Between 27 and 29 June 2025, the Hertie School global alumni network reunited in Berlin for the annual Hertie Summit | Alumni Reunion, held at the Hertie School campus, Arminiusmarkthalle and the Harnack-Haus.
The weekend events brought together around 450 participants, including alumni, current students, faculty, and members of the Hertie Foundation network, for a weekend of dialogue, networking, and celebration. As the flagship annual gathering of the global alumni network, which now includes over 3,100 members, the reunion featured a rich programme with nearly 20 alumni speakers and contributions from Hertie School faculty.
In her opening remarks, Hertie School President Cornelia Woll extended a heartfelt welcome to alumni who had travelled from across the globe to join the annual homecoming events and thanked the Alumni Affairs team and the Fellows & Friends of the Hertie Foundation for organising the event. She emphasised that the event is more than a reunion, it is a dynamic platform for connection, dialogue, and shared purpose.
Global living network
President Woll went on to highlight several key milestones in alumni engagement over the past academic year. The Hertie School’s global network has continued to grow, now encompassing 16 local chapters and five local groups. A particularly exciting development is the launch of the Pan African Alumni Network, designed to deepen connections among alumni across the continent and with the school.
More than 200 alumni have actively contributed their time and expertise as volunteers, serving as mentors, speakers, chapter leads, alumni council and more. Altogether, the community has hosted over 70 events in 20 cities around the world. The global living network is a true testament to our vibrant, global network and to the commitment of Hertie alumni to staying involved and giving back.
“These connections are the threads that strengthen the fabric of our community,” Cornelia Woll noted, “bringing together alumni, students, faculty, and leadership in meaningful ways.”
From insightful panels to Homecoming Brunch: Highlights of the reunion weekend
The weekend kicked off on Friday, 27 June, with the annual in-person meeting of the international alumni chapter leads who gathered in Berlin to discuss the alumni strategy for the upcoming academic year and exchange best practices on alumni engagement, event formats, and launching a new chapter. The twelve chapter leads also had the opportunity to hear updates from the Hertie School leadership and engage in a Q&A with President Cornelia Woll.
The programme officially opened later that day, with the Alumni Achievement Award Ceremony. The Alumni Achievement Award, established in 2015, honours graduates who demonstrate innovative and dedicated contributions to good governance. This year’s award was presented to Claudia Müller (MPP 2012) for her outstanding commitment to closing the gender gap in financial literacy, particularly among women. A 2012 Master of Public Policy graduate from the Hertie School, Müller is the founder and CEO of the Female Finance Forum, which helps to educate women to manage their finances and invest sustainably.
Inspired by her work at the Deutsche Bundesbank and personal experiences helping others navigate finance, she launched the forum in 2017 to offer accessible courses through employers on topics from budgeting to investing. She also co-authored Über Geld spricht man doch!: Wie Kinder spielerisch einen guten Umgang mit Geld lernen to help parents teach children about money early and without stigma.
At the award ceremony, President Cornelia Woll praised her achievements, stating: “Her work is a true testament to public purpose in the private sector. Through her innovative initiatives, Claudia is not only addressing gender disparities but also building community resilience and empowerment.”
The programme continued with a panel focused on the urgent need for transformation in Germany’s public administration, with President Cornelia Woll, Professor Thurid Hustedt, Dean of Graduate Programmes and Professor of Public Administration and Management at the Hertie School, Martin Klingst, lawyer, journalist, author and member of the Initiative for an Effective State, Nuria Köchling (MPP 2025) and Michael Schönstein (MPP 2009), head of General Digital Policy at the German Federal Chancellery. Drawing on insights from the Initiative for an Effective State, the discussion explored how governments can adapt to meet challenges such as digital transformation, climate protection, and restoring public trust. Panellists emphasised the importance of shifting from control to trust in governance, leveraging political momentum for reform, and fostering collaboration between citizens and institutions. The session concluded with a lively Q&A, where numerous questions from the audience sparked an engaging and insightful discussion. A full recording of the panel can be accessed here.
The day concluded with the traditional Pizza Across Town, offering Hertie School alumni a relaxed setting to reconnect and network. The evening also included a celebration of the Class of 2015’s 10th anniversary, shared with President Cornelia Woll in a warm and festive atmosphere.
Saturday was dedicated to the Hertie Summit, held at the historic Harnack-Haus, where participants engaged in a diverse programme of workshops and interdisciplinary discussions on current socio-political challenges. Highlights included sessions led by Hertie School alumni, covering a wide range of topics including sustainable investments, responsible AI development, digital public infrastructure, and strategies for driving genuine sustainability within organisations. The day concluded with the Joint Session, the largest collective event of the Hertie Summit, where experts from the circle of Hertie Fellows presented their projects and research findings in engaging eight-minute talks. Among the speakers were Claudia Müller (MPP 2012), who proposed how private investments can drive positive change in the world, underscoring the need for greater participation by women in investing, and Ba Linh Le (MPP 2021), who introduced innovative strategies to combat domestic abuse through early risk assessments.
On Sunday, alumni returned to the Hertie School campus for the grand finale of the weekend: the Homecoming Brunch, presented in a new format. The event featured an exhibition of the alum Sanyam Bajaj (MPP 2024), “Climate Narratives – An Immersive Alumni Experience”, exploring the intersection of climate change, public policy, and social transformation through visual art and storytelling. A highlight of the brunch was a lively Policy Slam, with engaging talks on migration and climate policy. After the presentations, the audience cast their votes, where the winner Manuel Clemens (MPP 2019) made a compelling case for how Germany could significantly improve the efficiency of its migration system.
Mark your calendars and get involved
The next edition will take place from 8–10 May 2026. Until then, alumni are encouraged to stay involved through local chapters, events, and other engagement opportunities.