Lower Saxony – Scotland
Joint Forum 2026

19 + 20 November

Get ready for two days of bold ideas, sharp minds, and meaningful transregional collaboration. The European Centre for Advanced Studies (ECAS) invites you to the 7th Lower Saxony–Scotland Joint Forum – where research excellence meets strategic partnership.

For years, the Joint Forum has brought together higher education institutions, research organisations, policymakers, and innovation leaders from both regions. This year’s edition at Technische Universität Braunschweig returns to the Forum’s original spirit: a place of encounter, dialogue, and forward-looking cooperation.

Day 1 opens with a panel discussion on “A Lower Saxony–Scotland Perspective on Science and Universities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, followed by interactive workshops and an official reception.

Day 2 focuses on the Lower Saxony – Research and Innovation Scheme. Awardees will present their projects, share insights, and offer practical advice for prospective applicants. Additional workshop sessions will also be available.

Interested in shaping the programme? Explore the Open Call for Workshop Proposals and apply by 12 September 2026.

Open Call for Workshop Proposals

Information Sessions - Open Call for workshops

Session 2
Tuesday, 1 September 2026, 14:00 CEST
Join via Zoom

 

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Why attend?

Network

Connect with academics, staff and students from renowned higher education institutions, politicians and experts from industry in both regions.

Collaborate

Explore avenues for interdisciplinary cooperation and initiate research partnerships.

Learn

Gain insights from experts, discover innovative projects, and expand your knowledge horizon.

Engage

Participate in discussions, exchange ideas, and be part of shaping the future of academia.

Register now

Please register below for this year’s Joint Forum, taking place on Thursday, 19 November + Friday, 20 November 2026 at the Technische Universität Braunschweig.

Participation is free of charge. Registration is open until Sunday, 1 November 2026.

Programme – Day 1 (Technische Universität Braunschweig)

1 pm CET

Arrival, Registration, and Coffee

1:30 pm CET

Welcome Addresses

Prof. Dr. Angela Ittel

President Technische Universität Braunschweig & Spokeswoman Standing Committee on Internationalisation of the Lower Saxonian State Rectors’ Conference

Prof. Dr. Anne H. Anderson

Vice President Research, The Royal Society of Edinburgh

1:45 pm CET

Panel I: A Lower Saxony – Scotland Perspective on Science and Universities in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming universities – reshaping research, teaching and learning, administrative processes, and the broader role of higher education in society.
This panel brings together perspectives from Lower Saxony and Scotland to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping higher education across three interrelated stakeholder groups:
  • Universities and academic institutions (e.g. integration of AI into research, teaching, assessment, and institutional governance; implications for academic standards, skills, and organisational structures)
  • AI providers and application partners (e.g. companies and technical partners developing and implementing AI systems for universities; questions of design, deployment, data access, and alignment with academic needs and values)
  • Funding bodies, policy makers, and ethics committees (e.g. evaluation of research proposals, regulation, ethical oversight, and the broader impact of AI on research funding, accountability, and higher education policy)
Particular attention will be given to how these stakeholder groups interact in shaping the role of AI in research evaluation and academic assessment. This includes implications for quality, transparency, and fairness, as well as emerging tensions and dependencies between universities, technology providers, and funding or regulatory bodies. The discussion will also address how responsibilities and decision-making processes are distributed across these actors in an evolving AI ecosystem.
At the heart of the discussion lies a central question:
Are universities shaping AI – or merely reacting to it?
We invite speakers from academia, administration, industry, and policy to share insights from their respective contexts and engage in a comparative dialogue on how higher education systems can actively shape the integration of AI.

Moderation:

Prof. Dr. Burkhardt Funk

Professor for Information Systems, in particular Data Science, Leuphana University of Lüneburg

Perspective of Universities and Academic Institutions:

tbc

AI-Providers, Application Partners, Networks and Research Groups:

Dr. Saleh Seyedzadeh

Head of Data, The Data Lab

Funding Bodies, Policy Makers, and Ethics Committees:

Dr. Heide Ahrens

Secretary General, German Research Foundation

3 pm CET

Coffee Break

3:30 pm CET

Two Workshops in Parallel Sessions (90 Minutes)

1. Horizon Workshop

2. TBA

5 pm CET

Closing Addresses

5:15 pm CET

Reception

7 pm CET

Optional & Self-Paying Dinner

Programme – Day 2 (Technische Universität Braunschweig)

8:30 am CET

Registration & Coffee

9 am CET

Welcome Addresses

9:15 am CET

Input on Lower Saxony-Scotland Funding Opportunities

Dr. Harald Barre

Programme Director, Volkswagen Foundation

Dr. Lauren Douglas

Research Awards Officer, The Royal Scociety of Edinburgh

Dorothea Fendel

Programme Officer, German Research Foundation

10 am CET

Coffee Break

10:30 am CET

Panel II – Research in Partnership – Insights from the Lower Saxony–Scotland Research and Innovation Scheme (Stream II – Excellence Track)

The Lower Saxony–Scotland Research and Innovation Scheme (Stream II – Excellence Track) supports ambitious collaborative research projects between Lower Saxony and Scotland across a wide range of disciplines.
 
This panel brings together beneficiaries of the Excellence Track to showcase the diversity of their collaborative research and share insights into their experiences of building successful international partnerships.

The session will highlight the scientific excellence and added value of the Lower Saxony–Scotland partnership, while offering an opportunity to learn from funded projects, exchange experiences, and discover new possibilities for future collaboration.
The discussion will also look beyond the current projects: How can successful research partnerships develop further? What opportunities can emerge from international collaboration, and how can researchers build on existing partnerships to pursue future funding opportunities at national and international level?

The panel offers researchers and other members of the higher education community an opportunity to gain first-hand insights into successful Lower Saxony–Scotland collaborations, reconnect with existing partners, and explore potential pathways for future joint projects.

Moderation:

Prof. Dr. James Conroy

Emeritus Vice-Principal (Internationalisation), University of Glasgow & Senior Academic Advisory, European Centre for Advanced Studies

Stream II - Excellence Track Projects:

tbc

11:45 am CET

Lunch Break

1 pm CET

Two Workshops in Parralel Sessions

1. Horizon Workshop

2. TBA

2:30 pm CET

Closing Addresses

Prof. Dr. Markus Reihlen

Vice President, Leuphana University of Lüneburg & Academic Director, European Centre for Advanced Studies

About

The Joint Forum is an annual, two-day networking event organised by the European Centre for Advanced Studies (ECAS) together with a partner higher education institution in Lower Saxony or Scotland. Acting as a cooperation hub, ECAS connects stakeholders from academia, policy, and innovation to foster sustained exchange between both regions.

Hosted alternately in Lower Saxony and Scotland, the Forum provides a platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the development of new collaborative initiatives. In 2025, the Joint Forum took place at the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE) in the context of the partnership between the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture (MWK), the Volkswagen Foundation, and the RSE, alongside their joint Lower Saxony – Scotland Research and Innovation Scheme. The 2026 edition will be hosted at Technische Universität Braunschweig.

With over 100 participants each year, the Joint Forum supports both the strengthening of existing partnerships and the creation of new ones.

Venue

The Technische Universität Braunschweig is one of Germany’s leading technical universities and a member of the TU Alliance. Situated in the heart of Europe’s most research-intensive region, it pursues solutions to tomorrow’s challenges in interdisciplinary, cross-faculty research centers. Its activities are organized around four core research priorities: Mobility, Metrology, Engineering for Health, and the City of the Future.

TU Braunschweig benefits from an outstanding ecosystem that brings together universities, federal research centers, Helmholtz Institutes, Fraunhofer Institutes, Leibniz Association research institutions, museums, libraries, and even a research airport. This environment offers rich interdisciplinary research and networking opportunities for both researchers and students. Its internationally oriented degree programs are characterized by strong practical relevance through research projects, excellent networking, and active technology transfer.