[Link] “Great Opportunities Lie Ahead of You”

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 the newly enrolled students on University Square. At the beginning of the lecture period in the 2026/2027 winter semester, Heidelberg University staged a Welcome Day there to greet the first-semester students.

The new students were now part of one of the most research-intensive institutions in Euro...