Junior Engineer Academy
Joint Project Leipzig (JIA)


Since 2012, the joint project of the Leipzig Werner-Heisenberg-Gymnasium , Immanuel-Kant-Gymnasium and Neue Nikolaischule has been supporting talented school children interested in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and sparking their interest in technical professions and careers in engineering and other sciences at an early stage.

The Junior Engineer Academy contributes to discussions about the lack of young engineers, early study and career orientation, networking between schools, universities and businesses, while developing new methods of practical learning.


Since the 2019/2020 school year, the UFZ teaching lab has been a partner of the Junior Engineer Academy joint project with the University of Leipzig, Porsche Leipzig GmbH, Deutsche Telekom Technik GmbH and VDI GaraGe gGmbH. 16 pupils from the age of 15 are currently taught in special science classes about scientific topics and learn about the UFZ and its research and environmental topics with a strong focus on STEM and interdisciplinary thinking and working.

UFZ main topics are:

  • Renewable energies
  • Biodiversity
  • Bionics
  • Data processing (of research data for models and scenarios)

For further information, please contact Dr. Torsten Lange, head of the UFZ teaching lab ( schuelerlabor@ufz.de ).