Freie Universität Berlin has been connected with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI) in many ways for years. This was also evident at an alumni event on March 21, 2023 in Jerusalem on the Mount Scopus campus. There, four alumni accepted the invitation of the Freie Universität Alumni Office, which organized such a gathering in Jerusalem for the first time and in cooperation with the Freie Universität Unit of Sustainability and Energy Management together with HUJI.

It was a lively exchange that brought back memories of studying during the Cold War and in the divided city of Berlin, of students smoking in the lecture halls, and of Freie Universität as a place of political debate with slogans and posters on and in the buildings. The conversation also led the alumni to the current discussion about the role of democracy for research and teaching and about the importance of diversity and representation of different groups at the university. The participants in the discussion also agreed on the great importance of international networks and cooperation with organizations and companies outside the universities.

All of the alumni present have remained connected to Freie Universität after their studies. They have passed on their experiences to subsequent generations of students and researchers in Israel and opened up their established networks in Berlin and Germany to them.

The stay of the representatives of the Sustainability and Energy Management Unit took place in the context of the University Alliance for Sustainability, which was funded by the DAAD between 2015 and 2021. In addition, a strategic partnership exists between the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Freie Universität Berlin. The exchange on topics related to sustainability will be continued.