The launch party of the Institute of Media Studies attracted more than 700 visitors

Stefan Kühlborn

"I can't remember when I last saw this many people," said Bernd Engler, rector of Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen, when he saw the ballroom of the Neue Aula. Standing on the podium to give his welcome speech, he looked at the faces of over 700 guests who had come to join in the celebrations to mark the opening of the Institute of Media Studies. The guests included Tübingen's mayor Boris Palmer. Formerly included in the German Seminar, Tübingen Media Studies has had its own department since October 2010. Engler called this a "necessary step towards the future". With three new professors, Tübingen was now well equipped to becoming "the place for Media Studies in Baden-Württemberg". He went on to say that the co-operation with SWR in particular offered the 400-plus students in-depth practical references. Bernhard Pörksen, Head of the new institute, described the association between theory and practice as the "guideline in Media Studies at Tübingen". In his welcoming address, the professor thanked those present for participating in the "community act of the foundation of the institute", and made it clear that the event was to be seen as more than a purely formal act. "It is an opportunity to shape the future, and a happy academic experience for all concerned."
The new Institute of Media Studies was home to four professors. With the exception of Jürg Häusermann, who has been a lecturer at the Eberhard Karls University for more than fifteen years, his colleagues have only found their way to Tübingen in the past two years. Susanne Marschall, Bernhard Pörksen and Guido Zurstiege spoke briefly about their work, while Professor Häusermann introduced the new colleagues - saying as he did so that there was "much to explore". The new Tübingen academics then also provided interesting insights into their research with talk on the theory of film (Marschall), scandal in the digital age (Pörksen) and advertising research (Zurstiege). The festive setting of the event ended with scenes from a film by the Master students, made on the occasion of the founding of the department, and which the viewers acknowledged with a tremendous round of applause. The Institute then invited the guests to partake of a buffet served in the foyer, with musical entertainment courtesy of the nACHTmusik wind quartet, the perfect opportunity to share experiences.

Stefan Kühlborn is a media student.

The foundation ceremony flyer is here.