Through knowledge and technology transfer oriented toward the common good – for example in formats such as real-world laboratories and citizen dialogues – the University of Stuttgart embraces its social responsibility and offers the public a wide range of opportunities to engage. Whether it is taster courses for pupils, continuing education courses, part-time studies, interesting lecture series or guest student programmes – everyone is welcome.
Knowledge transfer between society and the University
Clubs and groups can work with the Career Service to improve equal opportunities and promote measures relating to career guidance, access to the job market and careers. Possible examples include joint projects, lecture series or practical formats for students or individual groups with a social focus.
Guest Auditor Studies at the University of Stuttgart are very popular in the city and region. Each semester, up to 1,100 interested people participate in the numerous lectures, lecture series, seminars and workshops. Regardless of origin, age, education and profession, anyone can study as a guest auditor and continue their interdisciplinary education in the spirit of lifelong learning. Traditionally, many pensioners take advantage of this opportunity, but also an increasing number of working people, high school graduates and students from other universities. There is no pre-structured course of study, specific modules or similar; guest students put together their own individual programme of events based on their interests.
The wide range of taster courses for pupils is brought together at the University of Stuttgart's Pupil Research Campus. Four-year-olds can conduct their first scientific experiments at Science Day, primary school pupils can listen to a real lecture at the Children's University, and young people can enjoy exciting activities at Roborace, Fehling Lab or Mathematics Day.
Further institutions for knowledge transfer at the University of Stuttgart
The International Center for Cultural and Technological Studies (IZKT) is a central knowledge transfer structure in which the University of Stuttgart is visible as a socially responsible player and initiator of relevant debates and transformations. Since 2002, the IZKT has been researching the interaction between technological and social developments, as well as communicating and transferring the findings to the public. As a forum for interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary exchange, external scientific communication, dialog with the public, and the collaboration with research and teaching projects, it enables knowledge transfer that is oriented towards the common good and systematically combines research, teaching, and participation.
The Center for Interdisciplinary Risk and Innovation Studies at the University of Stuttgart (ZIRIUS) is a central scientific institution and a cross-departmental research center. Across the disciplines and in cooperation with partners from science, business, politics, and the public, ZIRIUS investigates the requirements, framework conditions, opportunities, and risks of socio-technical transformation processes.
By establishing the “Interchange Forum for Reflecting on Intelligent Systems (IRIS)”, the University of Stuttgart assumes further responsibility as an active player in society. As a forum for interdisciplinary exchange and transdisciplinary reflection, IRIS provides starting points for the fusion of visionary technologies and new social challenges.
The team at the Stuttgarter Change Labs supports student projects and initiatives that are committed to the sustainable education and development of the university and society. Students assume social responsibility in their projects and are engaged in society. They learn to apply their specialist and interdisciplinary knowledge in projects. Connecting theory and practice at an early stage keeps them motivated in their studies.
The Stuttgarter Change Labs are a cross-faculty project, with the Vice Rector for Teaching and Continuing Education, Prof. Hansgeorg Binz, as the responsible member of the university management and Prof. Markus Allmann from Faculty 1 as the project manager. The project is supported by the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts of Baden-Württemberg under the funding program “Successful Study in Baden-Württemberg: Learning and Teaching Labs”.
The Coordination Office of Scientific Further Education (KWW) at the Center for Higher Education and Life-Long Learning acts as the link between bearers of knowledge at the university and interest groups from business, industry, management, and society.
As an interface between research, teaching, business, and industry, KWW offers its participants from various business areas and professions a dialog platform where they can discuss ideas from both inside and outside the university - very much in the spirit of life-long learning.
Real-world laboratories are a program launched by the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg that has researchers enter into real-world change processes as their experimental field. For example, in real-world laboratories they give advice and support to urban renewal or the introduction of new mobility and energy systems. In so doing, they involve practitioners from communes, social and environmental organizations or businesses and ordinary citizens in the research process. In an open-ended process knowledge is created that is intended to make a practical impact.
- Research and teaching in Real-World Laboratories, platform for research & open science
Current Projects
- Campus hoch i [de]
- MobiLab
- Klima-RT-LAB, climate-neutral heat supply for the city of Reutlingen
- Real-world laboratory GWP, industrial heat pumps in heating systems
Completed Projects
What's happening today at the University of Stuttgart? Which dates should you save?
In this calendar, you will find all public events on a wide range of topics.
Contact
Hanna Dewes
Communication & Public Relations