Technical University of Munich Launches Forum for Freedom and Democracy to Strengthen Civic Education Across Generations

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(IN BRIEF) The Technical University of Munich is establishing the “Forum for Freedom and Democracy at TUM” to strengthen democratic education, civic participation and social cohesion at a time when public trust in democracy is declining. The initiative responds to recent studies showing that trust in democracy among Germans has fallen from 54 percent in 2023 to 45 percent. Located at TUM’s main campus in Munich, the renovated building at Gabelsbergerstraße 39 will provide event and workshop spaces, laboratories for democratic media design, dialogue rooms and seminar areas. The Forum will serve school students, university students, employees, professionals and the wider public through exhibitions, interactive formats and civic education programmes. Its central “Democracy Co-Lab” will promote democratic innovation and participation as an active process of shaping the future. The initiative brings together several TUM institutions and external partners from academia, industry, culture and public policy, supported by the philanthropic commitment of Honorary Senator Ingeborg Pohl.

(PRESS RELEASE) MUNICH, 17-Jun-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — The Technical University of Munich is launching the “Forum for Freedom and Democracy at TUM,” a new initiative designed to strengthen democratic education, civic dialogue and the values that support a free and open society.

The initiative comes at a time when democracy is facing growing pressure in Europe and public confidence in democratic systems is weakening. Recent studies cited by TUM show that only 45 percent of Germans still trust democracy, compared with 54 percent in 2023. In response, TUM is establishing the Forum as a cross-generational platform for democratic learning, participation and exchange.

The new Forum will be located at TUM’s main campus in Munich, where the building at Gabelsbergerstraße 39 will be renovated and converted into a dedicated space for events, workshops and public dialogue. The site will include laboratories for democratic media design, seminar rooms, dialogue spaces and areas for interactive educational formats.

TUM plans to operate the Forum as an open venue connecting educational institutions, industry, civil society and policymakers. Through exhibitions, discussions, workshops and participatory formats, the Forum will create opportunities for people from different backgrounds to listen to one another, exchange perspectives and engage with democratic principles in practical ways.

The initiative will focus on a broad audience, including school students, university students, employees, professionals and the wider public. Its goal is to promote democratic education, civic responsibility and social cohesion while strengthening the foundations of a free and open society.

A key part of the Forum will be a workshop for democratic innovation and civic participation. At the centre of this work will be the “Democracy Co-Lab,” which will function as the Forum’s operational core and a dynamic space for interaction. The Co-Lab will treat civic education not simply as the transfer of knowledge, but as an active process in which participants help shape future democratic practices.

The Forum will bring together several existing TUM institutions and initiatives under one roof. These include the TUM School of Social Sciences and Technology, the Munich School of Politics and Public Policy, the TUM Think Tank, the TUM Institute for LifeLong Learning, the TUM Junge Akademie, the Cluster of Excellence TransforM and the European university alliance EuroTeQ.

TUM will also expand the Forum’s reach through partnerships with organisations from academia, industry, start-ups, the arts and cultural sector, and public policy. Named partners and networks include the TUM School Network, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, the Munich School of Philosophy, the Munich Security Conference and relevant foundations.

Professor Thomas F. Hofmann, President of TUM, said the university recognises its responsibility to society not only through research and innovation, but also by promoting democratic values and educating responsible, globally minded individuals. He expressed gratitude to TUM Honorary Senator Ingeborg Pohl for her philanthropic commitment, which is helping make the Forum possible and giving the initiative strong symbolic importance.

Through the Forum for Freedom and Democracy, TUM aims to create a lasting space where democratic values can be explored, discussed and strengthened across generations, while supporting civic engagement at a time when democratic systems face increasing social and political pressure.

Media Contact:

Corporate Communications Center
Ulrich Meyer
presse@tum.de

SOURCE: Technical University of Munich