Semester-long course programme
Information on participation
Registration is required to take part; applications will be processed in the order in which they are received. A confirmation of your place, together with the relevant invoice, will be sent to you following registration. To register online, please click on the seminar of your choice and then select ‘Online Registration’ at the very bottom of the page.
You may cancel your registration in writing up to two weeks before the seminar begins, free of charge. After this deadline has passed, or if you fail to attend the
seminar sessions, the full participation fee will be due.
More information about our lecturers
Semester-long course programme
The programme of courses running alongside the academic term is aimed primarily at older adults who, perhaps following their active working life or family commitments, wish to explore academic topics. The seminars in the programme are not part of the university’s general curriculum; rather, they have been designed by the C3L – Centre for Lifelong Learning at the University of Oldenburg – and are specifically tailored to the interests of older adults. There are no specific entry requirements for the seminars, and guest student status is not required either.
For the 2026/27 winter semester, we have once again put together an attractive programme of courses for you, covering topics from art history, literature, health, theology, psychology and even creative writing.
We hope we have sparked your interest and look forward to welcoming you to one of the courses.
Writing even better texts
Lecturer: Ann-Kathrin Marr
Description:
How can I write more easily and effectively? Whether it’s a newsletter, your own website or an article for your club magazine: writing well isn’t down to chance – you can learn it! And above all: it’s fun. In this course, you’ll receive tips and strategies to help you do just that. Using examples, we’ll practise writing concisely and vividly, and finding good opening lines and smooth transitions. To do this, we’ll use creative methods, writing exercises and examples. Short theoretical sessions will provide the necessary tools of the trade. However, the focus is on practical work and expert feedback. You can discuss your own texts with the tutor and the group, revise them and try out new approaches.
The seminar is aimed at anyone who has gained some initial experience in writing – whether in their personal life, at work or on the previous course ‘Writing Good Texts’. The focus is on non-fiction texts, such as those for websites, newsletters, speeches or club magazines. Authors of fiction can also benefit from the exercises.
Course number:
30.50.104
Dates:
Mondays, 22 February, 1 March and 8 March 2027, from 4.15 pm to 6.30 pm on each occasion (9 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 15
Course fee: €72
From substance to form - an introductory course in prose writing
Lecturer: Henriette Dyckerhoff
Description:
What inspires us to write a story? A short scene that we observe? A gesture that touches us? A landscape? Or a theoretical consideration?
In this seminar, we explore how an idea - the material - can develop into a literary form. We will talk about dramaturgy, develop interesting characters with depth and examine what makes a good story. We try out different literary genres: We write poetry, narrate, fabulate. Another focus is on the writing process itself: How can writing be integrated into everyday life? What rituals and methods help us to stay creative? This course is aimed at anyone who is interested in writing prose - regardless of whether they already have writing experience or not.
Event number:
30.50.105
Dates:
Tuesday, 15/09/2026
Wednesday, 16/09/2026
Tuesday, 29/09/2026, from 14:30 - 17:45, (12 hours)
Number of participants: max. 12
Course fee: €84
Language and narrative style – finding your own voice
Lecturer: Henriette Dyckerhoff
Description:
This seminar is aimed at people who enjoy writing and wish to develop their own authentic narrative style. Stories can be told in many different ways: tragically, dramatically, humorously or quietly and tentatively. Perspective also plays a crucial role. Is a character narrating from right in the thick of the action, or is the story told from a distance? Depending on the narrative approach, the atmosphere and impact change significantly. A crime thriller, for example, can be told with black humour, making it surprisingly light-hearted and entertaining. Other texts, by contrast, are dark and suspenseful, making them almost impossible to put down. A dramatic event loses some of its intensity when described from a distance – whilst even everyday occurrences such as a weekly shop can take on a poetic quality when described appropriately.
We’ll look at examples from literature and experiment with different text forms and narrative styles. In doing so, you’ll naturally develop your own linguistic expression and find your own individual way of formulating thoughts and ideas.
Course code:
30.50.105
Dates:
Tuesdays, on 9 February, 16 February and 23 February 2027, from 2.30 pm to 5.45 pm on each occasion (12 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 12
Course fee: €84
Oldenburg and Russia.
Links between Russian and Oldenburg politics, 1721 to 1872
Lecturer: Dr Bernd Müller
Description:
The course examines the interrelationships between the foreign policies of Oldenburg and Russia from the Great Northern War of 1700–1721, the wars with France and the Congress of Vienna in 1814–15, right up to the consolidation of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg within the German Empire in 1872. The course focuses on the objectives of Russian policy towards Oldenburg, how Oldenburg utilised these, and the political significance of the dynastic links between the Houses of Gottorp, Romanov
, and Oldenburg. The aim is to highlight the broader contexts and implications for European politics of the era, rather than the countless details of domestic developments during these years of upheaval in Europe.
Course number:
30.50.112
Dates:
Thursdays, 4.15 pm – 5.45 pm
18 Feb, 25 February, 4 March and 11 March 2027 (8 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 25
Course fee: €72
‘Wise is the person who learns from everyone’ – Exploring Jewish scriptural interpretation
Lecturer: Dr Kim Strübind
Description:
The theological foundations of Judaism are largely unknown. This is partly because this world religion does not pursue proselytising. One of the remarkable phenomena is that, despite centuries of expulsion and persecution, Jewish men and women have, through their religious code based on the Talmud and Midrash, created a ‘portable homeland’ (Heinrich Heine) from their religious code comprising the Talmud and Midrash, which has accompanied them into every exile and continues to unite Judaism worldwide to this day.
This six-part lecture series aims to introduce the distinctive nature of Jewish scriptural interpretation, to explain the relationship between the written and oral Torah, and to demonstrate that many prejudices against Judaism stem from anti-Semitic stereotypes that have been passed down over the centuries. The lecture series presents the Jewish faith community as a religion whose essence is characterised not by ‘legalism’ but by a passionate endeavour to serve God in daily life. Judaism is not about the inviolability of sacred texts, but rather about their discursive engagement, creative debate and a struggle to relate them to life.
Course number:
30.50.106
Dates:
Thursdays, 10.15 am – 11.45 am
11 February, 18 February, 25 February, 4 March, 11 March and 18 March 2027 (12 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 20
Course fee: €72
"..., and she was allowed to go into all the rooms, only there was one room in the corridor that she was not allowed to enter." - Prohibitions and transgressions in fairy tales
Lecturer: Sabine Lutkat
Description:
How do we deal with prohibitions? And how do we deal with the consequences of breaking a prohibition? Such questions occupy us throughout our lives, so it is not surprising that this topic also plays an important role in fairy tales. In many fairy tales, prohibitions are pronounced and, as a rule, the prohibitions are not obeyed: Doors are opened, characters are seen in the light, secrets are eavesdropped on, and yet fairy tales usually end well. The seminar will focus on fairy tales in which prohibitions are spoken and broken. Based on the fairy tales, we will reflect together on whether the violation of prohibitions is a catastrophe, a danger or a necessity, and also explore the question of what distinguishes prohibitions from taboos. Fairy tales in which prohibitions are not violated and this leads to a good end will also be discussed.
Event number:
30.50.110
Dates:
Tuesdays, 13:15 - 16:30 (incl. break)
15.09., 22.09. and 29.09.2026 (12 hrs.)
Number of participants: max. 20
Course fee: €86
Online registration
The Allure of Crime Fiction
Lecturer: Helga Bürster
Description:
There’s a rustling in the bushes, a night bird takes flight, someone screams – a murder has taken place. Does that pique your curiosity? Then you’re part of the huge fanbase of crime fiction. Originally dismissed as trash and relegated to the back of the bookshop, the crime novel has now established itself as a literary genre, yet remains a mass phenomenon. The hype shows no sign of abating. But what is it that fascinates us so much about crime and the play on fear? And how do authors manage to captivate us readers? Is the crime novel, ultimately, something of a mirror of our society? Using crime short stories ranging from classic to modern, such as those by
Agatha Christie, Friedrich Ani and Don Winslow, we aim to explore this genre in more detail.
Event number:
30.50.108
Dates:
Thursdays, 28 January, 11 February, 25 February and 11 March 2027, from 10.15 am to 11.45 am on each occasion (8 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 20
Course fee: €64
Online registration
Letteratura italiana - Seminario di conversazione in lingua italiana
Lecturer: Pasqua Pastore
Description:
The Italian conversation seminar focuses on reading a work of Italian literature (in Italian). The title of the work chosen for the 2026/27 winter semester will be announced to participants at the start of the course. In addition, further reading material will be provided on interesting facts and aspects of Italian culture, history and politics. To take part in the seminar, a knowledge of Italian equivalent to at least level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is recommended.
The Italian conversation course focuses on reading newspaper articles and watching short reports, documentaries and films in Italian. The materials, which deal with Italian politics, culture and society, will be provided by the lecturer. At the participants’ request, certain aspects of Italian grammar can also be explored in greater depth. A knowledge of Italian from level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is recommended for participation in the seminar.
Course number: 30 .50.109
Dates:
Mondays, weekly from 12 October 2026 to 25 January 2027, 10.15 am – 11.45 am (28 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 18
Course fee: €168
Online registration
A Look at Art History:
Light, Melancholy and New Beginnings – Artists from Scandinavia
Lecturer: Bärbel Schönbohm
Description:
This seminar offers an insight into Scandinavian art history from the 19th to the 20th century through the lens of six pioneering figures. The journey begins in the Romantic period with the Norwegian Johan Christian Dahl, the master of the sublime Nordic landscape. Next comes the Swede Anders Zorn, who captures the virtuoso light of Scandinavia. The Norwegian Edvard Munch, as the father of Modernism, explores psychological abysses, whilst the Finnish artist Helene
Schjerfbeck fascinates with her radically minimalist reductionism. The Swedish artist Sigrid Hjertén, whose work is characterised by expressive colour dynamics and melancholic intensity, revolutionised the avant-garde of her time. The exhibition concludes with the Danish artist Asger Jorn, who, after the war, as a co-founder of the CoBrA group, broke with traditional forms through abstract spontaneity.
Event number: 30 .50.102
Dates:
Mondays, 2.15 pm – 4.45 pm
1 February, 8 February, 15 February, 23 February and 1 March 2027 (15 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 35
Course fee: €90
Online registration
Gerhard Richter – painter, draughtsman, photographer
Lecturer: Detlef Stein
Description:
Gerhard Richter’s work defies categorisation. Since completing his training as a muralist at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, the artist – born in 1932 – has pursued a wide variety of paths as a painter, draughtsman and photographer, ranging from abstract works to figurative representations based on photographic models.
The seminar traces key developments in Richter’s oeuvre and presents major works such as the stained-glass windows for Cologne Cathedral.
Event number: 30.50.101
Dates:
Mondays, 8 March and 15 March 2027, from 2.15 pm to 4.45 pm on each occasion (6 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 20
Course fee: €60
Online registration
A visit to the Kunsthalle Bremen:
The Dachshund. An icon goes for a walk
Lecturer: Bärbel Schönbohm
Description:
Together, we will explore the first major exhibition to place the dachshund at the centre of artistic creation. Hardly any other dog has been – or remains – as popular with artists as the dachshund. We will witness the transformation of this four-legged friend from its original role as a hunting companion to that of a metropolitan companion
and today’s cult object. Around 120 exhibits from the past and present await us. The range spans painting, drawing, photography, video art, installation and performance, right through to insights into popular culture, book illustration, decorative design and toy design. Works on display include those by Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Tischbein, Max Liebermann, Pierre Bonnard, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, David Hockney and Rosemarie Trockel, amongst others.
The visit to the exhibition will be complemented by a guided tour of the collection’s depictions of dogs.
Participants are responsible for their own travel to the Kunsthalle Bremen. The admission fee of €15.00 is not included in the course fee and must be paid by participants directly at the museum.
Event number: 30 .50.103
Date:
Friday, 15 January 2027 from 11:00 – 12:30 (2 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 20
Course fee: €24
Online registration
Fashion: somewhere between everyday life and an art form
Lecturer: Thomas Feld
Description:
The idea that no work of art can be so beautiful and perfect that it cannot be surpassed by a new one is a key insight of Romantic art theory. It captures a dynamic that is inherent in modernity: at any time, the good can be surpassed anew. This is what defines the restlessness of modern development. The early Romantics found this dynamic in fields as diverse as art history, the novel, love and religion. The same dynamic can be found in fashion.
It is an essential part of our everyday world and has been an art form in its own right since at least the end of the 19th century. Fashion determines how we dress, how our department shops are stocked, and entices us with the promise of feminine and masculine beauty. It plays with colours, shapes, materials and themes. It draws on fairy tales, myths and the expressive possibilities of modern art, whilst at the same time being a colossal commercial enterprise with impressive success stories and dramatic failures. And today’s fashion always lags behind tomorrow’s.
In this seminar, we will explore the world of fashion. We will draw on our own experiences and make use of texts from the social sciences and philosophy, as well as visual material and films. The aim is mutual exchange and a better understanding of this aspect of our everyday lives.
Course number: 30.50.113
Dates:
Tuesdays, 2.15 pm – 3.45 pm
9 Feb, 16 Feb, 23 Feb, 2 March and 9 March 2027 (10th lesson)
Number of participants: max. 20
Course fee: €70
Online registration
Qigong –
Self-guided exercises for resilience, regeneration and raising awareness
Tutor: Susanne Sander
Description:
Through Qigong, we practise a unique form of body-centred awareness that guides us towards a sense of balance from our inner centre. The movements and postures stimulate the body’s own healing powers, breath and mind/imagination; they strengthen muscles and bones, promote the circulation of blood and qi, and help us find peace. Through Qigong, we can cultivate our mindful awareness, inner strength, resonance, resilience and balance, and cope differently with life’s challenges, such as endings, changes and new beginnings. The exercises, with their aesthetic of balance in movement, can be learnt by people of all
age groups without any prior knowledge. Aspects drawn from theories and philosophies complement the practical exercises, which form the main focus of the course.
Course number: 30 .50.114
Dates:
Tuesdays, 08:00 – 09:00
weekly from 13 October 2026 to 26 January 2027 (21 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 25
Course fee: €126
Online registration
Heart Qigong
Lecturer: Susanne Sander
Description:
“Feel the pulse of your own heart. Calm within, calm without. Learning to breathe again – that is what it is.” (Christian Morgenstern)
In traditional Chinese philosophy, the heart is the seat of the Shen – the soul, the spirit. It stands for inspiration, creativity, joie de vivre and charisma. The heart and kidneys are closely interrelated. The kidneys provide a refuge for the Zhi soul, the willpower. They give creativity the power to be realised. Without kidney qi, ideas remain mere thoughts; without heart qi, the impetus for something new is lacking.
Through Heart Qigong, we regulate the heart, circulation, kidneys and the flow of energy through the meridians, whilst promoting inner calm. The fears, demands and stresses
of everyday life recede into the background. The first part of the seminar covers the basics, principles and mechanisms of Qigong. The second part focuses on learning and practising selected Heart Qigong exercises.
Anyone interested in Qigong who enjoys trying new things is welcome. The exercises are easy to learn and suitable for all ages. Comfortable clothing and
light, flat shoes are recommended. No prior knowledge is required.
The course fee includes refreshments during the seminar (cold drinks, coffee/tea, fruit and biscuits).
Event number: 30.50.114
Dates:
Friday, 12 February 2027 from 3.00 pm – 6.30 pm (including a break)
Saturday, 13 February 2027 from 9.00 am – 4.45 pm (including a break), (12 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 20
Course fee: €120
Online registration
Embracing the moon - Meridian (49er channels) Qigong
Exercises to promote resilience, inner balance and stress competence
Lecturer: Susanne Sander
Description:
Traditional Chinese medicine TCM and philosophy describe: "When life energy Qi and blood flow, illness is kept at bay." For the flow of Qi, so-called meridians (pathways) run through the entire body as a self-effective energetic network. The meridians are often compared to watercourses such as springs, streams and oceans. 12 main and eight extraordinary meridians as well as numerous smaller meridians connect and penetrate the surface of the body as well as the inside of the body and the organs. The Qi flow in the meridians can be regulated by acupuncture and Qigong, among other things. The Qi exercises stimulate physiological as well as psychological and consciousness-specific effects that can promote, enable and facilitate one's own resilience, physical and mental balance and suppleness, the ability to focus and to find inner peace. In the first part of the seminar, the basics, principles and effects of Qigong are taught using selected exercises. In the second part, we will focus on learning and practising selected Meridian Qigong exercises.
All those interested in Qigong and willing to experiment are welcome. The exercises are easy to learn and suitable for all ages. Comfortable clothing and light, flat shoes are suitable for Qigong. No previous experience is required.
The course fee includes seminar refreshments (cold drinks, coffee/tea, fruit and biscuits).
Event number: 30.50.114
Dates:
Friday, 25 September 2026 from 15:00 - 18:30 (incl. break)
Saturday, 26 September 2026 from 09:00 - 16:45 (incl. break), (12 hrs.)hours)
Number of participants: max. 18
Course fee: €120
Online registration
Self-management with the Zurich Resource Model (ZRM®) according to Dr Maja Storch and Dr Frank Krause
Lecturer: Katrin Scholz
Description:
Do any of the following situations sound familiar?
- Are you going through a period of transition and wondering how you’d like to shape the next chapter of your life?
- Have you set yourself a goal, are determined to achieve it, but are finding it difficult to do so?
- Are you in a situation where you need or want to make a decision but find you can’t?
- Do you feel that something is still missing, or do you want to change something in your life but aren’t quite sure what or how?
If so, a workshop based on the Zurich Resource Model – a self-management method grounded in neuroscience and the psychology of motivation – might be just the thing for you.
The method enables you to
- to identify unconscious needs
- to formulate actionable goals
- to develop new patterns of behaviour and embed them in your brain
- to gain inner motivation and strengthen your willpower
- to resolve current professional and personal issues
- to stop unconscious automatic behaviours and act competently
- to activate your own resources and develop new ones.
You will be able to apply the workshop’s content effortlessly and sustainably in your everyday life, which can lead to a high degree of relaxation, contentment, happiness and success.
Please note: This workshop is not a substitute for therapy and cannot resolve serious, acute life crises.
The course fee includes refreshments during the seminar (cold drinks, coffee/tea, fruit and biscuits).
Event number: 30.50.116
Dates:
Friday 6 November 2026 and Saturday 7 November 2026, from 09:00 to 17:00 on both days, (16 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 12
Course fee: €128
Online registration
Illusion of perception
Lecturer: Evgenij Coromaldi
Description:
How do we perceive the world - does our perception correspond to reality or is it all just a constructed reality - a construct of our sensory organs and our brain - an illusion? How can our perception deceive us? What influence does attention have on what we perceive or do not perceive? What are the laws that determine our perception or our illusions? What are the limits of our perception? What significance does all of this have for our lives?
This course examines these and other questions from a psychological and neuroscientific perspective and illustrates them using numerous examples and a number of experiments.
Event number: 30.50.112
Dates:
Wednesdays, 14:15 - 16:30
02.09., 09.09., 16.09. and 23.09.2026 (12 hrs.hours)
Number of participants: max. 20
Course fee: €72
Online registration
The Invention of the Self –
An exploration of philosophical theories of identity (online)
Lecturer: Mark Dahlhoff
Description:
What defines the self – and does one even exist? From ancient notions of the soul, through Descartes’ ‘cogito’, to modern concepts of a fluid sense of self, a fascinating panorama of philosophical answers to the question of identity unfolds.
In this five-part seminar series, we embark on an intellectual journey through key positions in the history of philosophy: from classical metaphysics through modern and existentialist theories to contemporary theories of social and digital identity. In doing so, we will familiarise ourselves with well-known philosophical concepts whilst also developing our own perspectives on modern humanity’s self-understanding. The seminar is aimed at anyone who is keen to explore the enigma of the self – caught between the search for identity and an identity crisis – through philosophical means.
Please note: The seminar will be held online and is organised in co-operation with the University of Magdeburg. Once you have registered, we will email you the access link in good time.
Course number: 30.50.115
Dates:
Thursdays, from 11.15 am to 12.45 pm
21 January, 28 January, 4 February, 11 February and 18 February 2027 (10 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 20
Course fee: €50
Online registration
Infatuation and Love:
Psychological and neuroscientific perspectives
Lecturer: Evgenij Coromaldi
Description:
What does research say about love at first sight? What is infatuation and what is love from the perspective of modern psychology and neuroscience? This seminar explores the latest findings and theories on the emotional and neurobiological foundations of love and infatuation. In the context of interpersonal relationships, modern psychology distinguishes between different types of love. The differences between love and infatuation, as well as between romantic and maternal love, are examined with regard to the brain structures, neurotransmitters and hormones involved. What determines interpersonal attraction? What role do physical attractiveness, scent and pheromones play? What factors influence partner choice, and which ones promote satisfaction and stability in a relationship? The course also examines whether there are individual, cultural and gender-specific differences in partner choice. The course also addresses short- and long-term partner selection strategies among women and men, as well as the significance of economic resources, social
status, age and appearance from the perspective of modern psychology and neuroscience.
Course code: 30 .50.110
Dates:
Wednesdays, 14:15 – 15:45
10 February, 17 February, 24 February, 3 March, 10 March and 17 March 2027 (12 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 20
Course fee: €84
Online registration
Positive Psychology: Theory and Practice
Lecturer: Evgenij Coromaldi
Description:
Happiness – is the goal of Positive Psychology, and ‘happiness is measurable and can be learnt’ (Seligman, 2009). According to the PERMA model of Positive Psychology
(Seligman, 2011), there are five factors that are crucial to our life satisfaction and well-being: (1) positive emotions, (2) engagement, (3) meaning, (4) positive relationships and (5) achievement/goal attainment. These five factors are built upon the foundation of six virtues: wisdom/knowledge, courage, justice, temperance,
humanity and transcendence, and the 24 character strengths associated with them, which are defined within each virtue.
According to the ‘happiness formula’ of positive psychology, one’s long-term level of happiness is determined by several factors. Some of these factors are directly within our control
– namely, our actions and our thoughts. According to positive psychology, actions and thoughts that lead to long-term life satisfaction are determined by certain character strengths. How to positively change one’s actions, thoughts and character strengths in order to achieve lasting life satisfaction, and what measurable effects this has on one’s life, is explained and applied within the framework of positive intervention in positive psychology. The course provides an overview of concepts, scientific research findings and practical exercises in positive psychology.
Course code: 30 .50.111
Dates:
Wednesdays, 4.00 pm – 5.30 pm
10 February, 14 Feb, 24 Feb, 3 Mar, 10 Mar and 17 Mar 2027 (12 teaching hours)
Number of participants: max. 20
Course fee: €84
Online registration
