Experiment with the boundaries of the classic university

20th and 21st September 2007 in the Kollegiengebäude II

For the classic university, pushing the boundaries is nothing new. The freedom of research and teaching and striving for knowledge beyond all limits are, in the best “Humboldt” sense, ideals towards which the classic university orientates. Today research is increasingly taking place outside the universities, and although networked worldwide they still compete for the best students and teachers. Economy, politics and universities are closely linked, and the on-going scientification of our lifestyle proves that society plays an increasingly important role in the university – and vice versa. This poses the question of what identity a “limitless” university has in today’s world. Who decides what constitutes a university today; how is it defined, and above all what are the connected consequences?
The question of defining rather than pushing boundaries is a central issue in coping with the crisis of the traditional university as described since the middle of the last century. With the Congress on the Future, Freiburg University has left the traditional path and experimented with various “frontiers” in numerous workshops with participants from politics, economics, science and society.

Congress on the Future Website

We thank the partners of the Congress on the Future:

Coordination of content:
Prof. Dr. Heiner Schanz
Institute of Forest and Environmental Policy
Tel.: +49 (0)761 203-3708
Fax: +49 (0)761 203-3729
Email: heiner.schanz(-at-)ifp.uni-freiburg.de