“Boosting Digital Sovereignty” – Academic Conference on Open Web Data and Europe’s Independence on the Web | Media Release
From October 7 to 9, the Open Search Foundation, with support from the German Aerospace Center (DLR), will bring together interdisciplinary experts in Berlin to discuss the future of web search and AI.
Starnberg, September 29, 2026 – Web data is a key resource for AI training and independent web search. But how can Europe build an open, independent, and diverse web infrastructure? The Open Search Symposium #ossym2026 is dedicated to this central question. Experts from the fields of computer science, law, ethics, economics, and civil society will gather at CODE University of Applied Sciences in Berlin to discuss developments surrounding a European infrastructure for web search and AI. The program includes keynote speeches, academic presentations,panel discussions, and workshops. Topics to be addressed include:
- Open Web Indexes
- Federated search and search quality
- Large language models, generative AI, retrieval-augmented generation
- Georeferencing of web content, as well as geospatial search and analysis
- Sustainability and legal, ethical, and social issues
related to Internet search and web data.
Keynote speakers include Prof. Dr. Julian Kunkel (GWDG and professor at the
University of Göttingen), Stefan Andresen (Chief Scientist at DeepL), Prof. Dr. Hannes
Taubenböck (DLR), and Aline Blankertz (co-founder of the digital policy collective
Structural Integrity). The opening address will be delivered by Engelbert Beyer, Director General at the
Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space. The subsequent opening session
will be led by Peter Gehle, CIO of the DLR; on Wednesday evening, a welcome address will be given by
Stéphane Beemelmans, Deputy Chairman of the DLR Executive Board.
Evening Side Event at the Weizenbaum Institute
On the evening of October 8, a German-language panel discussion followed by a networking dinner will take place at the Weizenbaum Institute in Berlin. Under the title “Sovereignty on the Web – How a European Web Data Infrastructure”, political, economic, and societal perspectives on an
independent digital infrastructure will be highlighted. In addition to a keynote address by Prof. Dr. Harald Wehnes (University of Würzburg), the panel will feature Stefan Andresen (Chief Scientist at DeepL), Dr. Esther Görnemann (Weizenbaum Institute), and Dr. Stefan Voigt (Open Search Foundation).
Information and Registration
#ossym2026 will take place in Berlin from October 7 to 9, 2026. The event is organized by the Open Search Foundation – 2026 with support from the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The venue is CODE University of Applied Sciences (Donaustr. 44, 12043 Berlin).
Detailed information and the registration link are available at:
https://opensearchfoundation.org/de/events-d/ossym26-de/
Registration for the evening event at the Weizenbaum Institute is handled separately:
https://tickets.weizenbaum-institut.de/OSF/
Journalists and media representatives are cordially invited to attend both events. Experts from the fields of
science and research will be available for interviews and background discussions. If you have any questions or are interested in scheduling an interview, please feel free to contact the press contacts listed below.
About the Organizer:
The Open Search Foundation e.V. (OSF) coordinates a European initiative that lays the groundwork for independent, free, and self-determined access to information on the Internet. In collaboration with research institutions, data centers, and other partners, it is committed to ensuring that web search benefits everyone. As part of a research project funded by Horizon Europe, a prototype of Europe’s first open web index was developed. The OSF’s institutional members include the University of Passau, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Institute for Human-Centered Computing (HCC) at Graz University of Technology, and the Finnish supercomputing center CSC – IT Center for Science.
About the DLR:
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is the research center of the Federal Republic of Germany for aerospace. Research on digitalization at the DLR drives innovation in the economy, helps shape application-oriented innovative technologies, methods, and processes, and applies them to research and science management. As a strategic partner, the DLR works together with industry, government agencies, and institutions to develop solutions that drive innovation – for a strong, sustainable future in Germany and Europe.
Press Contact:
Open Search Foundation e.V.
Carolin Bauer – Science Communication & Public Relations
Ursula Gmelch – Community Management; Project Manager for ossym2026
Phone: +49 178 60 149 10
Email:
