Crowded campus on KU Open Day and Long Night of Science
For Prof. Dr. Jens Hogreve, Vice President for Research, the Open Day is a great opportunity to meet with high school and undergraduate students: "Every year, this is a good opportunity for the University to present ourselves to the public and engage in conversation with our future students." Hogreve was particularly pleased that visitors from all over Germany came to visit us on campus. Some interested people had even traveled from abroad to take advantage of the offerings that students and lecturers had jointly put together for the Open Day. Both in Eichstätt and Ingolstadt, student groups and organizations also presented their projects.
Many prospective students headed directly towards the information booth of their desired course of study. The information desk at the entrance to the Main Building in Eichstätt had inquiries regarding our teaching and social work programs particularly often. Other visitors were still unsure which subject they would choose. The diverse program, which included campus and library tours, was a great way to learn about the KU's diversity. For example, visitors could attend a taster lecture on sustainable management. Others participated in a workshop in the journalism radio studio, created works of art with wire and paper in the workshops of the Art Education department, put their innovative spirit to the test in a Lego serious play challenge, or had a geography scientist introduce them to the basics of soil science in the Kapuzinergarten. For the first time, the Collegium Orientale and the Seminary also participated in the program with guided tours of their premises.
Many visitors already came to campus with a specific study program in mind – often these were programs that are rarely offered or not offered at all in this form at other higher education institutions and universities, for example in Latin American Studies or programs such as "Flight, Migration, Society" or "Community Music". The international degree programs offered by the KU together with partner universities abroad, such as the program in German and French Political Science or the German-Finnish Master's program "Intercultural Advertising" – but also newly created degree programs such as "Data Science" or "Business and Psychology" – attracted particular interest.
At a KU wheel of fortune, visitors could not only win prizes, but also give their feedback on how they experienced the KU during the Open Day. "I immediately felt comfortable and at home here", said Ira Vidacak, for example. She particularly liked the friendly open atmosphere. "I also like that the University is not very big – you get an overview of the buildings and campus very quickly."
The KU had already opened its campus in Ingolstadt to visitors on Friday evening as part of the Long Night of Businesses and Science. Hundreds of visitors participated in experiments, lectures and business games around the topics of artificial intelligence, sustainable development and business and economics. The Science Gallery in the city center also participated in the program of the event organized by the Initiative Regionalmanagement Region Ingolstadt e.V. (IRMA).
