More first-year students, more AI: strong start to winter semester

Through its University Development Plan 2030+, the University of Bayreuth is pursuing forward-looking approaches to teaching and learning that also equip students to use digital media - above all artificial intelligence - responsibly in their subject areas. “The question is no longer whether artificial intelligence will change our everyday lives, but how we shape that change. The University of Bayreuth sees itself as a place where technological innovation, critical reflection and social responsibility come together. We want to enable our students not only to understand the future of AI, but to help shape it actively and responsibly,” says University President Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Stefan Leible.

AI in teaching and assessment

In Winter Semester 2026/27, the University of Bayreuth is making greater use of the potential of generative AI in teaching, learning and assessment. It supports students in developing AI-related digital competencies so that they can use these skills productively, critically and responsibly for subject-specific work in their future careers. A key part of this skill set is understanding the limitations and risks of AI.

Assessment formats are also being developed further: oral presentations of students’ own work will play a greater role. The use of generative AI will be explicitly permitted in written assessments such as seminar papers, bachelor’s theses and master’s theses. Students will, however, be required to state clearly which AI tools they used and how. “Using AI responsibly is now one of the core skills we want our students to take with them,” says Prof. Dr. Volker Ulm, Vice President for Teaching & Learning.

New degree programmes and a broad range of AI-related study options

For Winter Semester 2026/27, the University of Bayreuth is introducing two new degree programmes: the master’s programme Ecological Forecasting, which is part of the Elite Network of Bavaria - a Bavarian state initiative that supports exceptionally talented students through scholarships and study and research programmes - and the master’s programme Business Law.Artificial intelligence is also reflected in the University of Bayreuth's broad range of degree programmes, spanning computer science and data science as well as ethics, law and governance:

•  Bachelor’s programme Data, Science & AI (fully English-taught)

•  Bachelor’s and master’s programmes in Computer Science, as well as bachelor’s and master’s programmes in Applied Computer Science

•  Master’s programme in Digitalization & Entrepreneurship (business administration with a focus on business information systems engineering and digital business models)

•  Bachelor’s and master’s programmes in Business Information Systems Engineering

•  Master’s programme in Philosophy & Computer Science (including the societal and ethical challenges of AI)

Interdisciplinary collaboration in research

Artificial intelligence is a key area of research in which the University of Bayreuth is strategically expanding its profile. The newly established AI Responsibility Centre (ARC) is an interdisciplinary research centre for trustworthy AI designed to serve the public good. Led by Prof. Dr. Niklas Kühl, Chair of Business Information Systems Engineering & Human-Centred Artificial Intelligence, researchers from business information systems, law and philosophy work together on topics ranging from human oversight of AI systems and human-AI collaboration to explainable AI, algorithmic fairness and the practical implementation of regulatory requirements such as the European AI Act.

This interdisciplinary approach shapes research across all faculties at the University of Bayreuth. Recent successes include a new international Research Training Group on innovative biomaterials and two new Research Units funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and coordinated from Bayreuth: one on the molecular machines at the heart of gene expression and one on the international division of labour. The University has also established the “C3 - Conflict, Crisis, and Change Research Center”. In addition, under the Global Minds Initiative Germany (1000 Heads Plus programme), the Africa Cluster has recruited Prof. Salome A. Bukachi as a Mercator Fellow Global.

“I am particularly pleased by the University of Bayreuth’s strength in interdisciplinary research, reflected in numerous successes in securing external funding and in outstanding research results across all faculties,” says Prof. Dr. Markus Retsch, Vice President for Research & Junior Scholars. “By working across disciplinary boundaries, we want to continue breaking new ground in research.”

Expansion of international partnerships

The University of Bayreuth is also continuing to advance its internationalization agenda. Issues such as knowledge security, research security and the responsible management of international research partnerships are becoming increasingly important. At the same time, the University is further developing its successful hub strategy: while its presence in Australia is firmly established as an important platform for collaborative research, work is also progressing on the hub in the United States. At European level, the University of Bayreuth is deeply engaged in its networks and actively contributes to discussions on issues including the future 10th Research Framework Programme.

“International research today needs both open doors and a measured approach to risk. That is why we are strengthening not only our global networks but also knowledge security in research and knowledge transfer. As a university, we are committed to long-term, resilient partnerships that enable research across borders while making it more robust,” says Prof. Dr. Nina Nestler, Vice President for Internationalization, Gender Equality & Diversity.

Campus: modernizing, renovating, growing

The University of Bayreuth is improving the quality of the campus environment for students and staff. Seminar rooms are being converted into modern teaching and learning spaces, with seminar room S64 in the Law, Business & Economics building serving as a pilot project. This room is designed as a multifunctional space for teaching, learning and interaction, with flexible zones for presentations, group work and focused study. Technical facilities in lecture halls and seminar rooms are also being upgraded, including additional power outlets and charging facilities for students.

At the same time, the University is investing in renovation and strengthening the campus for the future. Extensive refurbishment is under way in existing buildings, including the canteen (€5.5 million) and the Bavarian Geoinstitute (€5.7 million). Two new-build projects are also progressing: the Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (IEI) and the Regional Start-up & Innovation Centre (RIZ). In the first week of October, a topping-out ceremony was held for the IEI, while the foundation stone was laid for the RIZ. As part of the strategic, future-focused development of the campus, the Northeast site-development project has also been under way since July 2025, enabling the campus to expand its infrastructure over the long term.

Digitization of administration

The University's digital infrastructure is also being expanded further. Administrative processes are increasingly handled digitally, including through the introduction of the Bavarian Digital Personnel File; the University's digital elections were also completed successfully. At the same time, the University is exploring the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence in administration and services and is gradually developing concepts for its responsible use. “A vibrant, innovative campus is created not by buildings and technology alone, but by the people who study, teach and work here. That is why we are investing strategically in modern infrastructure, efficient digital processes and attractive working conditions. We want to create the best possible conditions for students, researchers and staff alike,” says Provost Dr. Nicole Kaiser.

Sustainability, innovation and knowledge transfer

From Winter Semester 2026/27, all teacher-training students can enrol in the supplementary programme in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), developed by the University of Bayreuth together with four other universities. Building on the established supplementary Sustainability programme, it equips future teachers to help young people engage responsibly with complex societal challenges. The University of Bayreuth is also setting an example through its own sustainability efforts: it has once again been recertified as a Fairtrade University, an award renewed every two years. The University will mark ten years as a Fairtrade University on 4 November with a public Stadtgespräch event.

In innovation, knowledge transfer and entrepreneurship, the Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation closely links teaching and practice. For example, students from different degree programmes work with external partners to develop innovative solutions based on societal and regional needs. Students gain entrepreneurial skills, while companies and organizations benefit from fresh ideas for their own development. In one innovation programme, students worked directly with older people and with partners such as the Bavarian Red Cross in Bayreuth to develop ideas for a better quality of life in later years, before presenting them to a high-profile jury. The University of Bayreuth received the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts’ MöglichMacher Award for the programme; on 17 November, a Popup City Lab will bring the ideas into the city under the title “Innovations for a Better Life in Old Age”. A new student cohort will enter the programme in 2027. The new Mission: Bella Bayreuth programme, launching this semester, builds on the same format: German- and English-speaking students work with external partners to develop and test entrepreneurial ideas for making Bayreuth an attractive place to study in the future.

“Sustainability cannot remain a stand-alone topic alongside the core curriculum; it belongs in the DNA of every educational programme - whether in the lecture hall, a practical project or a start-up idea. That is exactly what we aim to model at the University of Bayreuth: anyone who studies here learns from the outset to consider and connect environmental, social and economic questions, rather than only discovering them after graduation,” says Prof. Dr. Susanne Tittlbach, Vice President for Digitalization, Innovation & Sustainability.