Marburg, June 2026 – The first TAM Excellence Cluster retreat took place from June 16 to 19 at Rauischholzhausen Castle near Marburg. The event brought together researchers from all partner institutions for four days of academic exchange, beginning with a day dedicated to interdisciplinary networking among early-career researchers. The retreat provided a platform to present ongoing research, foster new collaborations across institutions and career stages, and discuss future directions of the Excellence Cluster. The academic discussions were enriched by guest lectures from international scholars: Zoe Kourtzi (University of Cambridge), Mick Bonner (Johns Hopkins University), Jasper Smits (University of Texas at Austin) and Asya Acimova (Philipps University Marburg).