Heidelberg University

Press Release No. 110/202616 October 2026 Heidelberg researchers demonstrate positive effects of brief interventions on psychological symptoms and the therapeutic alliance A brief mindfulness exercise at the beginning of a psychotherapy session can have a positive effect on psychological symptoms in adolescent patients. This is the finding of a study conducted at Heidelberg University’s Centre for Psychological Psychotherapy (ZPP) under the Show more

Press Release No. 107/202613 October 2026 Just a few genetic changes transform simple RNA droplets into cell-like structures that can move and take up cargo A small number of random genetic mutations cause simple RNA droplets to transform into cell-like structures. In this process, they form cavities, can move and are able to take up cargo. This has been demonstrated through research using nanostructures based on ribonucleic acid led by Pro Show more

12 October 2026 Rector Frauke Melchior welcomed freshmen at the “Welcome Day” on University Square “Starting a university course is a special moment. You have opted for a subject, perhaps for a new city and many of you also for a completely new life in a different country. And I can assure you: for this new phase of your life, you have chosen a wonderful place.” With these words, Prof. Dr. Frauke Melchior, Rector of Ruperto Carola, welcomed Show more

12 October 2026 Number of new enrolments still high – interest among international students continues to grow – registration procedure not yet concluded Heidelberg University is starting the 2026/2027 winter semester with 31,300 students registered. The provisional total number of students is slightly above that of last year. Also the number of first-semester students continues to be high. At the same time, it seems that there will be a sli Show more

Press Release No. 106/20269 October 2026 Heidelberg University marks 640th anniversary of its existence – address by Rector Frauke Melchior Ruperto Carola is opening the 2026/2027 Academic Year with its annual celebration, taking place traditionally at the beginning of the lecture period. Members of the university, along with friends, supporters and alumni are, at the same time, celebrating the 640th anniversary of the founding of Heidelber Show more

9 October 2026 Vice-Rector Silke Hertel and heiSKILLS Managing Director Jan Heidelberger on education for democracy, diversity of perspectives and new ways of learning For Prof. Dr. Silke Hertel and Dr. Jan Heidelberger, education for democracy is one of the university’s important tasks and, in future, it is to feature in the whole range of subjects. In the conversation, the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs and Teaching and the Managing Dire Show more

9 October 2026 Heidelberg Alumni U.S. Supports Studies at Heidelberg University Audrey Womer and Violet Newhart have been awarded the Heidelberg Alumni U.S. (HAUS) Scholarship. The two American students are enrolled in master’s programs at Heidelberg University from the 2026/2027 winter semester. The Heidelberg alumni association in the United States is supporting each of them with funding of 7,000 US dollars for their studies at Heidelberg Show more

8 October 2026 Jana Seifert and Christine Selhuber-Unkel were appointed to the governing body With Jana Seifert and Prof. Dr. Christine Selhuber-Unkel, the University Council now has two new internal members. After the endorsement of their election by the Senate of Heidelberg University, the Baden-Württemberg Science Ministry appointed them as of 1 October 2026. Prof. Dr. Feiyu Xu joined the governing body back in June as a new external mem Show more

Press Release No. 104/20266 October 2026 Public lecture by Yves Sintomer in Heidelberg Forum Democracy, Science and Society Western-style democracies are manifestly in a profound crisis and trust in moderate political parties seems to have reached a historic low. A lecture at Heidelberg University by political scientist Prof. Dr. Yves Sintomer raises the question “The Shattered Model: What Will Come after Liberal-Capitalist Democracy?” On Show more

Press Release No. 103/20262 October 2026 The Rector of Ruperto Carola welcomes the new students on 12 October on University Square Starting university life at Heidelberg University: Ruperto Carola is inviting its newly enrolled students to a Welcome Day on 12 October 2026. On University Square in the Old City, University Rector Prof. Dr. Frauke Melchior will welcome all first-semester students beginning their degree courses in the 2026/2027 Show more

1. October 2026 Call for applications for the 2027 program year open In the context of Heidelberg University’s career support through heiTRACKS, the management program “Towards a Professorship” is addressed to postdoctoral researchers from all faculties pursuing an academic career. The next program round begins in February 2027. Applications are possible up until 6 November 2026. The program aims to prepare participants directly for leaders Show more

30 September 2026 Ruperto Carola is ranked among the world’s “Top 50” and one of the top three universities in Germany Heidelberg University is one of the top three universities in Germany, ranking third in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, which have just been published. Internationally, it has jumped up four spots to 45th place and is thus ranked among the world’s “Top 50” as in the previous years – one of only th Show more

Press Release No. 102/202625 September 2026 Scientists from Heidelberg and Freiburg identify the mechanism by which proteins assemble into stable complexes in mitochondria A tiny processing step has far-reaching consequences for mitochondrial function: The removal of a single amino acid determines whether new proteins can assemble into stable complexes within these cellular powerhouses. This process is carried out by a specific enzyme that Show more

Press Release No. 101/202624 September 2026 Longtime Rector receives honorary designation for his services to Ruperto Carola As longtime Rector he shaped the university’s profile in a lasting way, and Prof. Dr. Bernhard Eitel has now been appointed Senior Professor distinctus of Heidelberg University for his over one and a half decades of service at the helm of Ruperto Carola. This honorary title, awarded for life, pays tribute to outstandi Show more

22 September 2026 Clinical medicine in position 17 internationally, medical technology ranked 21 – three subjects take top place in Germany With clinical medicine and medical technology Heidelberg University is again among the best players in Medical Sciences worldwide. In the Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2026 clinical medicine rose by one place over last year to rank 17th internationally in clinical medicine and so leads the field i Show more

Press Release No. 100/202622 September 2026 Researchers at Universität Heidelberg call for establishing the health issue at the core of climate and environmental policy The worldwide inequality of health opportunities is being further heightened by the triple planetary crisis – climate change, loss of biodiversity and environmental pollution. Hence preventing it is more than a question for health systems; as a central concern it must be emb Show more

Press Release No. 98/202621 September 2026 Music and conversation for organizers, contributors and all interested citizens Musical numbers and the opportunity to socialize with personal conversations feature on the program of the final event of the “Long Night of Democracy” on Friday, 2 October 2026. Heidelberg University is hosting this get-together in its recently opened Haus Buhl – Heidelberg Forum Democracy, Science and Society. Besides Show more

16 September 2026 They achieved the best results in their final exams for the fifth time in a row Medical students from Heidelberg University have come out on top for the fifth year in succession. This year, too, the students at the Medical Faculty Heidelberg obtained Germany’s best results in the medical theory examination known as the Physikum. With just under 79 percent of questions answered correctly they were clearly above the federal Show more

Press Release No. 95/202616 September 2026 Heidelberg scientists demonstrate a chemical process during which lignin is converted into these two compounds by iron and reactive oxygen species The biopolymer lignin – one of the most important carbon reservoirs in plants and soils – not only decays through fungi or bacteria but can also be chemically attacked by iron linked with reactive oxygen species, without the involvement of microorganism Show more

Press Release No. 94/20269 September 2026 Heidelberg molecular biologists Nora Vögtle and Michael Knop to participate in a consortium of the Advanced Research + Innovation Agency in the United Kingdom Novel genetic engineering approaches are to enable targeted interventions in the genome of mitochondria – that is the research goal of Prof. Dr. Nora Vögtle and Prof. Dr. Michael Knop, for which they are receiving funding from the Advanced Res Show more