Successful university information day with a strong start and new formats
On Saturday, 14 June 2025, the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) opened its doors under glorious sunshine for this year’s University Information Day (HIT) – attracting numerous prospective students, parents, alumni, and guests to the City and Forest Campuses, as well as the Forest Botanical Garden, with a varied programme and vibrant atmosphere. But it wasn’t just Saturday that impressed: the day before marked the premiere of a new format full of charm and potential for surprises – “HIT Warm Up | HIT Heat Up” – which is set to become a firm tradition on the eve of the University Information Day.
Opening of the 2025 Waldstadtfestival on the eve of HIT: (from left to right) Volkmar Grätsch, Chair of the Sparkasse Barnim Board; Daniel Kurth, District Administrator of Barnim; Prof. Dr. Uta Steinhardt, Vice President for Study and Teaching at HNEE; and Götz Herrmann, Mayor of Eberswalde.
Lively Buzz on the City Campus for HIT 2025
Prospective students explore the Bachelor's programme in Socioecological Forest Management and the Master's programme in Forestry System Transformation.
The ADAPT-Wood-Forest research project showcased practical research on climate-adapted forest and timber use at HIT – attracting keen interest from the audience.
Bachelor’s Programme in Sustainable Economics and Management Showcases Itself
Prospective students explored HNEE’s Master’s programmes with great interest.
How can sustainability be studied alongside a career? This question was at the heart of many conversations at the continuing education programmes’ stand.
Encounters, conversations, campus life: Between Buildings 5 and 6, the HIT afternoon was a lively meeting point for all generations.
The HNEE Centre for International Affairs (ZIA) in personal conversation with a prospective student.
The HNEE Brass Ensemble: Students bring not only knowledge but also musical talent to the stage – with powerful female voices.
The Master’s programme in Sustainable Regional Development: Education – Management – Conservation on display.
All nominees and winners of the 2025 Engagement and Audience Awards
Musical fairy tale reading following the Engagement Award ceremony
Confident, witty, and charming: Melanie Adam guided the audience through the evening — approachable, humorous, and with a keen sense for life’s stories.
Not a win, but growth: Steffi Schneemilch, lecturer in Sustainable Business & Service Learning, talks about her mayoral campaign and the strength found in failure.
Research with impact: Vice President for Research and Transfer, Prof. Dr. Alexander Pfriem, spoke about the potential of failure in everyday scientific work.
Anneke Brüns’ story—from former Wood Engineering student to happy Bachelor’s student in Forestry—powerfully showed how apparent failure can turn into new perspectives and genuine joy in studying.
Paavo Günther, alumnus of Sustainable Business Management and co-founder of Havelmi eG, spoke candidly about the challenges and setbacks faced by Havelmi eG — honest, moving, and forward-looking.
Sander Claas, Master’s student in Global Change Management and former student vice president, shared his personal story of failure at the HIT Warm Up.
From student to mentor: The alumna of Ecological Agriculture & Food Systems is now part of the HNEE team and shared her personal story of failure with the audience.
The focus was on in-person programme presentations, which continued to attract consistently high attendance in the Bachelor’s area. Particularly encouraging was a roughly 32% increase in interest in the Master’s programmes compared to the previous year – a clear sign of growing demand for specialised sustainability studies.
At the same time, all programme presentations were streamed online to offer remote access to prospective students. While the online offering for Master’s programmes was well received, digital participation in the Bachelor’s area dropped by around 50% compared to last year – suggesting a stronger desire for face-to-face interaction.
A varied supporting programme rounded off the HIT: students showcased their projects and initiatives, and guided tours of the City and Forest Campuses as well as the Forest Botanical Garden gave insights into the study environment. Tours of the Forest Campus were particularly popular, featuring visits to the carpentry workshop, the Technical Centre, and the wildlife biology collection – including the famous mounted elk, a highlight of the HNEE’s collection since 14 December 2020. Degree programme coordinators accompanied the tours and were available for individual study advice. In addition, HNEE’s training coordinator, Stefanie Sperfeldt, provided information on the university’s broad range of vocational training opportunities.
Another highlight of the day was the presentation of the 2025 Engagement and Audience Awards by the Eberswalder Hochschulgesellschaft e. V., which took place in the afternoon – accompanied by a musical fairy tale reading. Melanie Adam, Alumni Manager at HNEE, and the duo Neumann & Wolf took the audience on a literary journey through the Eberswalde University Fairy Tale Book. A magical transition into the evening’s campus party organised by the AStA – and a fitting conclusion to a successful university weekend.
- The Engagement Award went to the student group “Studis gegen Rechts Eberswalde” (Students Against the Right Eberswalde), which sends a strong message for democracy and diversity through creative campaigns, commemorative work, political education, and networking. The group organises weekly meetings, supports demonstrations, maintains local and national partnerships, and launches its own campaigns – an exemplary commitment to a vibrant university and civil society.
- The Audience Award was presented to Pia Witte, a Bachelor’s student in Sustainable Economics and Management. Since 2023, she has been an active member of the AStA and, as of 2024, serves as Student Vice President. She is highly committed to higher education policy, student participation, and community spirit. Whether organising the campus festival, helping to shape internal university structures, or connecting student committees on a national level – Pia Witte contributes with remarkable responsibility, organisational talent, and passion
At the event "Studi meets Alumni - Unterm-Stamm-Tisch", current and former HNEE students came together for relaxed conversations – right beside the sculpture “Die Durchdringung” (Interpenetration) by the pond on the City Campus. The artwork is a popular spot for connection, inspiration, and networking.
HIT Warm Up: A Lively Kick-Off with Humour, Appreciation, and Realness
Organised by HNEE’s Career Service and Alumni Management (Josefine Brodhagen and Melanie Adam), the inaugural Warm Up event on the eve of the HIT offered a vibrant mix of connection, reflection, and entertainment.
The day began with the so-called “Champus Tour", where members of the HNEE Alumni Network (NAH) and the Eberswalder Hochschulgesellschaft e. V. (EHG) were treated to a sparkling guided walk across campus. Prof. Dr Dr h.c. Wilhelm-Günther Vahrson, former HNEE President, and student Ronja Lehmkuhl (Bachelor’s student in Sustainable Food and Agriculture) led the tour with fascinating historical insights and amusing anecdotes.
In the evening, the Eberswalde StudiClub opened its doors for the event “Beautiful Failure - That didn't go as planned…”. Six speakers from teaching, research, entrepreneurship, and student life shared personal stories about detours, misunderstandings, and failed projects – and what they learned along the way. Hosted by Melanie Adam and musically accompanied by Daniel Cordes, the evening championed a positive approach to failure: humorous, authentic, and courageous.
The event not only laid the foundation for a new tradition, but also sent a strong message about HNEE’s culture of reflection and community. One audience member summed it up perfectly: “I laughed. I cried. I learned about shockwaves and student assemblies – and so much about life. I’m deeply impressed and moved by the courage of everyone who shared their mistakes and mishaps with us. Beautiful Failure – a complete success!”
The next HNEE University Information Day will take place on Saturday, 6 June 2026. The university warmly invites all those interested to save the date.