From Campus to Cloud – Four Days of Exchange, Innovation, and Networking • IT Center Blog

From Campus to Cloud – Four Days of Exchange, Innovation, and Networking

September 16th, 2026 | by Hania Eid

A bird's-eye view of a crowded exhibition hall with many booths, information boards, and groups of people engaged in conversation.

Source: Own Illustration

Four days, numerous presentations, exciting tours, in-depth discussions, and plenty of new insights: From September 7 to 10, 2026, the 27th DINI Annual Conference & ZKI Fall Conference took place at RWTH Aachen University under the theme “From Campus to Cloud – Confidently Connected.”

Together with the RWTH University Library, the IT Center co-hosted this year’s conference. At C.A.R.L., experts from universities, research institutions, and the IT sector came together to discuss current developments, share experiences, and take a joint look at the digital future.

Focus: Digital Sovereignty

The event centered on topics that are currently – and will continue to be – of concern to universities and research institutions: digital sovereignty, cloud technologies, open source, artificial intelligence, identity management, data protection, open access, and sustainable digital infrastructures.

A large lecture hall filled with people sitting at their laptops, listening to a speaker standing in front of a screen showing a presentation that provides an overview of NHR.

Source: Own Illustration

Presentations, discussions, and various sessions addressed more than just technical developments. Time and again, the focus was on how digital infrastructures must be designed so that universities and research institutions can operate with autonomy, security, and sustainability in the long term. As part of this, numerous ZKI working group and committee meetings were held, which also addressed precisely these topics.

Personal interaction played just as important a role as the technical presentations. Between program items, there was plenty of time for conversations, making new contacts, and sharing experiences from different institutions.

Experiencing Aachen: Guided Tours and Shared Impressions

In addition to the technical program, the conference also offered the opportunity to get to know Aachen and RWTH better.

Guided tours of the IT Center and the University Library, as well as joint program activities, provided variety and offered the opportunity to experience the city and the campus from different perspectives. Of course, a few quintessential Aachen moments were not to be missed – from culinary highlights to a view of Aachen Cathedral.

Even outside the official program, it became clear that events like the DINI and ZKI conferences thrive above all on the people who come together, exchange ideas, and develop new ones collaboratively.

A Look Behind the Scenes

For the IT Center, the conference was not only a special event from a professional standpoint but also a major milestone for our colleagues in the Marketing and Event Management team. Over several months, they planned, organized, coordinated, and prepared so that, in the end, a successful event with inspiring evening programs could take place.

Thank you to everyone involved!

An event of this size can only succeed through teamwork. That’s why we extend our heartfelt thanks to all the speakers, participants, partners, sponsors, and volunteers who enriched the entire conference with their contributions, ideas, conversations, and support.

A very special thank you also goes to Dunja Gath and Nicole Kaminski, who, as our event managers working behind the scenes, tirelessly ensured that everything ran smoothly. From planning to execution: Without your dedication, this event would not have been possible. Thank you!

Four days of #dinizki26 are now behind us – filled with many new insights, exciting encounters, and plenty of memorable moments.

We’re already looking forward to the next ZKI Spring Conference in Jena!