International Science Festival – Geist Heidelberg

From October through the end of November 2026, renowned scientists, leading experts, acclaimed science communicators, and talented early-career researchers will come together with audiences to explore the pressing questions of our time. Experience cutting-edge research from Germany and around the world firsthand as we bring science out of academic institutions and into the heart of DAI Heidelberg.

This year, DAI Heidelberg presents the International Science Festival – Geist Heidelberg under the theme “Beyond Borders.”

Borders provide orientation—and invite us to question them. They create order, define responsibilities, and shape identities. Yet every border is also a threshold: it separates and connects, sets limits and opens up new possibilities.

Science, in particular, advances when boundaries are explored, challenged, and crossed. New insights emerge as we examine the world we share—from human history to exoplanets, from the depths of the ocean to the intricate connections within ecosystems, from quantum physics to artificial intelligence.

This year’s festival also marks the launch of our new discussion format, the Science Bar—a space for open and informal conversations about science in a relaxed bar atmosphere, accompanied by live music and DJ sets.

At Geist Heidelberg 2026, science becomes a space for dialogue: bridging disciplines, opening up new perspectives, and inviting us to look beyond familiar boundaries and see the world in new ways.

Bringing the International Science Festival – Geist Heidelberg 2026 to life—and creating a place where boundaries can be explored and crossed—is a tremendous collaborative effort.

My heartfelt thanks go to our entire team and to all our partners and sponsors, without whom this festival would not be possible.

I wish you an inspiring festival filled with new insights and fascinating encounters!

Lena Jöhnk
Festival Director and Director of DAI Heidelberg

 

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About the Festival

Hall Of Fame

Program

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Stadt Heidelberg
Land Baden-Württemberg
Auswärtiges Amt
US Embassy
Athenaeum
Klaus Tschira Stiftung