Falling Walls Council Partnership Programm

The Falling Walls Foundation connects science, business, politics, art, and society to shape the future sustainably through impactful ideas. Inspired by the fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989, the foundation promotes groundbreaking thinking and fosters a global network. Since 2023, the University of Münster has been participating in the Council Partnership Program and the foundation’s various initiatives.

Falling Walls Lab Münster

Falling Walls Labs are international idea competitions for students and early-career researchers: within just three minutes, they present their ideas to a jury and audience. Each year, renowned universities around the world host their own Labs to showcase the quality, diversity, and passion of the most innovative minds in their region. From disciplines ranging from mathematics to the social sciences, these talents address the most pressing challenges of our time with their proposed solutions. Since 2025, the University of Münster has been hosting its own Falling Walls Lab, thus promoting the global exchange of visionary ideas.

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Falling Walls Science Summit

Since 2009, the Falling Walls Science Summit has brought together leading thought leaders from science, business, politics, art, and society to discuss current research breakthroughs and drive innovation. Breakthrough presentations, keynotes, panel discussions, and workshops foster cross-sector dialogue and connect knowledge for global progress. The Science Summit takes place annually around 9 November in Berlin – in 2025, for the first time, it will be held over four event days.

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Role of the Future Lab

The Future Lab accompanies the partnership program at the University of Münster and coordinates related formats, such as the Falling Walls Lab, which will take place for the first time in 2025.

The University of Münster invites its members to actively engage with the Falling Walls universe. If you are interested in exploring one of the many opportunities to get involved, please don’t hesitate to contact us!

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The Falling Walls Foundation offers additional formats to bring science to life through networking and to foster innovation in targeted ways:

Female Science Talents supports women scientists and women in leadership positions with networking events and a one‑year Intensive Track program. Falling Walls adopts an inclusive definition of “women,” encompassing cis‑ and trans‑women as well as gender‑queer and non‑binary individuals.

Falling Walls Engage Hubs pool local and international expertise to tackle societal challenges together. Dialogue forums, exchange formats, and continuing‑education offerings connect science, society, and politics around the globe.

Falling Walls Global Calls form the essential basis of the Science Summit—this is where the “Breakthroughs of the Year” are sought worldwide, across all disciplines and sectors.

Young Entrepreneurs in Science (YES) is a free training program that equips master’s students, doctoral researchers, and postdocs from all fields with entrepreneurship skills. The program is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Ministry for Culture and Science of North Rhine‑Westphalia (MKW).

At the annual Creative Bureaucracy Festival, actors from government, politics, civil society, and other change‑making organizations come together to develop innovative potentials and creative approaches for the public sector.