Berlin, 22 June 2026. How can we foster exchange and participation on an equal footing? What opportunities does collaboration offer? And what can policymakers do to encourage citizens and academics to engage in dialogue? In the new series of events ‘Anders geFragt’, Petra Anders, winner of the 2025 Communicator Prize and professor at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU), will discuss new forms of dialogue between academia and society with selected prize winners, as well as with academics, politicians and interested members of the public. The first event in the series will take place on 6 July 2026, from 5 pm to 7 pm, at the Humboldt Forum in the Mechanische Arena in the foyer, 10178 Berlin.
The series begins by exploring how science and society can learn from one another in order to shape a better future together. The focus will be, in particular, on how educational formats can be designed in collaboration with learners, what benefits this approach offers, and what challenges need to be taken into account. The ‘denXte’ public philosophy project, winner of the 2022 Communicator Prize, exemplifies how philosophy can be made accessible and relevant to everyday life. The discussion will feature Professor Markus Schrenk from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf and initiator of the “denXte” project, science communicator Berit Weiß from “denXte”, together with Dr Julia Landgraf from the Senate Department for Science, Health, Care and Equality, and Sara Sune Lenge from the International Network of University Learning Workshops. Prof. Dr Julia von Blumenthal, President of HU, will deliver the opening address. The audience is invited to share their perspectives and join the panellists in discussion.
At a glance
- When: Monday, 6 July 2026, 5 pm to 7 pm
- Where: Humboldt Forum, Schlossplatz, Mechanische Arena in the foyer, 10178 Berlin
- Registration and programme: Attendance is free of charge. Please register at wissensaustausch.zfk☞ Please insert an @ at this point ☜hu-berlin☞ Please insert a period at this pointde.
On the panel
- Prof. Dr Markus Schrenk, Professor of Theoretical Philosophy at Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf and initiator of the ‘denXte’ project, which inspires citizens of all ages and educational backgrounds to engage with philosophical concepts (2022 winner of the Communicator Prize – the Stifterverband’s Science Prize).
- Berit Weiß, science communicator and co-presenter on the “denXte” team.
- Dr Julia Landgraf, Head of the Department for Studies & Teaching, Teacher Training, Student Affairs and Equality at the Berlin Senate.
- Sarah Sune Lenge, early-career researcher in Educational Sciences at HU Berlin and board member of the ‘International Network of University Workshops e.V.’ (NeHIe).
- Petra Anders, Professor of German Language Teaching and Primary School Teacher Training at HU Berlin. Her research focuses, amongst other things, on poetry slams as learning opportunities for democracy education, and she has established the “Kinder-Kiez-Slam”, an innovative platform for primary school children. In 2025, she was awarded the Communicator Prize for outstanding science communication by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the Stifterverband for her dialogue-based projects promoting reading and language skills.
About the event series
‘Anders geFragt’ is organised by the Zentrum für Kulturtechnik at Humboldt-Universität and supported by the Stifterverband and the DFG. The series aims to shed light on the various approaches to successful science communication and, specifically, on the question of impact and active participation in shaping social change through dialogue between science and society.
