New Academic Year Begins on October 5
01. Oct. 2026
On Monday, October 5, 2026, Friedensau Adventist University will officially open the 2026/27 academic year. As every year, the university rector will welcome the new students on behalf of the university administration with a brief address in the chapel. For the first time, this task will be undertaken by Prof. Gerald A. Klingbeil, D.Litt., the university’s new rector.
The formal handover from Prof. Roland E. Fischer, who has served as rector since 2016, to the new rector, Prof. Gerald A. Klingbeil, will take place on October 25, 2026. More details will follow. In the meantime, here are the other events scheduled for October:
Saturday, October 10, 2026, 10:00 a.m. | Worship service marking the beginning of the academic year, including a welcome for new students and a farewell to graduating students
Saturday, October 10, 2026, 7:30 p.m. | Concert featuring the trio “Feste Freunde” from Halle
Sunday, October 11, 2026, 10:00 a.m. | Chapel | Formal presentation of certificates and awards
Friday, October 16 to Sunday, October 18, 2026 | Major reunion for alumni and former members of the Friedensau community
Sunday, October 25, 2026, 10:00 a.m. | Chapel | Formal presidential handover from Prof. Dr. Roland E. Fischer to Prof. Gerald A. Klingbeil, D.Litt.
Admission to all events is free. Donations following the concert are appreciated.
Friedensau was founded in 1899 and celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2024. Established in 1899 as a mission and industrial school, Friedensau Adventist University today continues this tradition as a state-recognized institution of higher education operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Its Schools of Christian Social Work and Theology offer ten B.A. and M.A. degree programs, some of which are available on a part-time, online, or work-study basis: www.thh-friedensau.de.
Prospective students can register for orientation days, giving them an opportunity to experience both academic and campus life at Friedensau. Further information about Friedensau and upcoming events is available at www.thh-friedensau.de/news and www.friedensau.de.
