Gregor Gysi at Opening Week 2025: Cooperation in times of uncertainty
2025-09-30 Lüneburg. Gregor Gysi is visiting Leuphana University Lüneburg. He will conclude the 2025 Start Week with a look at the possibilities of political cooperation. Start Week, the traditional kick-off to the winter semester, is all about ‘cooperation’ this time around. From 1 to 10 October, around 1,600 first-year students are invited to explore cooperation as a creative, political and deeply human force.
In 90 project groups, students explore the question of how to act together, share knowledge and shape the future in times of uncertainty. The focus is on four topics: the origins of cooperation, the social shaping of innovation and artificial intelligence, science as a cooperative process of knowledge, and the question of what difference cooperation can make across borders and communities.
As always, the project work will be accompanied by high-profile panel discussions in the Libeskind Auditorium. The opening speaker will be technology researcher Armin Grunwald, who advises the German Bundestag on issues including artificial intelligence. Other guests include science historian Kärin Nickelsen, cooperation and security researcher Mona Saleh, research director of the Munich Security Conference Tobias Bunde, developmental psychologist and primatologist Amanda Seed, and physician and philosopher Michael Hagner. A special performance awaits the students when artist Daniel Simu brings along his dance partner Acrobot – a self-built robot.
The director of Leuphana College, Michaela Wieandt, emphasises the importance of the orientation week: "From day one, students experience the university as a place where joint thinking, research and action are possible – across disciplinary boundaries, generations and cultures.
Note to editors
Wednesday, 1 October, 10:15 a.m. – Opening ceremony in the Libeskind Auditorium at Leuphana University Lüneburg
We would be delighted if you would report on Start Week 2025. If you require further material or would like to arrange interviews with participants, please let us know.
Further information about the event is available at: www.leuphana.de/startwoche
The complete programme is available in English here:
https://www.leuphana.de/openingweek
Contact
Leuphana University Lüneburg
Universitätsallee 1
21335 Lüneburg
04131.677-2000
openingweek@leuphana.de
www.leuphana.de/startwoche