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THE RECTOR’S SPEECHLooking to the 2020/2021 academic year

6 November 2020

The Rector’s speech – the traditional curtain-raiser to the annual ceremony – available as a video recording on heiONLINE

Prof. Dr Bernhard Eitel, Rector of Heidelberg University, looks back at the challenges of the past months and looks to the future with the 2020/2021 academic year. His speech, which traditionally opens the annual ceremony taking place in October, has been recorded and is also accessible as a video recording on heiONLINE, the central Ruperto Carola portal with lectures, discussions and events in digital formats.

Traditionally the annual ceremony brings together members of the university, friends, patrons and alumni in the auditorium of the Old University. Together they mark the anniversary of the university’s foundation, which in 2020 is the 634th since the university was founded by Elector Ruprecht in 1386. The celebration – which also includes tributes to those who have shown extraordinary commitment to the university in promoting the sciences and humanities and a presentation of awards to outstanding young researchers – has had to be cancelled this year to comply with legal provisions during the coronavirus pandemic.