Oldenburg was launched as a "City of Science" on 7 January 2009. The award from the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft was a great success not only for the city, but also for the university. Oldenburg had prevailed against Lübeck and Constance, among others.

The result was impressive: together, partners from science, business, culture, education and the media organised more than 800 events in the city and region - from the experimental mile to the science ghost train and the "Science Pub". In 2009, the idea for The Smart House Oldenburg was born, which has established itself on Schlossplatz as an important place for dialogue between science and society.