Winfried Kretschmann, Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, calls his time studying at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart “one of the best times of his life.” He praised his alma mater’s current focus as forward-thinking. Fritz Kuhn, Lord Mayor of Stuttgart, called the University of Hohenheim an asset to the state’s capital city. The Minister-President and Lord Mayor gave their congratulatory speeches on Tuesday, 20 November 2018 at 5 p.m. for 500 invited guests of honor and presidents of partner universities from nearly 20 countries.

In his congratulations on the day of the University’s founding, the Minister-President extolled his alma mater as being forward-thinking in many ways: “In the past 200 years, the University of Hohenheim has developed into an outstanding and renowned center of nutrition, nature conservation, climate protection, and the links between economics and ecology. It has developed this expertise to such a great extent that some even speak of a Silicon Valley of the German agricultural industry,” said the Minister-President.

“Today in Hohenheim, we can see strong natural sciences and attractive business, economics, and social sciences. Especially the research focus on Bioeconomy finds solutions for a sustainable future in the economy and society,” explained Kretschmann.

“However, universities are not only locations for knowledge. They are also places of creativity, fantasy, and experimenting. They should not only help us to understand the world better. They should also help us to make the world better. The University of Hohenheim helps politicians do both. As an alumnus of this University and as the Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, I would like to warmly congratulate my alma mater on its anniversary and hope that it continues to develop just as successfully as in the past 200 years,” said Kretschmann.

Congratulations from the City of Stuttgart and a Congratulatory Banner on the City Hall

Fritz Kuhn, Lord Mayor of Stuttgart, also congratulated the University of Hohenheim. “The University of Hohenheim researches and teaches in many essential areas. With this, it has remained true to the reason it was founded 200 years ago. In light of the climate change effects we are experiencing, this knowledge will continue to grow in importance. As a city, we can consider ourselves lucky to have a university with this research profile and outstanding reputation,” said the Lord Mayor of the Baden-Württemberg’s capital city, Stuttgart.

To show the city’s solidarity, the Lord Mayor announced there would be a large congratulatory banner for the University hanging on Stuttgart’s City Hall in the upcoming days.

President Thanks the City, State, and Population

University of Hohenheim President Prof. Dr. Stephan Dabbert thanked the city and state for their continued support: “As a university that is strongly international, a large part of the University of Hohenheim’s strength comes from its regional roots,” emphasized the President. “That is why the support we have from the state of Baden-Württemberg and the city of Stuttgart is so valuable.”

He pointed to the state’s support in building the Hohenheim Livestock Microbiom Research Center (HoLMiR), a 50-million-euro research institution with international prominence in animal sciences, as one example. The University of Hohenheim cooperates closely with the city on all infrastructure projects from building new residence halls to expanding the campus with a Computational Science Lab.

“The objective of many of the anniversary activities was therefore also to thank the population and its representatives,” stated the President. “That is why I am so happy that many of you could be our guests this evening.”

Celebration from Noon to Midnight

Starting at noon, President Prof. Dr. Dabbert and the Director of Student Services Tübingen-Hohenheim, Oliver Schill, served several hundred pieces of birthday cake with a total weight of 100 kg in the University of Hohenheim’s Mensa.

For its ceremonial act at 5 p.m., the University of Hohenheim received around 500 invited guests of honor and presidents from partner universities from nearly 20 countries. Part of the program included a discussion round on the digitalization of the university moderated by Joachim Dorfs, editor-in-chief of the Stuttgarter Zeitung. Another highlight was the performance by students from the renowned John Cranko Ballet School.

The evening ended with a reception for guests of honor in Hohenheim Palace starting at 6:45 p.m. There, four continent rooms displayed the University’s international scientific cooperation. Sensory impressions were provided by the floral decorations from the Florist Meisterschule in Hohenheim, and the continent’s culinary specialties were presented by Student Services Tübingen-Hohenheim.

President Prof. Dr. Dabbert had announced that around 10:30 p.m. he would visit the student festival held by the AStA cultural group and promised a birthday surprise for the guests.

BACKGROUND: 200 Years University of Hohenheim

With the explosive power of 170,000 Hiroshima bombs, the volcano Tambora in Indonesia erupted on 10 April 1815. Tons of ash and dust particles darkened the sky around the world. It became so dark that there was no summer in 1816. Harvests went bad and famines spread. As a key to survival, King William of Württemberg and Queen Catherine invested in education and research: On 20 November 1818, they founded the “Agricultural Teaching, Experimental and Model Institute Hohenheim” - the predecessor of today’s University.

200 years later, the University of Hohenheim is still following the charge given to it at its founding: using research and teaching to help face global challenges. In the anniversary year 2018, it celebrated its founding with more than 180 events. Topics such as nutrition and health, climate, water and ecosystems, social inequality, or bioeconomy played just as big of a role as the cultural aspects of campus life.