Review: MINT Festival Jena 2025
Three days of hands-on science – focus on communication
From September 16 to 18, 2025, Ernst-Abbe-Platz in the heart of Jena was transformed into a lively center for science, technology, and education: The MINT Festival Jena 2025 offered exciting insights into the world of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, and technology – with a focus on the topic of communication.
Students as researchers
Once again, the focus this year was on the students, who traveled in large numbers from Jena and all over Thuringia. They experimented, programmed, constructed, and discussed at over 30 interactive stations. Whether in workshops on artificial intelligence, building their own sensors, or interacting with scientists, the young participants were able to not only observe science and technology, but also actively shape it.
The festival program was very diverse and offered three days of hands-on science:
- Interactive booths and workshops on campus
- Stage shows, lectures, and live demonstrations
- A STEM night with student experiments in the spotlight
- Numerous special events as part of the partner festival “Highlights of Physics”
This year, we were there together with "Lichtwerkstatt Jena" and were able to support the experiments with Quantum Minilabs. Lichtwerkstatt Jena was once again one of the driving forces behind the festival this year. As an open photonics makerspace at the Abbe Center of Photonics at Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, it offers technology enthusiasts—from schoolchildren to university students—the opportunity to implement their own projects using state-of-the-art equipment.
Aftermovie on YouTube
The highlights of the festival were captured in an aftermovie, which is now available on YouTube. The film offers impressions of three intense days full of inspiration.
