From December 1, 2021, to February 28, 2022, students, interested parties, citizens, and scientists will exchange ideas with researchers on pressing questions of the future and proposed solutions as part of a learning lab funded by the Berlin University Alliance (BUA). The interactive events will discuss topics such as social urban development, sustainable consumption, the right to repair, pop music as a form of political communication, and the future of teaching at universities. The “Mall Anders” laboratory is located on the first floor of the Wilma Shoppen shopping mall in Berlin-Charlottenburg; the inauguration of the experimental space by the president of Technische Universität Berlin, Prof. Dr. Christian Thomsen, and the district councilor for Urban Development, Building and Environment of the Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf district, Oliver Schruoffeneger, is scheduled to take place on December 1 at 5 p.m.

“Global challenges such as climate change, rising resource consumption, and increasing health risks require open, easily accessible and participatory forms of dialog, even beyond academic institutions, in view of the substantial number of stakeholders involved. With the learning lab, we have created a space where people from Berlin and representatives from the arts, politics, and economy can exchange ideas with researchers. We want to leave the university buildings and enter into conversation with society in the heart of the neighborhood,” says Dr. Thorsten Philipp, Senior Advisor for transdisciplinary teaching at Technische Universität Berlin, who conceived the format.

“Mall Anders” offers space for pop-up exhibitions, science dialogs, ten-minute lectures, workshops, performances and artistic interventions, panel events, and student project workshops. For example, the student group “Green Justice” will contribute with an exhibition and event program on urban greenery, while the Project lab SCI.COM opens space for student science communication. The science store “kubus” will transform the space into a repair café for several days. Students funded by the Student Research Opportunities Program^x (StuROP^x) will also present their projects, including the group "Misappropriation of living space" with a public workshop on December 10.

The "Mall Anders" learning lab is part of the BUA's objective Fostering Knowledge Exchange. The space was designed by students of architecture at the Natural Building Lab at Technische Universität Berlin as part of a training course. The results of the events are evaluated systematically and documented online as part of an open process archive.

Time and place

• Wilma Shoppen shopping mall, first floor, Wilmersdorfer Straße 46, 10627 Berlin-Charlottenburg
• December 1, 2021, until February 28, 2022: Mondays to Fridays 10.00 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays on announcement (see Website)

Contact

Dr. Thorsten Philipp, Referent für Transdisziplinäre Lehre an der Technischen Universität Berlin
Email: thorsten@mall-anders.berlin 

The Berlin University Alliance

The Berlin University Alliance is a consortium consisting of three major Berlin universities – Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin – and Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, established to shape research and education in Berlin. The four partners joined forces to further develop Berlin as a research hub with international drawing power. Together the partners explore major societal challenges, increase public outreach, promote the training of junior researchers, address issues of quality and standards in research, and share resources in the areas of research infrastructure, teaching, diversity, equal opportunities, and internationalization. The Berlin University Alliance is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the state of Berlin under the Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government and the Länder.

Joint press release from Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin along with Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin

Press contact
Hans-Christoph Keller, acting press spokesperson for the Berlin University Alliance and press spokesperson for Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Email: medien@berlin-university-alliance.de