Events

Catalyst GER Kick-off Event

12/03/2026, Essen

Organiser: GUIDE Centre for Start-up and Innopreneurship, University of Duisburg-Essen

How can research in the humanities, social sciences and educational sciences have an impact within society? This question drives the new ‘Catalyst GER’ programme. At this kick-off event you can get insights into programme, learn about exemplary projects and exchange views with other researchers. In a workshop,…

Building Democratic Citizenship: Civic Education, Inequality, and Engagement

04/03/2026, digital

This virtual symposium brings together recent research on youth civic development and civic education, spanning classroom practices, political socialisation, and emerging challenges such as climate change. The contributions explore how young people can be prepared for informed and equitable civic participation in a changing world.

Urban Property Ownership from a Conflict Sociological Perspective

27/02/2026, Essen

This workshop, hosted by the PostdocLab working group ‘Urban Conflicts and Property’, provides a platform for researchers from various disciplines to critically discuss how issues of property ownership are reflected in urban conditions, negotiations and conflicts.

Harnessing the Power of Digital and AI Transformation: Navigating Ethical, Societal, and Legal Challenges

23/02/2026 - 24/02/2026, Essen

This conference focuses on the societal, legal, and ethical challenges posed by AI and data-driven technologies, including data governance and cybersecurity, across different jurisdictions. Speakers will elucidate the roles of governments, corporations, and civil society and assess policy options at national, regional, and international levels. Discussions will explore how to build inclusive and…

Ethnic-Racial Socialisation in Racially / Ethnically Minoritised Families in Europe

04/02/2026 - 05/02/2026, Essen

While research on ethnic-racial socialisation is well-established in the United States, it is still in its infancy in Europe. This workshop brings together researchers from Europe working in this field to discuss the state of research and methodological aspects.

Norms Adherence and United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKOs): The Case of Bangladesh

03/02/2026, Essen

Participation in peacekeeping operations implies engagement with peacekeeping norms including respect for democratic rule, balanced civil-military relations, and gender mainstreaming. At the example of Bangladesh’s involvement over the past five decades, Rashed Uz Zaman discusses to what extent such norms have shaped the country’s armed forces and what this means for the foreign policy of…

Collaboration between Universities and Industry in the Global North and the Global South: Similarities and Differences

28/01/2026, Essen | hybrid

One of the dimensions of the ‘Third Mission’ of academic institutions is collaboration between universities and companies. Based on the examples of Germany and Mozambique, this workshop reflects on and discusses patterns of collaboration in the Global North and the Global South, exploring similarities and differences.

Africa in Great Power Competition: China, the USA, and Global Governance

16/01/2026, Essen

In this lecture, Qingxiu Bu examines Africa’s pivotal role in the evolving great power competition between the USA and China, exploring various aspects such as trade, investment, governance, and technological dynamics. The event is open to policymakers, academics from different disciplines, and practitioners to foster dialogue.

International Cooperation, Inclusion and Democracy in Higher Education in Brazil and Latin America

15/01/2026, Essen

Organiser: UA Ruhr Liaison Office Latin America

What significance does higher education have in Latin America, and Brazil in particular? What challenges does it face? In this lecture, Professor Sandra Regina Goulart Almeida, President of Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (Brazil) and a renowned expert in Brazil’s higher education landscape, will discuss the influence of international…

The Politics of Limits: Sustainability and Democracy in Times of Changing Climates

08/12/2025 - 09/12/2025, Essen

Could freedom and equality in democratic societies be at odds with restricting economic growth for the sake of sustainability? This interdisciplinary conference explores the relationship between republican restrictions of individual freedom and possible economic limitations, and the relationship between democratic justice and economic growth (at the level of both ideas and practices).