Extreme weather events such as heavy rain and flooding pose growing challenges for early warning systems worldwide. Researchers at the University Bonn, the Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ), and the Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence have developed RiverMamba, a new AI model that can predict river discharges and flood risks more accurately than previous methods. The research paper, which shows potential for climate adaptation and disaster control, has been accepted for NeurIPS 2025 – a sign of scientific excellence in Bonn-based research. RiverMamba thus makes an important contribution to climate adaptation and risk prevention – topics that are receiving special attention worldwide, particularly around UN World Tsunami Awareness Day on November 5th.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Borchard receives the university medal, which is the highest honor that the University of Bonn can bestow on its members and its wider community, meaning that it is only ever awarded to people who have rendered truly special service to the University. The medal is presented by the Rectorate and the Senate, which counts representatives of all the University’s status groups among its members. This year, this unique accolade was conferred on to four exceptional individuals during the ceremonial opening of the academic year 2025/26.

The goals behind the project funding program “vielfältig.nachhaltig.digital” (“diverse.sustainable.digital”) are to cultivate the potential of individual students, raise awareness on sustainable development and anchor the acquisition of digital skills within teaching. Year after year, the University of Bonn provides funding for highly innovative individual and group projects within this program framework. Six projects emerged as this year’s competitive winners, on topics ranging from AI-assisted learning, which is being developed in the Faculty's Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, to a University-wide roleplay simulation.

The University of Bonn is at the forefront of artificial intelligence research. As a co-founder of the Lamarr Institute, its scientists work closely with colleagues from the Technical University of Dortmund and the Fraunhofer Institutes for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS in Sankt Augustin and for Material Flow and Logistics IML in Dortmund. Together, they are developing technologies that will transform many aspects of our lives. The institute’s mission is to create AI that is not only powerful but also trustworthy, sustainable, and socially relevant. In doing so, the University of Excellence Bonn is sending out a clear message: progress requires responsibility.

The University of Bonn is continuously expanding its research infrastructure – thereby creating the foundation for the success of its researchers. Under the umbrella of the Bonn Technology Campus (BTC), 14 core facilities are now available for university-wide use, combining cutting-edge technologies, specialized expertise, and comprehensive services. They provide all researchers at the university with access to instruments and methods that would often be inaccessible or difficult to obtain for individual research groups. In doing so, the University of Excellence creates the conditions necessary to put research ideas into practice at the highest level.

Despite only being in its infancy, the Institute for Entrepreneurship has already made a name for itself as a driver of entrepreneurial spirit at the University of Bonn. Based at the Faculty of Agricultural, Nutritional, and Engineering Sciences, it combines interdisciplinary research, teaching and practice in three main areas: start-ups, innovation and transfer. The institute is headed by Professor Denise Fischer-Kreer and Professor David Antons, who are injecting fresh momentum into Bonn’s university landscape together with their team.