Hasso Plattner Foundation: science and education, conservation, art and culture

The Hasso Plattner Institute will host the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) in September 2027 in Potsdam together with the Bundesweite Informatikwettbewerbe (BWINF). Since 1989, the IOI has brought together talented students from across the globe for a computer science competition. Next year, the IOI is returning to Germany after 35 years. Around 400 young talents from nearly 100 countries will travel to Potsdam to compete in solving highly complex algorithmic problems.

This September, George Child and Family Welfare (GCFW) celebrates a century of serving communities in George, South Africa. Since 1926, GCFW has worked to protect and support children and families in vulnerable circumstances. With a dedicated team of social workers, GCFW provides safe spaces for children in crisis and services to ensure their well-being. On September 26th, anniversary festivities will mark the organization’s 100 years of life-changing work and commitment. Our warmest congratulations to GCFW on this special milestone!

DAS MINSK: 5 September 2026 - 7 February 2027

This fall, DAS MINSK will present a comprehensive retrospective dedicated to Annemirl Bauer (1939–1989). Through paintings, drawings, collages, and objects, the exhibition highlights Bauer, an artist long excluded from the artistic canon, as a critical and independent voice from the GDR. As a champion of social justice and challenger of the repressive policies of the SED, Bauer's work is a testimony to her uncompromising vision as a painter and acute observer.

The Hasso Plattner Foundation has appointed Dr. Daniela Gerd tom Markotten as Managing Director Partnerships & Transfer at the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI). She will take up the role on 1 August 2026, joining HPI’s leadership team alongside Prof. Tobias Friedrich and Dr. Henrik Haenecke. 

Since June 27, the sculpture Apron, 2024, by South African artist William Kentridge is open to the public on the terraces of the Brauhausberg. As a symbol of the importance of interpersonal communication, collaborative effort, and artistic exchange, the sculpture serves as a new link in the visual axis between DAS MINSK, the Brauhausberg, and the city center.

A public art project by the Hasso Plattner Foundation in cooperation with DAS MINSK Kunsthaus in Potsdam.

Museum Barberini, 4 July – 11 October 2026

In the mid 1880s, a new style of painting by Paul Signac (1863–1935) and Georges Seurat (1859–1891) was introduced upon the legacy of Impressionism: the application of vibrant colors in short brushstrokes and dots. As an artist, Signac was dedicated to capturing radiance and harmony in his work spanning waterside landscapes to interior scenes and portraits. As a theorist and networker, he played a pivotal role in expanding the Neo-Impressionist movement beyond France. Paintings by Lucie Cousturier, Henri-Edmond Cross, Curt Herrmann, Maximilien Luce, Camille Pissarro, Théo van Rysselberghe, Jeanne Selmersheim-Desgrange, Georges Seurat and others are presented in dialogue with works by Signac.

Remember, Reframe, Rethink, Resolve, Regenerate.

Guided by these lenses, the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at the University of Cape Town will reflect on its last ten years, and look towards the future, with a landmark Afrikan Design Thinking Convening from June 1-3, 2026. The event will bring together leaders, practitioners and emerging voices from across the design thinking ecosystem in Afrika and beyond. A key moment of the convening will be the launch of the Afrikan Chapter of the Global Design Thinking Alliance (GDTA) - a step toward strengthening continental collaboration and amplifying Afrikan perspectives within global design thinking communities. Register now for the online sessions.

The MIT Morningside Academy for Design (MAD), MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI), and Hasso Plattner Foundation celebrated the launch of the MIT and HPI AI and Creativity Hub (MHACH) on 18 March 2026. This long-term initiative aims to deepen ties between computing and design as advances in AI are reshaping how ideas are conceived and shared.  

Museum Barberini, 28 February – 7 June 2026

The painting that emerged in France in the 1860s was marked by intense, glowing colors and energetic, sketch-like brushwork. With Max Liebermann (1847–1935) as its pioneer, this revolutionary new approach also set the tone for the avant-garde in the German Empire from the 1870s on. Artists explored a wide range of motifs, from sundrenched landscapes and atmospheric figural scenes to meticulously arranged still lifes.

From 14.03.2026 renowned contemporary artist Oscar Murillo will take over the spaces at DAS MINSK Kunsthaus in Potsdam with his project Collective Osmosis, a celebration of mark-making creating moments of exchange between his paintings, installation works, and the work of Claude Monet.

Following the success of its inaugural edition, Prof. Dr. Ariel Dora Stern and Prof. Dr. Lothar Wieler will host the second HPI Digital Health Innovation Forum on March 25 & 26, 2026, continuing its mission to foster collaboration in research, policy, and digital health business leadership and to fortify the digital transformation of healthcare globally.

The Foundation is pleased to announce that Tom van der Zee joined Sabine Plattner African Charities as Managing Director on 1 January 2026. Tom brings more than 25 years of leadership experience in education across South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Ghana, and England. He has served as CEO of several educational institutions, including Oxbridge Academy and the University of Africa in Zambia. His expertise spans strategy, institutional management, and expanding access to quality education for low-income households. In addition to his experience in education, Tom has a strong commitment to conservation and empowering rural communities. He has managed complex stakeholder environments both in start-up and in mature organizations.

A Decade of Making a Difference

Teachers from 30 pilot primary schools, along with their Senior Education Officers and Principals, took part in workshops on how to use the SPAC EduConservation materials and active learning methodologies.

The artwork Der Botanische Garten [engl. The Botanical Garden], a large-scale mural by Robin Rhode, was commissioned by the Hasso Plattner Foundation in 2025. The project was realized in cooperation with DAS MINSK Kunsthaus in Potsdam and Stadtwerke Potsdam. With their joint efforts, the unique view from DAS MINSK over the city of Potsdam is being recreated, offering Potsdam’s residents and visitors a new opportunity to engage with art and culture at the Brauhausberg.

Strong development boost for the science location Brandenburg and the science hub Potsdam: University of Potsdam to receive a new campus on the Brauhausberg / Hasso Plattner Institute to be significantly expanded at Griebnitzsee. State of Brandenburg, Hasso Plattner Foundation and University of Potsdam sign declaration.