University of Tübingen’s 550th anniversary

The 2026-27 winter semester marks the start of a special year for the University of Tübingen: we are celebrating our 550th anniversary. Under the motto ‘the Value of Knowledge,’ we are  not only looking back on an impressive history; we are also looking ahead to a bright future. University of Tübingen scholarship has been providing guidance to society, thereby helping to shape the future, since its founding in 1477. 

Exhibitions in museums, galleries, and the botanical garden will offer insights into research and the University’s history. Online services, including app-guided tours of rarely accessible locations, open up new perspectives. The year’s events will include specialist lecture series and conferences, including a conference on the histories of Tübingen, Mainz, and Uppsala Universities, all of which were founded in 1477. In addition, there will be the annual Global Ethics Lecture and Media Lecture series, as well as projects addressing academic topics in social media and film.

Anniversary events in University events calender

The anniversary provides an opportunity to take a fresh look at the University’s history and key figures in it, especially those that have been largely overlooked. These include Countess Mechthild von der Pfalz, an important patron and driving force behind the University’s founding. The University is also turning its attention to critical chapters in its history – periods of political influence, exclusion, and inequality, and integrating these reflections into the role of academia today in an open and democratic society. 

Faculties, institutes, hospitals, administrative offices, and student organizations are cordially invited to develop their own contributions to the anniversary program. The anniversary coordination team will take these ideas on board and provide support with planning.