Lecture series: Human-animal relationship #govegan 20.11.25
Following the tremendous success of the online lecture series in winter semester 24/25 and summer semester 2025 with over 1,300 participants each, the public and free (online) lecture series will now be continued in winter semester 2025/26. This year, parts of the event will be held in person for UW/H students. External students can still participate online.
The course "Human-Animal Relationship" took place for the first time in the summer semester 2021 as a seminar in a small setting in which the students worked out the content themselves. Here is a book that was developed jointly by the students and the team of lecturers as part of the course. Now the event is to be continued for the second time in a larger format, in which experts will give us an insight into their areas of expertise.
In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on environmental awareness and interest in climate protection at universities. Even though this has resulted in very successful formats to date, the direct relationship between humans and animals has not yet been sufficiently addressed in university contexts. In an increasingly complex world, it also makes little sense to look at major challenges in isolation.
The lecture series of the Chair of Didactics and Educational Research in Healthcare (Prof. Jan P. Ehlers, Dr. Julia Nitsche) and the Junior Professorship for Digital Health (Jun.-Prof. Theresa Sophie Busse) therefore refers to the synthesis "human-animal relationship" and offers a far-reaching platform for a comprehensive discussion and examination of the diverse aspects of animal welfare, environmental awareness and ethics.
This lecture series is not only open to students, but to all interested parties free of charge. A certificate can be issued after regular participation (e.g. for independent recognition as an elective at your own university or further education).
The event will take place weekly on Thursdays from 16 October 2025 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will end on 29 January 2026.
Although the core beliefs of veganism can be traced back thousands of years, its origins lie in the developments of the 18th and 19th centuries, including the founding of the Vegetarian Society in 1847. The question of whether simply avoiding the consumption of meat was not going too far, which had already been a recurring theme in the 19th century, flared up again among its members in the 1940s. However, as the Vegetarian Society wanted to concentrate on the fight against meat consumption, a small group of people decided to set up their own, more consistent organisation. This was the starting signal for the founding of the Vegan Society, and what began in 1944 with just a few people has now become an international, omnipresent mass phenomenon. But only very few people know exactly what veganism is supposed to stand for - or perhaps what it doesn't stand for.
Further information on veganism is available online.
It is not necessary for external interested parties to register. The events will be broadcast live .
UW/H students should register for the event via UWE and will then receive further information on registration.
Further dates in the series:
27.11.25: S3E7 Farewell to the animal - understanding animal grief
04.12.25: S3E8 Knowledge protects animals
11.12.25: S3E9 Only available today - cheaper by the dozen. Illegal puppy trade is not just an animal welfare problem
18.12.25: S3E10 Interim reflection
25.12.25: Winter break
01.01.25: Winter break
08.01.26: S3E11 Hunting and animal welfare from a criminal law perspective
15.01.26: S3E12 Vegan art
22.01.26: S3E13 Online BARCAMP"Getting into action"
29.01.26:S3E14 Kahoot final quiz