On June 30, 2026, 20 preschoolers from the “Mäuseland” daycare center at the Dessau Municipal Hospital visited the Institute for Geoinformation and Surveying (IGV) at Anhalt University of Applied Sciences as part of the Children’s University program. The children, who will be starting school this year, were given their first age-appropriate glimpse into the exciting world of Surveying and Geoinformatics.
The goal of the “Children’s University” is to spark an interest in science and technology in young children through play. To this end, the IGV team had prepared several interactive hands-on stations where the children could get involved themselves.
At one station, the children explored the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences campus using virtual reality goggles and gained an understanding of how digital models and virtual worlds are created. They also learned about a surveying drone. During a hands-on flight demonstration, they saw how aerial and thermal images (infrared images) are captured.
At another station, a memory game on the topic of surveying technology awaited the children. The event concluded with a high-precision laser measurement of each child’s height. Each child received a personalized certificate with their height, which was presented as a memento of their visit.
In addition to the hands-on stations, the children learned in an age-appropriate way how maps are created, the importance of surveying in our daily lives, and how modern geodata contributes to the planning and design of our environment.
With great interest, many questions, and visible enthusiasm, the children participated in all the stations and were able to experience science up close. This demonstrates that even young children can develop an appreciation for and understanding of technical issues. The event also highlights the special connection between Anhalt University of Applied Sciences and the city and region.
