Equality
Girls' and Boys' Day

Become a cosmetic chemist!

You have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the exciting world of cosmetics chemistry and product development. You can make and test your own face cream in a creative workshop at our university. You will learn how to work accurately and cleanly in the laboratory. Under the guidance of an experienced cosmetic chemist, you will learn all about the ingredients and the science behind skincare. You will have the chance to realise your own ideas and get creative. Join us and let's discover the world of beauty together! We look forward to meeting you.

Register here!

Developing paints and coatings that make the world a little better – with lab work and an automated system

How is paint actually made? And can a coating be beautiful, durable, and environmentally friendly at the same time?

At our Institute of Surface Technology (HIT), you’ll dive into the exciting world of sustainable paint and coating development.

You’ll work hands-on in the lab: mixing paints, testing their properties, and learning how chemists develop eco-friendly alternatives to the paints and coatings we encounter everywhere in everyday life—from furniture to cars.

A special highlight: our automated system! Here you’ll see how modern technology and chemistry work together, and how experiments today can be carried out partly fully automatically.

If you’re up for experiments, technology, real research, and a behind-the-scenes look at what studying chemistry is like, you’ve come to the right place!

Suitable for: female students aged 16 and up

Join us!

The engineer designs an engine

Dear girls,

Using simple tools such as a cork, enamelled copper wire, a battery and a magnet, we are going to make an electric motor.

Dexterity is required and you will understand forever why a motor turns.

You can find more information here!

Robotics live - your offer in Krefeld

A day with robots at The Hochschule Niederrhein

Whether precise and fast robots, cobots working together with a human or mobile robots - on this day we look at all forms of robotics. And we will try them out, build a mobile robot together in a small team and compete to see who has built the fastest robot.

At the end of the day, we build a robot doorplate for our own children's room. This means that only the people who are wanted can get in.

Click here to register

Enamelling - Great surfaces between technology and art

What do old chamber pots, chemical reactors and modern jewellery design have in common? - A layer of enamel!

Welcome to Girls' Day, where technology meets art! Discover the fascinating world of technical enamelling and find out how you can create your own pieces of jewellery. Learn the basic techniques to create technical surfaces and artistic designs, and take your self-made piece of jewellery home with you as a lasting souvenir. Experience the spark of creativity and discover your unique way of combining art and technology!

Click here to register.

Turning old into new - hands-on plastic recycling

How is an old plastic lid turned into a new product?

On Girls' Day, pupils aged 14 and over experience first-hand how plastics recycling works - practically, creatively and technically.

In this programme, the participants make their own small product from recycled plastic. From shredding the plastic bottle caps and moulding them to the finished key fob, they experiencethe entire recycling process for themselves.

What's special:
It's not just about listening, but about doing it yourself. At the end, the participants hold a self-made product in their hands - and take away new knowledge about plastics, technology and sustainability.

Suitable for: Pupils aged 14 and over
Specialisations: Technology, sustainability, recycling, practical application
Result: A self-made key ring made from recycled plastic

Go to registration!

Think, Design, Create, Explore: Product Design, 3D Printing & Virtual Reality

In our workshop, exciting activities centered on 3D scanning, 3D printing (including design for 3D printing), and virtual reality take center stage.

Part 1 – Simple Design & 3D Printing
Students will receive an overview of the fundamentals of 3D printing. They will learn how to create simple 3D models. We use user-friendly software that enables participants to digitize their own creative ideas and prepare them for 3D printing.

There will be a live printing demonstration in which students can experience the entire 3D-printing process—from modeling to the physical object. This provides insight into how 3D printers work and the different steps involved in printing. Each participant will have the opportunity to create her own 3D model and, with guidance, turn it into reality.

Part 2 – 3D Scanning
Students will have the opportunity to try out different 3D scanners and independently scan small objects. This allows them to actively experience and understand the 3D scanning process. After scanning, the focus will be on editing the captured 3D data. Participants will learn how to integrate their scanned models into creative projects and how the objects can be produced using 3D printing.

Part 3 – Virtual Reality
Alternatively, students will receive an introduction to the fascinating world of virtual reality (VR). We will explain how VR headsets work, what they are used for, and how they are revolutionizing the experience of digital worlds. Participants will have the opportunity to use a VR headset to design products independently in a virtual environment and experience the product design of tomorrow.

Sign up now!

From the Classroom to the Racetrack: Formula Student Up Close
Girls’ Day with the Formula Student Team

On Girls’ Day, we give students a hands-on insight into our Formula Student project. As an interdisciplinary university team, we develop, design, and manufacture our own race car, with which we compete internationally.

In addition to introducing our technical areas—such as design, aerodynamics, electrical engineering, chassis, and project management—hands-on activities are the main focus: participants can change a tire themselves and try out our racing simulator.

This gives them a close-up look at how teamwork, technology, and motorsport come together—and an authentic insight into the world of engineering.

Click here to register!

Cyber Security

Do you use the Internet every day? Do you experience digitalisation first hand? In everyday life, but also in almost every job and company, everyone needs security when using a wide variety of apps and systems. A strong awareness of the dangers and knowledge in the field of information security are increasingly required in both private and working life. Girls' Day gives you the opportunity to find out more about information security.

Where does cyber security play a role in your everyday life and what should you consider when dealing with your media? Get a first impression with us!

You can find more information about our programme on our website.

You can register here!

WordClock - build what the time says

Tinker, build, try it out: In this workshop you will build your own WordClock. Step by step, you will create a customised word clock that combines technology and creativity.

You don't need any previous knowledge - the focus is on curiosity and the joy of doing it yourself.

Click here to register.

Girls & bots in virtual worlds - how fair is AI actually?

In the MXR Lab of the GEMIT Institute at The Hochschule Niederrhein, we are looking at extended reality and artificial intelligence as an assistantand trainer. We are investigating how people interact with digital technologies, how they perceive them and what roles AI systems can play. For Girls'Day 2026, we are offering an interactive workshop entitled "Girls & bots in virtual worlds - how fair is AI actually?".

Participants will gain a practical orientation into virtual reality and artificial intelligence. They will design their own AI character in a creative VR environment and learn about the basic concepts of AI. Together, we will look at how AI systems are created, where they are used in everyday life and why they are not always neutral or fair. Using examples such as language assistants, we will discuss how gender roles, prejudices and bias arise in technology and what responsibility developers have in this regard.

The workshop is deliberately designed to be low-threshold, creative and playful and requires no previous knowledge. The aim is to reduce fears of technology, promote critical thinking and arouse interest in studies and careers in computer science, business informatics, XR, AI and research.

Register here!

From digital idea to wooden artwork - Girls' Day at The Hochschule Niederrhein's INVENTORLAB

Have you ever wondered how modern machines turn a digital template into a real product? In this workshop, you will immerse yourself in the world of computer-controlled production and experience first-hand how technology and creativity come together!

What can you expect?
3D scanning in action - we scan the face of a participant live
Digital modelling - find out how the 3D model is prepared for the milling machine
Experience CNC technology - watch how the model is milled from wood
Get to know machine operation - take a look behind the scenes of a modern milling machine

No previous knowledge necessary! Register and find out how an idea is turned into a unique work of wood art.

Click here to register

Discover the invisible world of science - in the hygiene and cleaning technology laboratory at The Hochschule Niederrhein

Have you ever wondered how ultrasound can make things float? Or what your skin reveals about you? And did you know that food secrets can be revealed in the lab?
Then our Girls' Day is the right place for you!

Experience science up close!

We will take you into our laboratories and show you how hygiene and cleaning technology affects our daily lives - from hospitals to cosmetics and the food industry!
We have prepared exciting experiments from various scientific fields for you to try out for yourself:

Ultrasonic levitation - Make objects float with sound waves!
Skin type determination - Find out what makes your skin unique!
Nutritional value determination of food - Look behind the scenes of your favourite snacks!

Sign up and be part of it!

Discover the world of smart technology in The Hochschule Niederrhein's IoT lab

Have you ever wondered how all the technologies around us work? Do you know that your smartphone, your power socket and even your fridge can talk to each other? Imagine there's a special place where you can experience the secret world of data up close.

We look forward to welcoming you to our IoT lab on Girls' Day! In this workshop, you will immerse yourself in the exciting world of microcontrollers and sensors. Together, we will build small, networked systems that measure temperature or movement, for example, and automatically trigger actions - just like in a real smart home! At the end, you can present your own small technology project and show how you would make your home smarter.

We look forward to inspiring you on Girls' Day and getting you excited about the fascinating world of technology!

No previous knowledge necessary - just curiosity and fun with technology!

Click here to register.

Discover the world of robotics and artificial intelligence - in the AI lab at The Hochschule Niederrhein

Experience hands-on technology - with a real industrial robot!

Together we will work with the robot Franka Emika Panda and show you how modern robotics works. What you can expect:

Experience robots live - get to know the AI lab and the industrial robot Panda
Pick-and-place tasks - programme the robot to pick up, stack or move objects
Programming made easy - you will learn the foundation course step by step, without any previous knowledge
Working in a team - plan, test and improve your own robot process together

To round off your degree, get creative:
Mini video or social media reel - Document your project in a short video and show what working in the university lab really looks like.

This will not only give you an insight into robotics and AI, but also into technical degree programmes and professions - in a practical, understandable way and at eye level.

Join us and discover how exciting technology can be!
Secure your place - we look forward to seeing you!

Technology Meets Cosmetics – An Engineering Perspective in the Bioprocess Engineering Lab at Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences

Experience a day full of fun and creative experiments where you can get hands-on yourself!

Together, we’ll explore how a few fascinating ingredients can come together to create something completely new.

At the end, take your own creation home and be amazed by the exciting possibilities technology offers in the world of cosmetics.

Sign up now!

Girls in Leadership: Become part of the university management for a day

We give you the chance to get to know the work of the university management - in other words, the job of the president or chancellor of a university of applied sciences. On this day, you will be very close to the people who make important decisions for the university.

What can you expect?

• You will accompany the President and/or Chancellor for a whole day.
• You will gain exclusive insights: How do you plan a university? Which topics are important? Who decides what?
• You will be present at real meetings and experience how discussions, organisation and decisions are made.
• You can ask questions, have your say and contribute your own ideas.
• You will also find out why it is so important that more women take on management positions - especially at universities.

Why should you be there?
Because women are still underrepresented in top management at universities - and that needs to change! Perhaps you will discover that you too would like to run a university one day.

We look forward to meeting you and your curiosity!

Click here to register

CGI - 3D visualisation and animation

In this crash course (professions: designer - communication design, designer - product design), the principles of three-dimensional, computer-aided visualisation and animation are practised in the Keyshot program.

The course participants have various virtual objects and products at their disposal, which are staged to create photorealistic images and animations with different materials, cameras, light sources and environments.

You can find more information here!

Workshop "Silhouette & Photogram"

In this workshop, you will immerse yourself in the world of analogue image design and work in the black and white laboratory at The Hochschule Niederrhein. You will first design your own motifs as silhouettes and learn how strong contrasts, clear shapes, positive and negative as well as image composition work. You will then realise your paper shapes and selected materials such as transparent foils, leaves or fabrics as photograms. You create images without a camera by placing objects directly onto light-sensitive photographic paper and exposing them to light.

In the lab, you will go through the most important steps of black and white development - from exposing, developing and fixing to soaking - and experience the moment when your image becomes visible in the developer bath. You can change your results through variations such as overlays, different distances and multiple exposures to develop a small series. At the end, you will take your own black and white prints home with you and get a real insight into how creative work is done in the design sector: with ideas, trade, technology and a lot of curiosity.

All information and registration can be found here!

Food duel: Ready-made vs. fresh - what's really in it?

In this exciting workshop, ready meals and home-made dishes compete against each other!

The pupils first prepare a fresh alternative to popular ready-made products. They then compare the nutritional values of home-made and industrially produced dishes to find out which variant performs better.

The highlight: both dishes are sensory tasted, i.e. flavour, smell, consistency and appearance are put to the test.

Finally, we discuss the results together and discover how simple and delicious freshly prepared food can be.

You can find more information here!

Get strong - what's in your body?

How much muscle and how much fat do you actually have?
What happens in your body when you drink your favourite drinks - and are they really that healthy?
And how does it feel to suddenly be 40 years older?

Find out - at Boys'Day 26at the Faculty of Food and Nutrition Sciences!
Exciting tests, surprising results and lots of action await you.

Click here to register.

DNA: From memory to action

We invite you on a journey through the human body. The starting point is our information store - DNA. Together we will go through the stages of information storage, reading, transmission and processing.

We look at how external impulses are converted into actions, consider how organ functions can be adapted and changed and even how this influences our behaviour.

What happens when information in the DNA is incorrect? And how does our body protect or repair this important information?

During this journey we will measure, test, analyse and try things out, you can actively participate and discover your body.

To the registration

Boys' Day in Applied Social Sciences - Shaping instead of watching
How are decisions made in social services? How do you design structures in which people can live well?
As part of Boys' Day, five boys work with LEGO® Serious Play®, a method from leadership, organisational development and politics. In a small group, they develop models for responsibility, cooperation and social organisation - actively, reflectively and without prior knowledge.

The programme is aimed at boys who want to think for themselves, take a stand and develop solutions as a team.

Register now!

A day as a textile technologist - spinning mill

On this day, you will learn about the work of a textile technologist. You will learn how textiles can be recycled and how new yarns are made from them.

All information and registration

A day as a textile technologist - knitting mill

On this day, you will learn about the work of a textile technologist. We will get to know the world of knitting technology and make practical knitted fabrics. By the end, you'll know that you can knit more than just socks.

All information and registration

From Trash to Treasure - fashion and textile design

In this creative workshop, participants will transform discarded materials such as car seatbelts, lorry tarpaulins or advertising banners into cool, practical everyday companions.

True to the motto "From Trash to Treasure", individual accessories with character are created.

At the beginning, there will be a brief introduction to the topics of overconsumption, fast fashion and the circular economy as well as the profession of textile and fashion design/engineering with a specialisation in circular textile design. Participants learn about the impact our clothing consumption has on the environment and society - and learn about the sustainable models and alternatives that already exist, e.g. upcycling, second-hand or repair.

The young people then design their own accessories:

• Upcycling key rings in an outdoor/skater look
• Mini case or small bag made from lorry tarpaulins/advertising banners
• Crossbody bag made from car seatbelts and mini case
• Work out the individualisation character!

We would like to introduce the profession of textile and fashion design/engineering with a specialisation in circular textile design. Participants will gain an insight into creative and skilled trades from the design and textiles sector - in particular upcycling, materials science, product development and sustainability/circularity in the design process.

To the registration

Textile beats: design a loudspeaker and discover the sound!

Have you ever thought that textiles can do more than just "dress"? Welcome to the world of smart textiles: fabrics that light up, react - or make sound.

With us, you become a maker: you build a textile loudspeaker in the lab and experiment until it produces a really cool sound.

What you can expect

• You will learn how to turn fabric + technology into a functioning speaker
• You will test different materials and designs: what sounds loud, what sounds bassy, what sounds crisp?
• You experiment with your smartphone: sounds, beats, effects - and you check how to get the best out of it

Why it's fun: Because you don't just watch, but build, try out and optimise things yourself - just like in a real development lab. And because it's pretty powerful when a piece of fabric can suddenly play music.

If you want to know how to make sound out of fabric: welcome to the lab!

What should you bring with you?

Charged smartphone

Click here to register.

I'm going to be a midwife!

Experience a live birth and much more in our Skills Lab. Skills Lab is an innovative teaching and learning centre for simulation-based learning and practical orientation. Take a look and immerse yourself in the day-to-day work of a midwife.

You can find more information about our programme on our website.

Click here to register

University library up close

As part of the nationwide Boys' Day, the Hochschule Niederrhein University Library is offering a taster day for two pupils from Year 8 upwards.

Traditionally, there are still more women than men employed in libraries. We would like to change that! We would like to give you an insight into the work of a specialist for media and information services (FaMI for short) and the varied everyday life in the library.

You will learn how we procure books and other media and what has to happen to them before they are ready for our readers. Experience the library up close and discover our premises and services in a rally!

You can find more information here!

Take a look behind the scenes of the HR department

Discover the challenging and varied tasks of the HR department! On this special day, we invite you to take a look behind the scenes and explore our world of people in the world of work.

The HR department plays a central role in the working life of an employee and is active in various situations and phases of the employment relationship, i.e. from recruitment to termination. It acts as a bridge that connects the employer's goals with the employee's needs for personal development, remuneration and a good working atmosphere.

Experience exciting insights where you can become active yourself! Exchange ideas, ask questions and discover how HR work is interwoven with all other organisational units at the university.

As part of the nationwide Boys' Day, the HR department at The Hochschule Niederrhein is offering a taster day for two pupils from Year 8.

You can find more information about our programme on our website.

Click here to register.