The Ruhr Lecture
- A Lecture Series of the Competence Field Metropolitan Research

Since 2013, the Ruhr Lecture has been organized by the Institute of Geography at Ruhr-University Bochum and the Faculty of Spatial Planning at TU Dortmund University. They are joined in 2016 by the Joint Centre Urban Systems at the University of Duisburg-Essen. As of the winter semester 2016/17, the Ruhr Lecture is organized by the Competence Field Metroplitan Research (KoMet) of the University Alliance Ruhr (UAR).

Every winter semester, the lecture series has highlighted the broad spectrum of disciplines involved in metropolitan research at the Universitätsallianz Ruhr (UAR): Scientists and experts from various subject areas address current urban challenges and provide in-depth insights into their current work.

Spatially, the Ruhr Lecture often focuses on the Ruhr Region. Experiences from other metropolitan regions are also included and comparatively related back to the region.

The participants of the Ruhr Lecture consist of international students, but the lecture series also address the general public and all others who are interested in metropolitan research. The students come e.g. from the TU Dortmund University, Faculty of Spatial Planning, from the Master's Programmes of the Main Research Area „Urban Systems“ of the University of Duisburg-Essen and also from the Master's Programme „Geography/Urban and Metropolitan Studies“ of the University of Bochum. Due to this audience, the Ruhr Lecture will be held in English.

All interested parties are cordially invited to the events!



Winter Semester 2023/24

This winter semester 2023/24, the Ruhr Lecture with the topic The Ruhr Region - A Metropolis in Transformation will deal with challenges arising (or having arisen) from processes of change from a variety of perspectives and across disciplines in the Ruhr Region.

The English-language Ruhr Lecture will take place in purely virtually, on selected six Mondays (always from 4 to 7 p.m.) during the lecture period. Access data will be available from October 2023 via metropolenforschung_at_uaruhr.de .

Please consult for the Programm this LINK .

You can find HERE the Poster.

Winter Semester 2022/23

In the winter term 2022/23, the Ruhr Lecture dealed with strategic approaches to transformation processes in urban spaces across disciplines and from a variety of perspectives under the topic 'Key Issues in Urban Systems - Transformation: Strategies for Urban Change'. How do cities and regions meet the growing transformation requirements in connection with the Grand Challenges? Which regional potentials are being used? What possibilities are there for steering these processes? These questions and more were explored in more detail in the English-language lecture series on selected Mondays.

Programme of the Ruhr Lecture 2022/23


Winter Semester 2021/22

The Ruhr Lecture in the winter semester 2021/22 dealt with the topic "Mobility and Logistics". On six dates during the lecture period, KoMet academics from the research field "Mobility & Logistics" gave insights into their research and projects.

Programme of the Ruhr Lecture 2021/22

Winter Semester 2020/21

In the winter semester 2020/21, the Ruhr Lecture focused on the research fields of the Competence Field Metropolitan Research of the University Alliance Ruhr (KoMet). Thus, the topic of the Ruhr Lecture was Key Issues in Metropolitan Research - Insights into Current Research. Due to the given situation, the Ruhr Lecture was organized completely virtually.

Programme of the Ruhr Lecture 2020/21

Winter Semester 2019/20

The Ruhr Lecture in the winter semester 2019/20 focused on different methodological approaches in urban and metropolitan research. Under the topic Methodologies in Metropolitan Research: Disciplinary Differences, Challenges and Solutions, both qualitative and quantitative methodologies have been discussed.

Programme of the Ruhr Lecture 2019/20

Winter Semester 2018/19

In the year 18/19 the Ruhr Lecture with the topic The Future of the Ruhr Region: Beyond 2018 and the End of Mining was organized in cooperation with the RAG-Stiftung and was dedicated to the Future of the Ruhr Region.

Programme of the Ruhr Lecture 2018/19

Winter Semester 2017/18

This year, the Ruhr Lecture focused on the Emscher conversion and was jointly managed and organized with the Emschergenossenschaft. On the topic of River Ecosystems in Transformation - Conversion of the Emscher, experts from practice met experts from theory.

Programme of the Ruhr Lecture 2017/18


Winter Semester 2016/17

For the first time in the winter semester 16/17, the Ruhr Lecture was organized and held jointly with all three UAR-Universities. Under the topic Key Issues in Metropolitan Research, experts from these Universities provided insights into their metropolitan research. 

Programme of the Ruhr Lecture 2016/17