IU Faculty Meeting in Cologne: Academic Exchange, Startup Culture and a City Worth Exploring

A report from the IU Internationale Hochschule faculty meeting in Cologne — including a visit to STARTPLATZ Mediapark, drinks at the Osman 30 rooftop bar and dinner at the traditional Brauhaus Päffgen.

What Is the IU Faculty Meeting?

Once a year, lecturers from IU Internationale Hochschule gather from across Germany. Most of them teach remotely and work independently. That is exactly why this annual meeting matters. It creates space for in-person exchange, shared reflection and the further development of teaching practice. In June 2026, the meeting took place in Cologne — with a programme that balanced academic work and a genuine feel for the city.

Day One: Getting Started in the Gerling Quartier

The first day began at the IU building in Cologne’s Gerling Quartier — one of the city’s most distinctive urban developments, blending historic insurance architecture with modern office spaces. The afternoon started lightly. Snacks, icebreaker games and open conversations gave participants the chance to reconnect after months of working apart.

One simple but effective element shaped the rest of the programme. Every participant noted down the topics they wanted to discuss the following day. This kept the second day focused and meant that the conversations that followed were driven by the group itself — not by an external agenda.

An Evening in the Mediapark: Startups and Skyline Views

After checking into their hotels, the group reconvened in the evening at Cologne’s Mediapark. Prof. Dr. Richard C. Geibel — Professor at IU Cologne and Director of the E-Commerce Institut — led the tour. He knows the area well and made for an ideal guide.

First stop: STARTPLATZ

The first destination was STARTPLATZ — the largest startup incubator and accelerator in North Rhine-Westphalia. Since its founding in 2012, STARTPLATZ has supported over 1,500 startups, with alumni including DeepL, Cognigy and epilot, attracting more than 1.5 billion euros in investment. The incubator was founded by Dr. Lorenz and Matthias Gräf and spans around 4,500 square metres in the Cologne Mediapark. It offers startups room to grow, coaching, workshops and access to a large professional network.

Prof. Geibel walked the group through the space. He explained how startup ecosystems work, shared the history of the location and highlighted which companies had taken their first steps there. For lecturers who regularly discuss entrepreneurial thinking with students, seeing that world in practice was a valuable contrast to the classroom.

Second stop: Osman 30

Next, the group headed to Osman 30 — the panorama restaurant on the 30th floor of the KölnTurm. It is the highest rooftop bar in Cologne, situated in the 148-metre-tall Cologne Tower in the Mediapark. From up here, guests enjoy a spectacular view of the cathedral, the television tower, the Kranhäuser and the entire city skyline. Over drinks and that view, the conversations from the day continued — this time in a rather more relaxed setting.

Rounding Off the Evening at Päffgen

To end the evening, the group walked through Cologne to Brauerei Päffgen in the Friesenviertel. Päffgen is the oldest brewery in Cologne still brewing on its original site, with a history stretching back to 1884. It is known as an authentic Kölsch pub with a strong brewhouse character. A lively meeting point for locals, regulars and visitors looking for classic Rhineland hospitality. Fresh Päffgen Kölsch, hearty food and the warmth of a proper Cologne Brauhaus made for a fitting end to a full day.

Day Two: Working Together

The second day was dedicated to substantive exchange. Building on the topics collected the evening before, professors discussed questions around digital teaching, distance learning and current developments in their fields. The format was prepared but open. That balance proved effective — structured enough to stay on track, flexible enough to follow the conversations that actually mattered.

Why Meetings Like This Matter

The IU faculty meeting in Cologne shows what happens when people who usually work in digital spaces come together in a shared physical one. Colleagues who know each other only from video calls become a real network. And an evening through Cologne — from a thriving startup incubator to a rooftop bar to a century-old brewhouse — helps turn a work meeting into something that actually sticks.