Opening of the Science Year 2025/2026
"The future under tension: energy, AI and us in the city of tomorrow"
| Begin |
22. October 2025 -
16:30 |
| End | 22. October 2025 - 20:30 |
| City | In Building G I, large lecture hall, Görlitz Campus |
What happens when energy, artificial intelligence and our changing region come together?
With this central question, we will kick off the new Year of Science at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences on October 22, 2025, at the Bluebox Görlitz.
Under the title “The Future Under Tension: Energy, AI, and Us in the City of Tomorrow,” we’ll explore tensions that extend far beyond energy technology: Where do new opportunities arise, where do conflicts emerge, and what does this mean for our cities and region?
We cordially invite you to join us in discussing the “Future Under Tension” in the context of research, innovation, and urban development.
Program at a glance
Please note that the program is updated on an ongoing basis. Please check back regularly.
European-funded cutting-edge research from Saxony, impulses for the economy and society, moderated by futureSAX.
Link to the FutureSAX event "On the Road to Innovation - Energies of the Future"
Opening Remarks and Welcome Address by Prof. Dr. Sophia Keil, Vice President for Research, Knowledge Transfer, and International Affairs at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences
Prof. Dr. Dr. Tanja Kneiske has been Head of the Department of Technology and Management of Integrated Energy Infrastructures at TU Berlin since 2024 and is also Scientific Director at the Fraunhofer IEG in Cottbus. She is one of the Tagesspiegel's "100 Heads of Capital City Science 2025" and was appointed to the Federal Government's Expert Council for Climate Issues in September 2025.
Tom Richter & Jonas Pfeiffer:
Energy as a joint task
From heat planning to direct current: Energy research@HSZG
Emilia Herzig:
DC voltage under control - switch technologies for the grids of tomorrow
- Friends of the University Award: Each year, the Friends of the University honors the good students and graduates of the HSZG.
- Al Makhawi Prize: Since 1998, the Faculty of Business Administration and Engineering Management has awarded the Al Makhawi Prize for outstanding academic achievement. It was established by alumnus Dr. Rashid A. Al Makhawi, who feels a special connection to the university.
How can cities in our region be made climate-neutral, liveable and sustainable? What role does the participation of local people play in this?
- Diana Karbe, Project Manager Economic Development of the City of Hoyerswerda
- Prof. Dr. Robert Knippschild
Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER), Head of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Transformative Urban Redevelopment (IZS) Görlitz - Thomas Krusekopf
GreenZitty initiative - Carolin Fischer M.Sc.
Research assistant NFG MUBARES (Multifunctional use of structural facilities for a resilient decentralized energy supply in Saxony), HTWD
Get into conversation and make new contacts at the exhibits, poster session and buffet.
Susanne Stump, Managing Director of futureSAX
Susanne Stump brings international management experience from Berlin and Cambridge, as well as many years of expertise in the finance and real estate sectors. Through her role as Project Managing Director of the Saxony5 university consortium, she became an integral part of Saxony’s innovation ecosystem and was responsible for knowledge and technology transfer across five universities of applied sciences.
Since 2024, she has been Managing Director of futureSAX, the innovation platform of the Free State of Saxony. She is passionately committed to raising the profile of startups, technology transfer projects, and companies, fostering networking among them, and sustainably strengthening the culture of innovation in the Free State of Saxony.
At the opening of the Year of Science 2025/26, she will serve as the moderator and guide the audience through the program.
Review:
Keynote "Future under tension: Can AI help bring energy transition and society together?" Prof. Dr. Dr. Tanja Kneiske
Your contact person for queries
1st floor
2nd upper floor
