Dresden welcomes new international researchers!

10.10.2025

On September 23, 2025, a very special reception took place in the plenary hall of Dresden City Hall:

The City of Dresden and the research institutions of the DRESDEN-concept Alliance invited newly arrived international scientists to celebrate together, network, and mark their start in Dresden with confidence and community spirit.

An evening of welcome and encounter

Around 180 guests from all over the world came together in a festive setting – from experienced professors to young researchers. The evening provided an opportunity for exchange, encounters, and first impressions of Dresden as a research location and new home.

At the beginning, Mayor Dirk Hilbert welcomed those present and gave an insight into the city’s current developments.

Prof. Dr. Angela Rösen-Wolff, Vice-Rector for Research and Technology Transfer at Dresden University of Technology (TUD), addressed the guests with a warm welcome on behalf of the TUD Rectorate. Both emphasized how valuable international knowledge and cultural diversity are for Dresden’s innovative strength and future viability.

The Duo Caracol from Dresden provided musical accompaniment and created an atmospheric atmosphere.

Particularly inspiring were the brief presentations by researchers who recently made the move to Dresden: Prof. Aparajita Singha from India (Chair of Nanoscale Quantum Materials at TU Dresden) and Taha Loghmani from Iran (doctoral student at UNU-FLORES).

They talked about their experiences, the challenges of starting over, and their hopes for their time in Dresden. Their stories motivated the newcomers to flourish here, get involved, and discover Dresden as their new home.

Afterwards, a networking initiative organized by the DRESDEN-concept Welcome Center provided an opportunity to get to know each other and exchange ideas. Finally, a raffle with three prizes created a cheerful atmosphere – the playful promotion of networking was enthusiastically received and contributed to a relaxed, cheerful, and festive atmosphere.

The evening impressively demonstrated how vibrant and open Dresden’s scientific community is – and how encounters, discussions, and shared experiences create new bridges between research, the city, and society.