focus on what you really need on site to optimise your stay in Heidelberg in terms of language. No dry grammar, but maximum practical relevance and lots of fun. After these two hours, you will take Heidelberg by storm (once again). Then you will be ready for Käsespätzle, culture and good conversation.
From Ancient Manuscripts to New Media – The University Library from A to Z
* 3:00-4:30 PM – Old town
Guided tour of Heidelberg's University Library (GER)
The façade of the university library, built in 1905, shines in all its glory following its recent renovation. During this tour, you will learn interesting facts about the work of the university library, its historical collections, and the university's modern learning spaces. Selected treasures can be admired in facsimile form in the manuscript reading room.
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)
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 touch of humour, we will visit the Old Auditorium, the University Museum and the former student prison. Let yourself be surprised!
From Clinics to Cultures – The New Bergheim Campus
* 5:00-6:30 PM – BERGHEIM
Students guide visitors around the new Bergheim campus (GER)
Want to get a taste of current university life? Would you like to experience something new or different about the university and today's student life first-hand? In a 1.5-hour campus tour, you will get to know the relatively new Bergheim campus. You will explore university buildings, experience the atmosphere on campus and get to know the hot spots for students. A tour led by current students exclusively for former students.
From the Negev Desert to Heidelberg – A Life of (Hi)story
7:00-9:00 pm – Old Town
Lecture, reading and discussion with Heidelberg author Salim Alafenisch
Storyteller, son of a Bedouin sheikh and camel herder as a child – the Heidelberg author Salim Alafenisch does not just have perfect command of oriental storytelling, but also a multifaceted and exciting life story himself. Born in the Negev desert, the now 77-year-old came to Heidelberg on September 1st 1973 after completing his A-levels and a stay in London. He attended a German class at what is now part of the university’s International Language Center (ISZ) and went on to study ethnology, sociology and psychology. Tonight, he will talk to us about his fascinating life, give us a taste of the art of his storytelling and answer hearer’s questions.
Overview of the entire programme
A list with all the “30 Years HAI” events can be found here:
