Education in Ulm: How the City Will Develop Its Educational Strategy in February 2026

School Advisory Board Meets – Educational Strategy Further Developed

On February 12, 2026, the public meeting of the School Advisory Board took place in the canteen of the Friedrich-List-School. In addition to the swearing-in of new members, important educational policy topics were on the agenda. Particularly noteworthy is the transfer of the leadership of the 2027 Education Fair to the Ulm-Messe GmbH, a move that could potentially realign the future of the fair landscape in Ulm. Furthermore, the current status report on school meal provision was presented, addressing new catering concepts for secondary schools.

The meeting also provided an opportunity to highlight the Education Monitor 2025, which is published every five years. The report offers a data-based overview of educational pathways in Ulm and is part of the city’s educational policy guidelines.

Education Monitor 2025: Fact-Based Strategy Development

The Education Monitor of the City of Ulm is a central tool for monitoring and evaluating the educational landscape. It is created by the City’s Education Office and follows three guiding principles: education as a societal responsibility, equal opportunities, and the compatibility of family and work.

The results show that Ulm is well positioned in terms of the awareness and participation in educational offers. At the same time, it remains difficult to mitigate the influence of social background on educational success. Regarding the compatibility of family and work, there have been advances, but childcare offers must be further improved in quality.

Following the report, the draft resolution “Education from the Start” was presented, containing eight recommendations for action. These include, for example, the evaluation of the quality and networking of language and educational offers, as well as the introduction of a monitoring system for language support.

Rethinking School Catering: Health, Flexibility and Sustainability

Another key topic was the development of new catering concepts at schools. The current snack offerings were critically examined: incomplete allergen labeling, inconsistent quality, and lack of a health focus were central shortcomings.

Accordingly, a new snack offering was introduced in schools such as the Kepler Student Café, the Hans- and Sophie-Scholl-Gymnasium, and the Schubart-Gymnasium. It is characterized by standardized recipes, uniform order lists, and reusable packaging. Particularly notable is the bowl concept, which is flexible, efficient, and tasty.

In addition to quality, sustainability was also in focus. Waste measurements were carried out in the canteens to reduce food waste. The results showed that Ulm is below the national average, which is attributed to good planning and flexible production processes.

Education Fair 2027: Change of Project Leadership

The Ulm Education Fair, which has taken place every two years since 2002, will be led in the future by the Ulm-Messe GmbH. The municipal grant remains at a maximum of 75,000 euros, with the costs split equally between 2026 and 2027.

The fair is a central point of orientation for students in the process of choosing a profession. With around 270 exhibitors and a broad catchment area, it is a regional success model. The transfer of project leadership to the Ulm-Messe GmbH is a step toward more professional event organization and stronger economic integration.

Outlook: Education as a Long-Term Task

The developments in February 2026 show that Ulm is actively addressing the future of education. The Education Monitor provides a solid foundation for political decisions, the new catering concepts show how education can be combined with health and sustainability, and the Education Fair remains a central anchor in professional orientation.

In the long term, the challenge remains to strengthen equal opportunities and to see education as a societal responsibility. The coming years will show how successfully the measures from the Education Monitor and the draft resolution "Education from the Start" are implemented.