The Saarbrücken Computer Science Research Days support the next generation of scientists with lectures, workshops, and insights into current computer science research.
From June 24 to 26, 2026, Saarbrücken was once again a hub for young computer science enthusiasts from all over Germany. Since 2008, the Saarland Informatics Campus, as the host of the "Saarbrücker Forschungstage", has been offering selected high school students the opportunity to delve deeper into the world of computer science. The event is aimed at 14- to 20-year-olds who have distinguished themselves through exceptional achievements in the subject and are seeking an introduction to academic computer science.
Participants and lecturers of the "Saarbrücker Forschungstage". Photo: MPI-INF/ Bertram Somieski
The goal of the Research Days is to inspire young talent to pursue a degree in computer science, to provide them with early exposure to research, and to support them on their path into academia.
This year, 42 young Germans participated, including 6 young women, as well as two students from a German school in Romania. As always, the invitees include the top participants from the second round of the 44th National Computer Science Competition (Bundeswettbewerb Informatik), as well as outstanding high school graduates who have particularly impressed in their advanced computer science and mathematics course.
The first meeting on the afternoon of June 24 was followed by a pre-event evening to set the tone and provide an opportunity for participants to get to know one another. This was followed by two days of exciting presentations, lectures, and workshops, each running from morning until late afternoon. On Thursday, an evening event titled “Ethics for Nerds” rounded out the research days thematically. The students could choose from 6 broader topics to create their own program; each participant attended three different workshops in small groups. The topics covered a wide range: from theoretical computer science and satellite communications to bioinformatics, game programming, and quantum computing as well as a session on AI-large language models.
This year, the workshop instructors come from the Department of Computer Science of Saarland University, the Max Planck Institute for Informatics, the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems, the Center for Bioinformatics, and the CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security.
Participants also attended an advanced lecture program featuring presentations by Professors Thorsten Herfet (Saarland University) and Joël Ouaknine (MPI for Software Systems), who provided insights into their current research.
The Saarbrücken Computer Science Research Days are organized in close cooperation with the Nationwide Computer Science Competitions (Bundesweite Informatikwettbewerbe) and pursue the common goal of inspiring young people interested in computer science to engage with the subject. The German National Computer Science Competition has taken place annually since 1980 and is hosted by the German Informatics Society, the Fraunhofer ICT Group, and the Max Planck Institute for Informatics. The competition is supported by the Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth.
Further Information:
Website of the Nationwide Computer Science Competitions: https://bwinf.de/
Editor:
Bertram Somieski
Tel.: +49.681.9302-5710
Email: somieski(at)mpi-klsb.mpg.de