House of Commons Debate: The Role of Science in Societal Debates
📅 24 June 2026 | 7:00–9:00 PM
📍 Herrenhausen Palace, Hanover
Whether climate change, pandemics or artificial intelligence, scientific research plays a central role in many of today’s societal debates. Researchers provide essential facts, make challenges visible and contribute to developing solutions. At the same time, expectations are growing for science to provide guidance and engage more actively in public discourse. But how far should this engagement go?
Under the title “The Role of Science in Societal Debates”, experts from academia and research will discuss how scientific expertise should contribute to public and political decision-making processes. How political can or should science be? What responsibilities do researchers have in public discourse? And where should the boundaries between science and politics be drawn?
The debate will be moderated by science journalists Kerstin Hoppenhaus and Kai Kupferschmidt. Participants include experts from the University of Hamburg, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Leibniz University Hannover.
More information can be found on the Volkswagen Foundation event page.
About the Format
The House of Commons Debate is inspired by the British parliamentary tradition and encourages active audience participation. Two sides present opposing views on a controversial question. Audience members position themselves according to the opinion they support, contribute directly to the discussion and are free to change sides if they find the opposing arguments more convincing.
The event is open to the public.
Everyone is warmly invited to join the discussion, share their perspective and take part in the debate.