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Previous university speeches

2020: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Human Beings | Prof. Dr. Ipke Wachsmuth

Artificial intelligence is becoming an integral part of our lives, whether it be through voice assistants, smart homes or robots. It can complement human capabilities, manage information overload and increase work efficiency. But people are also afraid of it. Will it be possible to avert potential dangers to human beings, for example by programming rules into AIs such as those already being discussed for autonomous vehicles? Could robots replace human support and care in our aging society? What will the future of humans look like when machines outstrip our abilities in many tasks or if they take over the production of our goods and control critical processes? This lecture addressed these ethical questions and also discussed whether artificial intelligence will become superior to us.

Prof. Dr. Ipke Wachsmuth has been teaching computer science and artificial intelligence at the University of Bielefeld for more than 25 years. He was a founding member of the Faculty of Technology there in 1990 and also Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF) from 2002 to 2009. After studying mathematics and obtaining his doctorate at the University of Hannover, he has worked at the University of Osnabrück, Northern Illinois University, USA, and IBM Germany. At the Bielefeld Center for Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) he is now working on philosophical and ethical questions of artificial intelligence and robotics.

2019: Quo Vadis Africa? Politics, Economics and Migration | Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate

The current refugee crisis is largely the result of events taking place in the Middle East. But amidst everything, there is one much more threatening long-term development which is not at the center of our attention: the migration of tens of thousands of Africans to Europe. In his lecture on January 31st, 2019, Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate, an authority on the African continent, described the causes of this mass movement of people and appealed to the European states to fundamentally change their Africa policies.

Asserate explained how Europe betrays its own values by courting dictators and doing so-called “deals” with unjust states. In his lecture, he discussed ways Europe might treat Africa as apartner and support the African states that are building democratic structures and investing in their young people.

Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate, born in Addis Ababa and a member of the Ethiopian royal family, has been an Africa consultant to companies for many years and is, among other things, a member of the Innovation Advisory Board of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. He became known to the wider public through his book "Manieren" (2003).

2018: The Present and Future of Desire – The Importance of Sexuality for Achieving a Sense of Well-being | Prof. Dr. Uwe Hartmann

Sexuality as it is understood today oscillates between high expectations of sexual satisfaction and everlasting passion, and the gloomy image of sexual abuse, the transgression of boundaries and increasing pornographisation. Behind its omnipresence in the media, sexuality is still met with a stony silence in the private sphere as it is in medicine and psychology, something which contributes significantly to the continued spread of sexually-related problems.

On January 25th, 2018, psychology professor Uwe Hartmann gave the Osnabrück University Speech on the topic "The Present and Future of Desire - The Importance of Sexuality for Achieving a Sense of Well-being". Prof. Hartmann, scientific director of the Sexual Medicine Competence Center in Hanover, presented the current state of scientific knowledge to the 250 members of the audience and focused on sexuality in relationships between couples.

2017:  From Homo oeconomicus to Homo sustinens | Prof. Dr. Stefanie Engel

Humanity is facing critical challenges such as climate change and species extinction. Solving these challenges requires each and every one of us to change our behavior. Although the problem is not new, we are struggling to cope with these changes. What is standing in our way and what is necessary to bring about the necessary changes in our behavior? This year's speech on Thursday, 26th January dealt with these questions in a clear and comprehensible way, drawing on findings from behavioral economics and social psychology.

Stefanie Engel is the Alexander von Humboldt Professor of Environmental Economics at the University of Osnabrück. The Alexander von Humboldt Professorship is the most highly-endowed international research award in Germany. In her work, Prof. Dr. Engel focuses on behavioral and psychological aspects of environmental policy making. Her main focus is on sustainable land use. To this end, she and her team conduct research both in Europe and internationally, for example in Colombia.

2016: Roll on John – A Tribute to Bob Dylan | Prof. Dr. Heinrich Detering

In this lecture, the multiple award-winning scholar of German Studies Heinrich Detering captivated around 250 guests on his analytical journey through Bob Dylan’s late tribute to John Lennon.

"Shine your light - Move it on - You burned so bright - Roll on John": How much more is there than just an apparently simple plea in Bob Dylan's piece from the album "Tempest"? In his lecture, the literary scholar and author Heinrich Detering from Göttingen offered the guests listening to the University Speech on Thursday, 21st January surprising insights into the deeper meaning of a poetic song text.

Detering brought to life in often enigmatic depictions the way in which Bob Dylan interweaves world literature by Blake, Shakespeare and Homer and quotations and images from pop and film in his song "Roll on John". The audience was spellbound until the very last minute.

The entire talk can be accessed here as a Video (in German).