Galaxy formation in the 2030s: Connecting scales with the VLT

I will focus on various connected science topics within the broad field of extra-galactic astrophysics. My aim is to highlight some key open questions, in particular those that bridge different scales and branches of astrophysics, rather than focussing too much on my expectations based on instrumentation development. Themes that I aim to cover are the baryon cycle in and around galaxies, the growth of supermassive black holes, first stars and chemical enrichment and cosmic reionization. I will also aim to discuss the role of the VLT in the 2030s in the context of recent new insights in the properties of early galaxies and active galactic nuclei obtained with the JWST.