A memorable year and an eventful autumn semester are drawing to a close. As you will have noticed, the University celebrated a grand open day on 25 October 2025, opening its doors to a wider public and presenting itself in all its facets. We were deeply moved by the great interest shown in our University and felt that we had truly arrived in the city and region. But we do not only want to look back; we also want to look ahead and take the next steps.

Those who have known the University for some time will be aware of how much it has changed in recent years. We have grown and now comprise six faculties. The 25th anniversary offered an opportunity to look back and take stock, but we are now also looking forward: what does the future hold? What are our next projects? How can we continue to ensure the highest quality in research and teaching?

You, our students, play a very important role in answering these questions. After all, it is you who constantly reflect back to us where we stand and where we should be heading. We have already taken an important step: the newly founded Zug Institute for Blockchain Research is gaining momentum and has appointed its first professors. With this institute, we aim to create an internationally visible beacon in research, but our teaching will also expand significantly in the participating faculties. In the medium term, new or expanded BA and MA programmes may also emerge.

Digitalisation is just one of the priorities we have set ourselves as a university. We are also continuously working on new ideas and projects in the fields of health and medicine. Why not attend our new lecture series, the Life B. Braun Lectureship at the Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, which demonstrates how research can contribute to improving our quality of life? Who knows what the University will look like in 25 years as a result of these initiatives and developments?

You may have just spent your first semester with us or be approaching graduation. I hope that you feel at home here and that your studies meet – or even exceed – your expectations. Please let us know where we can improve or where we are already doing well. Yes, we are growing, but we continue to ensure that we remain accessible to you; we need to stay in dialogue with you.

As the semester draws to a close, I wish you successful exam preparation, a relaxing holiday season and a great start to the new year!

Professor Martin Hartmann, President