Students Redesign STEM Education at FutureMINT Thinkathon 2026
Braunschweig Technical University Selected as Host for Nationwide Student Thinkathon on STEM Education Reform
The Stifterverband (Donors' Association for the Promotion of Humanities and Sciences in Germany) has chosen Braunschweig Technical University (TU Braunschweig) as the venue for a nationwide participatory event aimed at reshaping STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education in higher learning. From March 26 to 28, students from across Germany will gather for the FutureMINT Thinkathon, an initiative designed to actively involve them in advancing STEM degree programs and generating fresh ideas for university teaching.
STEM disciplines face mounting challenges: a rapidly changing world of work, declining student numbers, and high dropout rates. How can curricula, practical relevance, and learning environments be redesigned to make STEM studies more appealing? A jury has selected students from all over Germany to take part in this three-day thinkathon—an intensive, collaborative event (similar to a hackathon) where teams develop innovative solutions to complex problems.
Around 50 participants, including seven from TU Braunschweig, will spend these three days working in teams, supported by mentoring and method workshops, to refine their proposals for improving STEM education. Their best concepts will be presented on June 18, 2026, at the FutureMINT Conference in Berlin to university leaders, degree program coordinators, and industry representatives—with ongoing support for implementation afterward.
The decision to hold the 2026 FutureMINT Thinkathon at TU Braunschweig stems from an initiative by Professor Robert Hänsch, head of the Institute of Plant Biology:
"For too long, the evolution of STEM degree programs has been discussed primarily from the perspective of educators or future employers. With the FutureMINT Thinkathon, the Stifterverband is deliberately placing students' views at the center. Their experiences and ideas are crucial if we want to make degree programs future-proof and more attractive."
Julius Othmer, director of TU Braunschweig's Projekthaus, added: "We are thrilled to host committed students from across Germany and collaborate with them on shaping the future of higher education. We also take great pride in the Stifterverband's recognition of TU Braunschweig as an innovation hub, positioning our university as a key player in the future development of degree programs."
The thinkathon is part of the Zukunftsmission Bildung (Future Education Mission), through which the Stifterverband seeks innovative contributions to advancing STEM higher education. One pillar of this mission is the MINTchallenge plus, which targets forward-thinking degree programs that serve as best-practice models for study and teaching. At the same time, the FutureMINT Thinkathon brings together students from all over Germany to contribute their perspectives and ideas for the future of STEM education.
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