Max Planck School of Photonics

Looking back at the second Max Planck Schools Graduation Ceremony: On June 19, 2026, Deans, Fellows, coordination teams, families, and friends gathered at the FORUM on the Bildungscampus Heilbronn to celebrate the newest alumni of the Max Planck Schools – Cognition, Matter to Life, and Photonics. What began as an inaugural event last year is now becoming a permanent fixture in the calendar of the Schools. more

A Look Back at the Max Planck Schools Day 2025: As in previous years, PhD candidates, Fellows, representatives from partner organizations, and the new cohorts of the three Max Planck Schools came together at the Harnack House in Berlin. The day was once again dedicated to fostering personal exchanges, cross-school networking, and a collaborative, engaging atmosphere. Central to the discussions was the topic of responsibility and opportunity in the age of artificial intelligence. more

On June 3, 2025, the Max Planck Schools proudly hosted their first-ever Graduation Ceremony at the Bildungscampus in Heilbronn, honoring exceptional graduates from the three Schools Cognition, Matter to Life, and Photonics. The event celebrated not only their academic achievements but also the pioneering research conducted by these promising early-career scientists. We extend our warmest congratulations to all graduates on this significant milestone in their careers. more

With an impressive career in science and innovation, Holger Hanselka is a name that is inextricably linked to the German research landscape. As the former President of the renowned Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), one of the nine teaching universities of the Max Planck Schools, the mechanical engineer headed one of Germany's leading universities for many years. In 2023 he became President of the Fraunhofer Society in a role that is also crucial for the Max Planck Schools: heading one of the many key partners of the program. Certainly enough reasons to interview Holger Hanselka for our website! more

The atmosphere was vibrant at the former industrial site in Berlin: Almost 200 participants came together on October 16 to celebrate the annual Max Planck Schools Day with this year's leading theme "The Role of (Fundamental) Science Amidst a Global (Climate) Crisis". Once again, the day provided fascinating insights into the research of the three Schools, exciting discussions and, above all, the opportunity to get to know each other and get together. In keeping with the motto of the Max Planck Schools Day "3 Schools, 1 Community", the new cohort in particular was welcomed to the program. more