News & Events

06.11.26 | Democracy Under Pressure – German-French Friendship in Turbulent Times

How closely do Paris and Berlin still stand together when it comes to defending freedom and democracy? Joining us to discuss this question are Dr. Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Dr. Holger Löttel and Dr. Claire Demesmay on November 6. The event will be held in German. Advance registration via dfm-info@uni-koeln.de is required.

14.10.26 | Freedom Is Not Given – Defending Human Dignity in Times of War

Freedom is not something to be taken for granted – that is the experience from which Oleksandra Matviichuk speaks. The Ukrainian human rights lawyer, whose Center for Civil Liberties was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, will visit the University of Cologne on October 14. The event will be held in English; registration is required.

Piotr Dworczak Elected Fellow of the Econometric Society

ASG Professor Piotr Dworczak has been elected a Fellow of the Econometric Society. Fellowship in the Society is among the most distinguished honors in economics.

Axel Ockenfels & Co-Authors in Science: A Global Climate Coalition for Heavy Industry

ASG Director Axel Ockenfels and an international team of experts coordinated by Catherine Wolfram (MIT) propose a framework to decarbonize the world's most emission-intensive industries. Model simulations suggest that coordinating carbon pricing and trade policy could reduce emissions with limited aggregate production effects.

Piotr Dworczak Appointed to the ASG’s First Dedicated Professorship

Economist Piotr Dworczak has been appointed to the first professorship dedicated to the Adenauer School of Government (ASG). His research examines how markets and public institutions can be designed to serve social goals such as fairness and access. He joins from Northwestern University and took up the post on September 1, 2026.

13.07.2026 | Press Release: Chancellor Friedrich Merz inaugurates the Adenauer School of Government at the University of Cologne

On July 13, 2026, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz inaugurated the Adenauer School of Government at the University of Cologne with a keynote speech. The new academic institution combines research, teaching, and public engagement in the field of public governance, with the aim of strengthening democratic governance. Its establishment is made possible by a comprehensive and long-term partnership with the Alfred Landecker Foundation.

09.07.26 | Over 200 Experts in Dialogue: “Who Protects Europe?” Symposium at the Flora

Amid geopolitical upheaval, Europe’s security architecture is facing a fundamental realignment. Against this backdrop, the symposium “Who Protects Europe?” brought together leading voices from academia, diplomacy, and government agencies at Cologne’s Flora on July 9, 2026, to discuss military, diplomatic, economic, and intelligence aspects of ensuring security for the future.

07.07.26 | Lively Debates at the Renowned Sorbonne: Kickoff of the Symposium “Who Protects Europe?”

Amid geopolitical upheaval, Europe’s security architecture is facing a fundamental realignment: military capabilities, economic resilience, and institutional strength. A first joint event was dedicated to this topic, bringing together leading voices from the worlds of politics, the military, and research.

20.05.26 | Disinformation, Populism and the Limits of Freedom of Expression

The joint discussion evening organized by the University of Cologne’s Democracy Foundation and the Adenauer School of Government will take place on May 20, 2026, starting at 6:00 p.m. in Lecture Hall II. Registration is now open for the discussion featuring former Federal Minister Peter Altmaier and former Federal Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, moderated by Prof. Dr. Markus Ogorek (Deputy Director of the Adenauer School).

19.05.26 | Die Kunst, die Welt besser zu machen: Organspenden, Pandemien, Klima – und die ökonomische Architektur der Kooperation

The lecture "The Art of Making the World a Better Place: Organ Donation, Pandemics, Climate Change—and the Economic Architecture of Cooperation" held in German by ASG Director Prof. Dr. Axel Ockenfels as part of the 125th anniversary of the Economic and Social Sciences at the University of Cologne || Location: Lecture Hall I, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, University of Cologne, Universitätsstraße 24, 50931 Cologne || Doors open at 5:45 p.m.