The joint lecture series presented by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Philipps-Universität Marburg, the University of Tübingen, and Uppsala University explores the history of European universities from the late Middle Ages to the present day. On the occasion of the 2027 anniversary year, scholars will explore key developments and challenges in the history of universities from … Continued
This planned brief history of the university presents a scholarly yet broadly accessible overview of the University of Mainz’s 550-year history in six parts, focusing on particularly significant events and developments. Nina Gallion examines the founding of the university in 1477 and the first decades of its existence. Thomas Brockmann explores the profound influence of … Continued
“Semper reformanda …” This principle of reform having to be constant, most commonly applied to the church, can also be applied to other institutions, not least universities. This is especially true when understood as a call for ongoing self-reflection and renewal. Even when interpreted more narrowly in the sense of concrete university reforms, the concept … Continued
On June 19, 2027, JGU invites you to a campus festival. Visitors can look forward to a diverse program at various locations across campus. The program includes multiple stages, activities on open grounds and in the sports facilities, and events celebrating the opening of the new greenhouses.
The ceremony marking the 550th anniversary of the University of Mainz in November 2027 will form the ceremonial conclusion of the anniversary year. Alongside representatives from academia, politics, and society, the university honors its history and reflects on the anniversary year. In addition, the event provides insights into the university’s future development. The ceremony will … Continued
Where did the University of Mainz have its origins? What traces of its history can we still find in the city today? These questions are the main focus of a course offered in the 2026/2027 winter semester. Participants will explore the historical significance of selected sites related to the university and examine them using historical … Continued
JGU is a young university with an old history. Despite its name, it was not founded in the late Middle Ages, but rather in 1946 on the initiative of the French occupying forces. Yet the tradition of university education in Mainz reaches much further back. Elector Diether von Isenburg founded a university in the city … Continued
In 1784, Elector Friedrich Karl Joseph von Erthal initiated a comprehensive reform of the university in Mainz. His ambition was for it to become “excellent,” and if possible, to rival Göttingen, the leading German university of the day. The founding of a coin cabinet was among the reforms he introduced. But why did a university … Continued
The year is 1798, and the entire present-day state of Rhineland-Palatinate is under French occupation. The University of Mainz, founded in 1477 by Archbishop Diether von Isenburg, is dissolved by the French occupying forces. “The entire university?” would be a fair question here. “No, not the entire university! Its library survived, and it was not … Continued
This exhibition is based on three photography collections from the postwar period, preserved in the University Archives. Philipp Münch, Erika Sulzmann, and Hans Tschira captured the early years of JGU from different perspectives, each portraying the emerging campus in distinct ways. As part of a practice class in the 2026/2027 winter semester, students will work … Continued
