Fathers’ Campus
Fathers’ Campus
New initiative: hejDAD Fathers’ Campus – More space to be a dad
Being a father. Life at university. Moving forward together.
Being a dad whilst also working, conducting research, teaching or studying? – everyday life can quickly become quite a juggle. After all, family, partnership, care work, appointments, responsibilities and your own expectations don’t always line up neatly one after the other.
This is exactly where the Vätercampus, launching in October, comes in for our university! The VÄTERCAMPUS brings together fathers from all over Germany across different universities to exchange ideas, share experiences and gain fresh inspiration for family life, partnership and everyday university life.
Supported by the VÄTERCAMPUS team, you can look forward to workshops, talks and digital ‘campus campfires’ for open discussion in small groups – practical, confidential and on an equal footing.
You decide for yourself: attend individual events or take part in the whole programme.
VÄTERCAMPUS is aimed at fathers, expectant fathers and men with family responsibilities from the fields of research, teaching, administration, technology and higher education.
Start: 1 October 2026
Registration: from 15 September 2026
Participation: free of charge for fathers at our university
Further information & registration: hejdad.app/vaetercampus/
Programme for the 2026/27 winter semester
Date | Title | Brief description | Format | Expert |
| 13 October 2026, 8.00 pm | Welcome to Vätercampus | We warmly welcome you to Vätercampus and, in a short live session, will introduce you to what you’ll find here and the events that await you. | Julia Strobel | |
| 22 October 2026 12:00 | Fatherhood in transition – where do we exactly? | How do fathers want to live today – and what is actually standing in their way? To kick off the Fathers’ Campus, Karsten Kassner (Bundesforum Männer) and Gunter Beetz (Managing Director of hejDAD) will discuss changing perceptions of fatherhood, societal expectations and the political framework, and what this means for the day-to-day reality of fatherhood at universities. An open discussion about the aspirations and realities of fatherhood. | Expert Talk | Karsten Kassner & Gunter Beetz |
| 29 October 2026, 7.30 pm | Campus Campfire | Gather round the digital campfire : meet other fathers, share experiences, listen and strike up a conversation. No pressure to perform, no judgement – in a small, trusting group and just amongst fathers. | Campus Campfire | Gunter Beetz |
| 2 November 2026, 8.00 pm | Welcome to Fathers’ Campus | We warmly welcome you to Vätercampus and, in a short live session, will introduce you to what you’ll find here and the events that await you. | Julia Strobel | |
| 10 November 2026, 12.00 | Balancing research, family and role expectations. A work-life balance workshop for fathers in the context of academia | Juggling an academic career with active fatherhood is often a balancing act. This workshop invites you to reflect on expectations, conflicting goals and structural constraints – and to discover what options are available to you for achieving a work-life balance that suits you and your family life. | Workshop | Antje Rach |
| 23 November 2026, 7.30 pm | Campus bonfire | See above | Campus bonfire | Gunter Beetz |
| 2 December 2026, 8.00 pm | parental leave & Parental allowance | Parental allowance, parental leave, allocating the months: there are many options when it comes to family time – and at least as many questions. This workshop will give you a clear overview of what’s important for your planning, what flexibility you have, and what you should bear in mind when making financial and career decisions. It’s also worth taking a closer look when you have a second child, as circumstances can change and new options may arise. | Workshop | Josephine Schmidt |
| 17 December 2026 19:30 | Campus bonfire | See above | Campus bonfire | Gunter Beetz |
| 13 January 2027 12:00 | "Digital media – A curse or a blessing? Adopting a stance rather than imposing bans!" | Smartphones, social media, online games – the digital world is an integral part of children’s and young people’s everyday lives. Many parents feel unsure: how much is too much? What are the risks? How can we ensure a healthy approach? This interactive talk is not about imposing bans, but about knowledge, reflection, discussion and adopting a clear stance. Because only by understanding the mechanisms and risks can parents provide their children with the support they need. | Workshop | Gunter Beetz |
| 20 January 2027, 7.30 pm | Campus campfire | See above | Campus bonfire | Gunter Beetz |
Registration
Participation in the hejDAD VÄTERCAMPUS is free of charge for fathers of students at our university.
Here’s how to register from 15 September 2026:
1. Register with your university email address on the hey Dad Vätercampus here.
2. Once you’ve registered, you’ll gain access to the secure VÄTERCAMPUS area. There you’ll find dates, materials, recordings and opportunities to connect with others. You’ll receive invitations to talks and campus campfires directly via hejDAD or via the platform. You decide for yourself which activities you’d like to take part in.
Good to know: Your university email address is only required once, to ensure that, as a father at a participating university, you receive free access to the restricted VÄTERCAMPUS area.
When registering, you’ll also provide a private email address. This is how you’ll receive messages relating to VÄTERCAMPUS – for example, information on dates, new ideas or even more personal content that you might not necessarily want to end up in your university inbox.
FAQ
What can I expect at the Vätercampus?
The hejDAD VÄTERCAMPUS brings together fathers from universities across Germany. You’ll find a safe digital space where you can discuss the issues that really matter to you as a father at a university – from the day-to-day chaos of family life, through partnership, parenting and care work, to stress, your university job, your studies, or the question of how you actually want to live out your role as a father.
What specific topics are we talking about?
For example, stress, the division of family and care responsibilities, partnership, fatherhood and role models, parental leave and parental allowance, but also topics such as digital media, puberty, separation and blended families, or caregiving responsibilities.
In short: the big and small questions that arise when you’re a dad and are trying to juggle family, university and your own life at the same time.
You don’t have to attend every session. You can choose whatever suits you, your family and your daily life at any given time.
How is the Digital Fathers’ Campus structured?
What VÄTERCAMPUS has to offer:
- A safe digital community for fathers
Here you can meet other fathers from participating universities, ask questions, share experiences or simply read along and see what’s on other people’s minds. Moderated, down-to-earth and straightforward. - 4 times per term – Campus Campfire: small-group discussions
Not a lecture, but moderated conversations amongst fathers. Here, there’s space for what often gets neglected in everyday life – open, understanding and without any ready-made solutions. - 4 times per term – Online talks and workshops with experts
Practical knowledge and fresh perspectives on topics relevant to your everyday life as a family man and father. With the chance to ask questions and join the discussion. - Materials and recordings to refer back to
Missed a session or don’t have time right now? You can access all the content later – whenever it suits you. Exchange ideas with fathers from other universities. Different university , different job, different family situation – and yet often surprisingly similar questions. Looking beyond your own everyday university life can be really helpful. - Ideas that make a difference in everyday life
It’s not about explaining to you how being a dad ‘properly’ works. It’s about taking away ideas, information and experiences that can help you find your own way.
Is VÄTERCAMPUS a safe space?
Yes – and that’s exactly what matters to us!
The VÄTERCAMPUS is intended to be a place where you can openly ask questions, share experiences and also talk about things that might not have a place in everyday university life.
The community and the discussion forums are therefore professionally moderated and supported by the hejDAD.Team. We ensure that we treat one another with respect, appreciation and trust – so that different experiences and perspectives are given space and we can all get on well together.
Personal questions, contributions or content from the community and the campus campfires will not be passed on to your university.
Can I still take part even if I’m not a ‘traditional dad’?
Absolutely. There’s hardly such a thing as a ‘traditional dad’ anyway. VÄTERCAMPUS is aimed at fathers, expectant fathers and men with family responsibilities – regardless of what your family looks like, how old your children are or how you approach your role as a father.
You don’t need to know exactly what you want to talk about either. If you’re thinking about issues relating to fatherhood, family and your everyday life, or if you’re simply curious to chat with other fathers, you’re very welcome.
Why is this programme run by the university?
We want to support and empower fathers at our university – and provide them with useful resources to help with their everyday family and university life. That is why our university is taking part in the hejDAD VÄTERCAMPUS. This means that fathers from across the fields of study, research, teaching, administration and technical services can make use of the full range of services free of charge and exchange ideas with fathers from other universities.
The university facilitates access and publicises the programme. The hejDAD team is responsible for organising the content, facilitating sessions and providing support for the VÄTERCAMPUS.
Why do I have to log in using my university email address?
First of all, we need your university email address so that we can link you to your university. This ensures that, as a father at a participating university, you receive free access to the restricted-access VÄTERCAMPUS.
When you register, you’ll also provide a personal email address. This is how we’ll be able to send you messages relating to VÄTERCAMPUS – for example, information about dates, new ideas or even more personal content that you might not necessarily want to receive in your university inbox.