RUB Centre for City Futures opens in Bochum, Germany

The new CCF office is hosted by Ruhr University Bochum and run by the Regional Director Michael Weckop. With the opening of the RUB Centre for City Futures (RUB CCF), academia and urban society in Bochum are moving closer together. Through the RUB CCF, Ruhr University Bochum will in future bundle its teaching and research activities as well as its initiatives in the field of urban development. At the same time, via the UNIC European University Alliance, the centre strengthens interdisciplinary and international collaboration within the city and supports new formats for participation and knowledge exchange. The aim is to develop concrete strategies and projects for a sustainable, inclusive and liveable city, together with local partners.

At the opening event on 15 December 2025, invited guests gained insights into how the city of Bochum and Ruhr University Bochum are jointly shaping the city’s future. Alongside welcome addresses by Bochum’s Mayor Jörg Lukat and RUB Rector Prof. Dr Martin Paul, the programme featured short keynote inputs and practical examples of innovative collaboration between urban society and academia. 

"Bochum already has strong cooperation between academia and urban society. Building on this, our RUB Centre for City Futures creates an open space in the heart of the city where local challenges are tackled and concrete solutions for Bochum’s future are co-created. Through the European UNIC network, we bring international perspectives from comparable cities such as Bilbao, Oulu and Istanbul into this work.”, says Michael Weckop.

RUB's Rector Martin Paul, RUB CCF Director Michael Weckop and Mayor Jörg Lukat

Michael Weckop in front of the new CCF office in the city centre

RUB's UNIC coordinator Jonna Tikkanen in discussion with city's representatives

RUB Rector Prof. Dr Martin Paul emphasised the role of the new centre for the university and the city: “It gives me great pleasure that Ruhr University Bochum is creating an open space in the heart of the city with the Centre for City Futures – a place where urban society and academia come together. This is where voices are heard, networks are formed, and ideas are turned into solutions. Together with our municipal cooperation partners, we are working to actively shape transformation in Bochum.”

Bochum’s Mayor Jörg Lukat highlighted the broader significance of the initiative: “The establishment of the Centre for City Futures is an important contribution by Ruhr University Bochum to strengthening cooperation between academia and urban society on the path towards Bochum’s House of Knowledge. Together with UniverCity – an interdisciplinary, cross-institutional knowledge network in Bochum – it addresses key challenges of our time.”

Want to know more about the idea behind the Europe-wide UNIC Centre for City Futures Living Laboratory? Follow this link: https://unic.eu/en/city-futures.