“Celebrating the future” – this is the motto under which the Paderborn University celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022. On Friday 26. September, the city of Paderborn invited representatives from culture, business, sport, city administration and the university to the anniversary reception in the town hall to celebrate this milestone birthday together with a special ceremony.
Mayor Michael Dreier and University President Prof. Dr. Birgitt Riegraf looked back on half a century of joint history between the city and the university. Since the year in which the university was founded, 1972, both the number of students and the population of Paderborn have grown enormously. While the comprehensive university was originally intended for 2,500 students, there are now almost 20,000 students at the Paderborn University. At the same time, the number of Paderborn citizens has also increased by several thousand. Dreier emphasised how much young people are shaping the cityscape today and that he is pleased to be the mayor of a university city.
During a round of talks, moderated by journalist and graduate of the Paderborn University, Sinah Donhauser, they also looked ahead to the future. Riegraf referred to numerous future-oriented projects with which the university wants to continue writing its success story in the coming years. As a sustainable, research-strong, and cosmopolitan institution, the university wants to promote numerous national and international partnerships, including with other universities and business associates, and contribute to strengthening regional developments.
The extent to which the university is networked in the region and with the city is shown, among other things, by the “Akzelerator.OWL”. This modern project, which the city and the university are currently implementing together, is intended to create a new home for the start-up scene in East Westphalia-Lippe in the Zukunftsquartier (formerly known as the Barker site).
To mark the university’s 50th anniversary, the city planted a tree on the campus in autumn. Symbolically, the mayor presented a cross-sectional slice of a tree to the university president during the ceremony. Riegraf also received a special honour to mark the occasion of the anniversary: she signed the Golden Book of the City of Paderborn on behalf of the University.
Entertainment during the reception was provided by singer Nadine Dubberke, also known as “Nadu”, and poetry slammer Sarah Lau, both of whom are connected to the University through their studies. After the official part of the event, DJ Sir Benny Styles brought the festive evening to a close in a convivial atmosphere.
