Write the programme, load it onto the robot, and off you go: at the HTWK Leipzig summer school, school pupils programmed their own robotic vehicles in two robotics workshops run by the RoboCreators. It was a hands-on insight into engineering studies, and above all, it was great fun.
Leipzig, 30 October 2026 – What is it like to study engineering? School pupils were able to find out for themselves at the HTWK Leipzig holiday school. On 14 October 2026, the RoboCreators – HTWK Leipzig’s school robotics lab – ran two robotics workshops in the Nieper Building, both of which were a resounding success.
The holiday university took place from 13 to 16 October 2026 during the Saxon autumn half-term. This free taster programme is aimed at school pupils from Year 10 onwards who are interested in going to university. In various modules, faculties, laboratories and students present their specialist areas and provide an insight into everyday university life.
In the Engineering module, the RoboCreators took the lead. In two consecutive workshops, participants programmed the Callibot vehicle robot, a small robotics platform based on the Calliope mini microcontroller. Step by step, they learnt how a robot analyses sensor data, makes decisions and controls motors. Before long, the first Callibots were rolling across the tables all by themselves.
The focus was on hands-on experimentation. Instead of lengthy theory sessions, the approach was: write a programme, upload it to the robot, test it, improve it. Mistakes were an integral part of the process – and led to many ‘aha’ moments and plenty of good humour.
“The young people took part with great enthusiasm and cheered each other on whenever a robot found its way,” reports the RoboCreators team. “That’s exactly what we want to show: technology isn’t a dry subject, but is actually great fun – and studying at HTWK Leipzig opens up many doors for this.”
As well as programming, the pupils took the opportunity to chat with the workshop leaders and students. What is it like to study electrical engineering or computer science? What projects can you work on whilst you’re still studying? They received first-hand answers to these questions.
Through initiatives such as the holiday university, HTWK Leipzig and the RoboCreators are helping to guide students’ career choices and ensure a supply of skilled workers in the region. Those who experience at an early age just how exciting technology can be are more likely to choose a technical or engineering education path later on.
The RoboCreators are an open education and development project at HTWK Leipzig. Together with students, school pupils and other interested parties, they develop projects in the fields of robotics, electronics, programming and digital technologies, and bring technical education to schools and events across the region.
The RoboCreators are a project run by the Skilled Workforce Alliances of Leipzig, Northern Saxony and the Leipzig Region. This initiative is co-funded by taxpayers’ money on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.
Funding
This is a project run by the Leipzig, North Saxony and Leipziger Land Skilled Workers’ Alliance.
