On December 6, a ceremony was held to celebrate “25 Years of the Department of Social Work/Faculty of Social Sciences.”

Over the past 25 years, the faculty has grown and expanded from its original Social Work degree programme to include five additional degree programmes, three of which are Bachelor degree programmes and two are Master's degree programmes. The program offerings now include the bachelor’s programs in Social Work, childhood education, Special Needs Education/Inclusion Studies, communication psychology, and the Master's degree programme in management of social change; and the Master's degree programme in Social Gerontology.

With its holistic educational model, the faculty is in a good position for the future. Its strong practical focus forms the foundation for teaching and research.

The celebration program included welcoming remarks and a keynote address in the lecture hall of the Hermann-Heitkamp Building, a musical reception in the auditorium, and a culinary finale in Görlitz’s Old Town.

Welcoming remarks were delivered by, among others, Prof. Dr. phil. Friedrich Albrecht, Rector of the university; Dr. Petra Zimmermann, Head of the Department of Youth, Schools, Sports, and Social Affairs for the City of Görlitz; and Prof. Dr. oec. habil. Gisela Thiele, Dean of the faculty from 2009 to 2015. The event was moderated by the Dean, Prof. Dr. Andreas Hoff.

The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Dr. phil. Joachim Schulze. In it, he vividly explored the faculty’s roots and the necessity of teaching and research in the Social Sciences. In his lecture, he evoked memories of the founding period at the “Hagspihl” villa at Goethestraße 5 and of the days of the “Bauhütte” during the construction of the current faculty building.

The reception in the auditorium was festively accompanied on the piano by the young musician Latschesar Neykov. A faculty quiz and older film clips from teaching and University marketing provided excitement, joy, and plenty of smiles.

The celebration concluded with a cozy get-together at a historic restaurant in Görlitz’s Old Town.

Text: Steffen Zücker