Report concerning the first Alumni Day of the Wuppertal Institute

On Saturday, 1 October 2011, the first Alumni-Day took place in the context of the Wuppertal Institute’s 20th anniversary. The day before, the anniversary congress was held in the town hall of Wuppertal followed by a party in the Villa Media where current and former employees of the Institute were invited. Characterised by many as a "family meeting", the framework provided a good opportunity to remember the time of working together at the Institute, and to forge new forms of future cooperation.

After the welcome by the president Uwe Schneidewind in the newly designed cafeteria we went to the auditorium for further exchanges. As a prelude, Reinhard Loske described his view of the Institute’s impact on politics and science then and now. Uwe Schneidewind, vice president Manfred Fischedick and research team leaders Stefan Thomas, Stefan Bringezu and Carolin Baedeker discussed the current activities of the institute, followed by a lively discussion with suggestions and proposals made by the Alumni.

In the afternoon the Alumni were divided into different activity groups. The first one experienced teamwork and trained further skills in a high-rope-course in the Briller Viertel. The second group enjoyed a very interesting tour through the sculpture park by Tony Cragg, at Villa Waldfrieden. A third group visited the art forge of Uwe Hoffmann. They created an own artwork that will be exhibited at the next Alumni Day in 2012. At the end the groups met in the restaurant "Grain Mill" for a typical local dish, the "Bergische Kaffeetafel".

The first Alumni day got a very positive feedback. The organisers will try to comply with the explicit wish to have more room for the exchange of ideas - a second Alumni Day is already planned for 5 and 6 October 2012. Suggestions are very welcome.