This year, the University and Universitätsgesellschaft Oldenburg e.V. (UGO) jointly celebrated the opening of the academic year at the start of the winter semester for the first time. "Auftakt 17/18" brought together university members, UGO members and invited guests from the worlds of politics, business and culture.

The keynote speaker at the event was Gerhard Schröder, Federal Chancellor from 1998 to 2005.

Gerhard Schröder has already been a guest at the University of Oldenburg several times - in the 1980s as SPD parliamentary group leader in the state parliament and as Minister President of Lower Saxony (1990-1998). In 1991, his government presented a bill that received broad support in the state parliament for the University of Oldenburg to be named after Carl von Ossietzky.

The evening's musical programme was provided by students under the direction of the Institute of Music. The guests were treated to a cappella, a trombone quartet, percussion and excerpts from the current revue "ESC-APE" under the direction of Peter Janßen and Axel Fries.

The festive event concluded with a reception in the foyer of the lecture theatre centre. Young founders also presented their business ideas here.