20 Years of ZIH: Anniversary Celebration Honors Two Decades of Digital Research Infrastructures

On June 17, 2026, the TUD Dresden University of Technology celebrated the 20th anniversary of its Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH) with a ceremony at the Andreas-Pfitzmann-Bau.

Together with guests from academia and politics ZIH looked back on two decades of development during which it evolved from a university computer center into a key player in the digital research ecosystem.

The event was opened by TU Dresden Rector Prof. Dr. Ursula Staudinger and Robert Denk, Head of the Higher Education Division at the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism (SMWK). Both emphasized the strategic importance of powerful digital research infrastructures and highlighted ZIH’s role as a driving force for digital transformation at one of Germany’s leading research universities.

In his keynote talk, Prof. Dr. Matthias S. Müller (RWTH Aachen University) outlined the development of modern research infrastructures and the growing importance of data- and AI-driven science. He highlighted the ZIH’s pioneering spirit and methodological innovation, which have shaped its development from an early stage.

Under the title “20 Years of ZIH – A Case Study on the Evolution of University Information Infrastructures” , ZIH Director Prof. Dr. Wolfgang E. Nagel then traced the evolution of ZIH: from the strategic considerations leading to its founding, through expansion phases such as HRSK I and II, to its current role in national high-performance computing (NHR).
He emphasized that this development was made possible above all by the integration of operations, research, and development; by institutional continuity; by dedicated staff; and by long-term collaborations. Referring to the Center for Interdisciplinary Digital Sciences (CIDS), Prof. Nagel emphasized that modern digital science increasingly depends on the close integration of infrastructure, methodological expertise, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The second part of the event featured a panel discussion on the future of digital research infrastructures. Moderated by Prof. Dr. Lars Bernard, Chief Digital Information Officer (CDIO) of TU Dresden, the panel brought together:
• Prof. Dr. Petra Gehring (TU Darmstadt)
• Robert Denk (SMWK)
• Prof. Dr. Matthias S. Müller (RWTH Aachen University)
• Prof. Dr. Thomas Ludwig (DKRZ / University of Hamburg)
• Prof. Dr. Wolfgang E. Nagel.

The discussion addressed the strategic development of digital research and information infrastructures, cooperation models across institutions, and technological sovereignty.

The event was artistically framed by musical performances from members of ZIH and a sand art presentation depicting milestones in the history of computing in Dresden and at ZIH.

The celebration concluded with the traditional CIDS Party, where guests continued discussions and exchanges in an informal atmosphere.

The ZIH thanks all contributors, guests, and long-standing partner institutions for their support and looks forward to continuing to play an active role in shaping the future of digital research infrastructures.