TUD Lectures+ in Görlitz: “How Important Is Liberal Democracy for the Economy and Research in the Region?”

The election results from Saxony-Anhalt show that liberal democracy is crumbling. What remains when liberal democracies begin to falter? How can—or should—a company or research institution position itself and get involved in order to uphold liberal democracy? What course of action is possible—or even required—under the Constitution? What does political stability mean for investment, innovation, skilled workers, and research?

This topic was the focus of the latest edition of TUD Lectures+ featuring Prof. Markus Scholz, Chair of Business Administration, specializing in Responsible Management at the IHI Zittau of TU Dresden, Sylvia Pfefferkorn, Managing Director of at Welcome to Saxony, and Dr. Martin Laqua from the CASUS Institute in Görlitz.

This special edition took place as part of the “Research Creates Perspectives” science exhibition organized by the Hi!Lusatia network at the Brüderstraße Gallery in Görlitz.

After brief opening remarks, the panel discussed—both among themselves and with the event’s attendees—how companies and research institutions can take on responsibility, where commitment is needed, and what options for action each individual has. The event was moderated by Franziska Stölzel, an expert on Lusatia and a researcher.

The TUD Lectures series “Democracy Under Pressure, ” set to begin in October 2026, aims to initiate an interdisciplinary dialogue to shed light on these developments. TUD Lectures+, organized jointly by the“Together for Democracy” working group of the Faculty of Psychology, the Center for Demography and Diversity (CDD), and the Directorate University Culture, brings together experts from a wide range of disciplines, including psychology, political science, sociology, communication studies, and other fields.

The TUD Lectures+ are recorded as podcasts and can be listened to here. Recordings take place during in-person events, which are held in the format of panel discussions. Questions from the audience are brought to the stage during the events. The events take place at locations in Dresden and the surrounding area selected based on the topic, e.g., at the Kulturpalast Dresden, in market squares, in churches, or in beer gardens. More information about the TUD Lectures+ is available on this page