The globalised world confronts universities with tremendous challenges. Their job is to find adequate responses to the urgent and complex issues facing us in future. Accordingly, “der lebendige Geist” (roughly translatable as “the creative mind”) is at a premium.
As one of the oldest and most research-intensive universities in Europe, Heidelberg University has a key role to play in this context. Its outstanding showing in the Initiative for Excellence organised by Germany’s federal and state governments demonstrates this fact. International rankings also confirm Heidelberg’s status as a leading German university.
But here too there are institutions and buildings in urgent need of modernisation and renovation. Chief among them in terms of symbolic significance is the New University building. We want to ensure that it will shine out in renewed splendour in time for our 625th anniversary celebrations in 2011. That is why we have chosen the dedication inscribed over its main entrance - “Dem lebendigen Geist” - as the motto for our renovation drive. You can help us to transform this vision into reality by supporting the projects and events associated with the campaign.
Prof. Dr. Bernhard Eitel
Rector of Heidelberg University