The auditorium of the University of Bamberg shone in the LIfBi colors cyan and magenta on September 3. The occasion for the play of colors was the 10th anniversary of the institute, which was celebrated with a ceremony followed by a reception. Around 250 guests accepted the invitation to the event, which was moderated by science journalist Dr. Jan-Martin Wiarda. In two panel discussions and a keynote speech by Director Cordula Artelt, not only were the beginnings of the institute brought to life, but current developments and prospects for the future were also discussed.

Federal Minister of Education Bettina Stark-Watzinger (via video), Dr. Rolf-Dieter Jungk (Head of Office at the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts), the President of the Leibniz Association Professor Martina Brockmeier, Professor Thomas Saalfeld (Vice President of the Otto Friedrich University of Bamberg) and Jonas Glüsenkamp (Second Mayor of the City of Bamberg) sent greetings. In his welcoming address, Head of Office Jungk emphasized the importance of the LIfBi for both science and politics, which was a recurring theme throughout the ceremony: “Good education policy requires reliable facts. The Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories provides this scientific basis. The Leibniz Institute's empirical research is therefore nothing less than genuine futurology.”

Program of the event

Memories of the founding period

The development of the LIfBi was reflected on in two panel discussions. The first panel was dedicated to the founding of the institute and the challenges of the first few years. Professor Hans-Peter Blossfeld, first Principal Investigator of the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), Professor Godehard Ruppert, former President of the University of Bamberg and LIfBi founding director Professor Hans-Günther Roßbach recalled the eventful years between the start of the National Educational Panel Study as a project and the founding of the new institute and its admission to the Leibniz Association. Blossfeld described the fact that both NEPS and LIfBi were founded in Upper Franconia of all places as “an improbability”, which came about not least thanks to important supporters within the Bavarian state government. There was also room for anecdotes, such as how the course for the LIfBi was set on a plane trip or the search for a suitable building in Bamberg, which ultimately led to the move into the historic Oberpostdirektion, where the LIfBi is still based today.

History of LIfBi

The Institute in the present
On the second panel, Professor Martina Brockmeier, President of the Leibniz Association, Professor Marlis Buchmann and Professor Martin Brunner, Chairpersons of the LIfBi Board of Trustees and Scientific Advisory Board, and Professor Monika Jungbauer-Gans, current Chairwoman of the German Data Forum (RatSWD), discussed the current role of the LIfBi in the German and international educational research landscape. Monika Jungbauer-Gans praised the Institute as a pioneer in the field of open data as well as in the search for innovative instruments with which educational research can meet the changing conditions for conducting large surveys.

Future challenges
“At the time, hardly anyone could have imagined that we would be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the LIfBi 16 years after the NEPS application was submitted. Yet here we are today, celebrating - how wonderful!”, LIfBi Director Cordula Artelt began her speech. After introducing the departments and divisions of the LIfBi, Artelt highlighted some of the challenges that the institute will have to face in the coming years. In order to ensure the sustainability of the LIfBi's survey infrastructure, new methods that are currently only available as prototypes must be made usable. Research into the challenges of education, development and learning in the 21st century will also continue to play a major role, as will the communication of research content to politics and society. Artelt concluded her speech by paying tribute to all employees: “There is an old African proverb that says ‘It takes a whole village to raise a child’. That also applies to us. It takes such a team to accomplish what LIfBi has achieved in the last 10 years. And that was a lot. Thank you very much!”

The celebration was accompanied by music from the Arcis saxophone quartet, who delighted the audience with modern arrangements. The festive event culminated in a champagne reception and dinner in the early evening and finally came to a close in the historic cloister of the auditorium.

Anniversary Page

Impressions

(©LIfBi/margitandsera; click on pictures to enlarge)

Greeting by Head of Office Jungk; Group picture of all LIfBi employees present; Arcis Saxophone Quartet; Keynote speech by Professor Cordula Artelt; Speakers and panelists; Closing in the cloister; Thanks to the organizing team; Podium 1; Podium 2; Impressions from the audience 1; Impressions from the audience 2; Video greeting by Minister Stark-Watzinger