Knowledge at your fingertips

On 7 October 2023, the terrorist Hamas militia attacks defenceless civilians in southern Israel with unprecedented brutality. More than a thousand defenceless men, women and children are murdered, and 250 hostages are abducted to the Gaza Strip. The Israeli military responds with an attack on the Gaza Strip, with the aim of destroying Hamas and permanently eliminating the terrorists. Tens of thousands of Palestinians, including men, women and children, fall victim to these attacks and the associated circumstances. This leads to mass displacement, forced evictions and famine. A humanitarian catastrophe with no end in sight; on the contrary, the conflict is spreading across the West Bank, into Lebanon, to Yemen and involving Iran. The Israeli government sends the army on a campaign of conquest – the fate of the population is uncertain.

The programme ‘Controversial Dialogue (Dialog Kontrovers)’ asked:

• How can the State of Israel’s right to exist be secured in the long term?
• How can terrorism be combated effectively in the long term?
• How can displacement, hardship and hunger in the Gaza Strip be stopped?
• What prospects remain today, two years after the Hamas attack, for a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians?
• Endless escalation – or: What ways out of the violence are there? 

Older people value stability – younger people are open to change: are these mere clichés or accurate descriptions? Do the differences and conflicts between the generations weaken a society, or do they make it more resilient and better equipped for the future? What is young, what is old? Is this categorisation useful for finding one’s own identity and coping better with everyday life, or does it tend to hold individuals back? Where are the opportunities for the battle of the generations not to be a battle against one another, but a joint effort towards common goals?

There is a wide range of areas in which generations can either work together or come into conflict. During the summer term, the Controversial Dialogue (Dialog Kontrovers) programme at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences will focus on six areas, examining what divides the generations and what unites them – in relation to politics, technological change, the media, the environment and climate, as well as cultural norms and social values.

Delve deep into the world of artificial intelligence. The focus is on its impact on people’s lives, ranging from everyday situations to professional aspects.

Saxony’s Minister for Science, Sebastian Gemkow, and academics from Mittweida University of Applied Sciences not only provided insights into the latest developments in AI, but also placed particular emphasis on fostering a lively debate. We didn’t just highlight the positive aspects, but also took critical voices into account. How does artificial intelligence affect our daily lives and our jobs? What challenges and opportunities does this present?

Saxony’s Minister-President, Michael Kretschmer, outlined the state government’s plans for the energy transition and sustainability in the Free State of Saxony. This political perspective was followed by a discussion of the topic, informed by insights from Mittweida University of Applied Sciences.