The university and the Universitätsgesellschaft Oldenburg celebrated their New Year’s reception at the Oldenburg State Theatre with a special programme.
“2025 was the University of Oldenburg’s most successful academic year to date: the success in the Excellence Strategy stands for cutting-edge research at the highest level, while the targeted expansion of medical study places stands for social responsibility and securing skilled labour. With a clear profile, strategic foresight and strong networking, the university impresses in research, teaching and transfer. In 2026, the focus will also be consistently on the future: with the ‘Northwest Alliance’, the universities of Oldenburg and Bremen are pooling their strengths to further develop the Northwest into a strong science region in which cutting-edge research, excellent teaching and dynamic transfer to business and society go hand in hand.” With these words, Lower Saxony’s Minister for Science and Culture, Falko Mohrs, welcomed around 500 guests to the New Year’s reception organised by the University and the Universitätsgesellschaft Oldenburg (UGO).
The New Year’s reception has brought the university and the region together at the Oldenburg State Theatre every year since 1995. The varied programme featured music from the brass quintet of the Oldenburg State Orchestra, short speeches and talks with special guests as well as a science slam. The highlight of the evening was the excerpt from the ballet “Romeo and Juliet”, choreographed by Antoine Jully. The guests experienced a ballet score composed by Sergei Prokofiev, performed by the Oldenburg State Orchestra under the direction of Eric Staiger.
The guests on stage included Lower Saxony’s Minister for Science and Culture and Oldenburg’s Lord Mayor Jürgen Krogmann, who described the university as a “powerful engine for the city’s development”. “This engine is running at ever higher speed. It ensures top performance at the highest level and nationally and internationally recognisable appeal. The city benefits enormously from this in terms of its attractiveness for young people, skilled workers and start-ups. The fact that all three Oldenburg clusters of excellence in hearing research, animal navigation research and, together with the University of Bremen, marine research were approved last year fills us as a city with pride. We wholeheartedly support Oldenburg and Bremen’s joint application as a University of Excellence,” emphasised Krogmann.
On stage, University President Prof Dr Ralph Bruder and the Rector of the University of Bremen, Prof Dr Jutta Günther, gave an insight into the ambitious goals of the two universities: “In November, we submitted our joint application for excellence entitled “Northwest Alliance: Connecting for Tomorrow”. Our vision: We want to develop the Northwest into a vibrant science region, create ideal conditions for future-oriented cutting-edge research and teaching and redefine the relationship between university and society,” explained Bruder. Rector Jutta Günther added: “With excellent research and the assumption of social responsibility, we are making a contribution to solving the numerous global challenges. In a world in upheaval, we are focussing on cohesion and networking – in the northwest and with our partners worldwide. ‘Connecting for Tomorrow’ is both a daily task and a mission for us.”
Nils Prior, a young scientist at the University of Oldenburg, then gave a very special and humorous impression of cutting-edge research. He presented the four clusters of excellence at the universities of Oldenburg and Bremen in a science slam.
The traditional “chat afterwards” brought the New Year’s reception to a close at a late hour. As in previous years, guests supported the “Deutschlandstipendium” programme, which supports particularly talented and committed students, with the purchase of their admission ticket.