Overcoming barriers with innovation and ideas
It's about nothing less than breaking down walls: the highly acclaimed Falling Walls Science Summit, taking place in Berlin from 6 to 9 November, brings together hundreds of national and international guests from science, politics, civil society, business and the media. They are all looking forward to one item on the programme in particular: the presentation of the world's best ideas for innovation, progress and improvement, the ‘Science Breakthroughs of the Year’.
The University of Münster is also involved as a partner of the summit. Alongside Berlin and an association of universities in Baden-Württemberg, it is organising one of only three preliminary competitions in Germany with the ‘Falling Walls Lab’. Students, bachelor's and master's graduates, doctoral candidates and postdocs from all disciplines will compete in this format on 11 September at Münster's harbour by providing an answer to the question ‘Which are the next walls to fall?’ "Having already participated in a Falling Walls Summit, I know that this is an impressive and fascinating competition. We are therefore proud to be strengthening young scientists and paving the way for the future by organising the local competition," emphasises Rector Prof. Dr. Johannes Wessels.
All participants in the lab in Münster will have three minutes to convince a high-calibre jury and the audience that their research project, business idea or social initiative is good enough to compete against international competitors in the final in Berlin (6 November). The focus will be on the innovative potential and social impact of the approaches.
Applications for the ‘Falling Walls Lab Münster’ can be submitted until 15 August. The University of Münster is organising the pitch competition as a preliminary round for the entire north-west of Germany, which is why applicants from other universities are expressly welcome. The ‘Falling Walls Lab Münster’ will take place at the ‘FIEGE X-Dock’ (Am Mittelhafen 32).