“Frühlingsimpulse” Annual Reception at Freie Universität Berlin
This is a new event format that will be taking place every year. The reception will celebrate the beginning of the summer semester and highlight spring as a season for new growth and ideas. The event offers a place for the university community to meet on an equal footing, to connect with each other, and to share experiences. Alumni, friends, and supporters of Freie Universität Berlin are warmly invited to attend.
It is an opportunity to come together to welcome our newly appointed professors, to acknowledge exceptional scientific and academic achievements, and to discuss ideas for the future of Freie Universität Berlin.
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
- Henry Ford Building, Garystraße 35, 14195 Berlin, foyer
- Doors open at 4:30 p.m., event begins at 5:00 p.m.
Reception
- Opening remarks by Professor Günter M. Ziegler, president of Freie Universität Berlin
- Welcome for newly appointed professors
- Reflections on climate neutrality and sustainability goals
- Reflections on the future of research at Freie Universität
- Reception in the foyer – opportunity for discussion and exchange
7:00 PM: Leibniz Lecture – Prof. Dr. Barbara Vetter
Professor Barbara Vetter
Image Credit: DFG / David Ausserhofer
Prof. Dr. Barbara Vetter – "Möglichkeiten denken" ("Thinking Possibilities")
Barbara Vetter, Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at Freie Universität Berlin, will be awarded the Leibniz Prize 2026 by the German Research Foundation (DFG) – Germany's most prestigious scientific award. On the occasion of the public annual reception of Freie Universität Berlin on April 15, 2026, she will deliver a Leibniz Lecture entitled "Thinking Possibilities."
Looking Back, Looking Forward
For many years, Freie Universität marked the day on which it was founded with the Ernst Reuter Day celebrations. This was an occasion aimed at bringing the university community together with friends, sponsors, and alumni. In the future, December 4 – Ernst Reuter Day – will be exclusively reserved for celebrating special university anniversaries, with the annual spring reception marking an opportunity for looking to the future.
