RWTH Aachen
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RWTH Aachen University |
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| Motto | Zukunft beginnt bei uns (Future starts with us) |
| Established | 1870 |
| Type | Public |
| President | Burkhard Rauhut |
| Staff | 632 |
| Undergraduates | 26,500 |
| Postgraduates | 3,100 |
| Location | Aachen, NRW, Germany |
| Campus | Urban |
| Mascot | none |
| Website | www.rwth-aachen.de |
RWTH Aachen University is a large university located in Aachen (Germany). "RWTH" is the abbreviation of Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule which translates into "Rheinish-Westphalian Technical University". However, officially, "RWTH" remains untranslated.
Aachen University is one of the most prestigious universities in Germany and one of the leading technology universities in Europe. Its main focus are technological studies, especially electrical and mechanical engineering. Aachen University is internationally renowned for its excellence in engineering education and enjoys a high reputation among the german industry. Graduates of the RWTH are well regarded in industry and national rankings and international surveys underline the reputation of graduates having the considerable ability to tackle complex challenges, work successfully in problem-solving teams and display leadership qualities.
According to a survey, every fourth graduate in Germany with a Doctorate in Engineering (known as a Dr.-Ing. in Germany, a standardised qualification, roughly equivalent to a PhD) comes from Aachen and every fourth board member in German corporations is a graduate of the RWTH Aachen University. The potential in terms of available expertise resulting from the quality of engineering and science at the RWTH Aachen was the deciding factor for international research institutions such as Microsoft, Ford, United Technologies, Ericsson or Philips to settle in the Aachen region. The innovation strength of the university is also evidenced in the large number of start-up companies founded over the last 20 years turning the region into to a type of German Silicon Valley.
Every year numerous international students and scientists come to the RWTH Aachen to benefit from the internationally recognised world-class courses and facilities. Almost 5,000 international students are currently enrolled within the undergraduate, graduate or PhD programme. The proximity of Aachen to the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg combined with the subsequent exposure to a variety of cultural heritages has placed RWTH Aachen University in a unique position with regards to the reflection and promotion of international aspects and intensive interaction with other universities. RWTH Aachen has partnerships and cooperations with other leading institutions worldwide and is member of the IDEA League.
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[edit] Campus
The RWTH is not a campus university. Instead, its buildings are spread over some parts of the city. There are two core areas (midtown and Melaten district), though not very distinct. The Main Building and the Kármán Hall are 500 m away from the city centre with the Aachen Cathedral, the Audimax (biggest lecture hall) and the main refectory are 200 m farther.
The RWTH has external facilities in Jülich and Essen and owns, together with the University of Stuttgart, a house in Kleinwalsertal in the Austrian Alps.
[edit] Organisation
RWTH Aachen is run by the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Since the summer semester of 2004 the state of North Rhine-Westphalia allowed universities to request a maximum of 500€ per semester as tuition fees. Starting with the summer semester of 2007, all students enrolled at the RWTH Aachen will have to pay these 500€, if they are not exempt for one of several reasons put forth by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. In the past, tuition fees applied solely for long-term students and second studies. Almost all basic lectures are held in German, but an increasing number of graduate programs are offered in English.
The RWTH is divided into nine (previously ten) faculties:
| 1 | mathematics, computer science, and natural sciences |
| 2 | architecture |
| 3 | civil engineering |
| 4 | mechanical engineering |
| 5 | geological resources and material sciences |
| 6 | electrical engineering and information technology |
| 7 | philosophy (actually all humanities) |
| 8 | economic sciences |
| 10 | medicines (including the Klinikum Aachen) |
Faculty nine was pedagogical sciences, but it was abandoned in 1989.
The RWTH is a member of the IDEA League, which is a strategic partnership among four of Europe's leading research universities, namely TU Delft, RWTH Aachen University, Imperial College London and ETH Zürich.
[edit] Fraunhofer-Institutes
- Applied Information Technology (FIT) Sankt Augustin and Aachen
- Fraunhofer-Institute for Laser Technology ILT
- Fraunhofer-Institute for Production Technology IPT
- Fraunhofer-Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology
[edit] Students
Today, there are approx. 30,000 students at RWTH Aachen, graduate as well as post-graduate, however that number has been rather variable. About two-thirds of the student body are male.
Approx. 20% of the students are of non-German nationality, most of them (over 150 each) that of China, Turkey, India, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Greece, Belgium, Iran, Poland, Luxembourg, Morocco, Indonesia, Pakistan,Russia, and the Netherlands.
Annually, 2,200 students graduate and 800 receive their PhD.
[edit] Faculty
There are 260 institutes with chairs, totalling 420 professors. The scientific staff consists of 3,700 people.
[edit] Associations
- Pakistan Student Association: provides peer counseling and advice to Pakistani students; promotes Pakistan's traditions, values, and the diversity of its people; plans and coordinates social and cultural activities, independently and with other organizations.[1]
- AStA (Students' Union)
- AISA (Assoc. of Indian Students in Aachen)[2]
[edit] History
In 1870 the "Royal Rhenish-Westphalian Polytechnical School of Aachen" was founded. Its primary purpose was to educate engineers for the mining industry in the Ruhr area. At its beginning there were 32 teachers and 223 students.
In 1880 it became a "Technical University" (or college, as there was still a non-'universal' technical bias) and was abbreviated "RWTH". In 1899 it was granted the right to bestow PhD degrees.
World War I was a serious setback for the university, but between 1925 and 1932 was a period of prosperity and expansion. Previous student numbers were reached again and many new facilities were built.
During the Third Reich (1933–1945) RWTH was – like all other institutions – assimilated by the Nazis: The freedom of research and teaching was limited, leading lecturers were forced to quit and many students had to leave the university. Due to the vicinity of the borders to the Netherlands and Belgium the university was closed for a year during World War II.
After the war, the RWTH recovered and expanded very quickly. Some new faculties came into existence.
In 1995 the RWTH was haunted by Third Reich history. It turned out that the previous rector "Hans Schwerte" (rector for the short duration of 1970 - 1973) had a fake identity. In reality he was Hans Ernst Schneider, an SS member who had worked for the Ahnenerbe. Ironically "Hans Schwerte" had a reputation as a liberal. His pension rights, academic title, etc. were revoked. Summary of the events, in German.
RWTH Aachen University, the TU Munich, and the TU Berlin are the three biggest universities for engineering studies in Germany.
[edit] Notable faculty and alumni
- Philipp Lenard – Nobel Prize for Physics 1905
- Wilhelm Wien – Nobel Prize for Physics 1911
- Johannes Stark – Nobel Prize for Physics 1919
- Peter Debye – Nobel Prize for Chemsistry 1936
- Karl Ziegler – Nobel Prize for Chemistry 1963
- Otto Blumenthal – Mathematician
- Bodo von Borries – Professor of Electrical Engineering, co-inventor of electron microscope
- Karlheinz Kaske – CEO of Siemens AG (1982-1991)
- Franz-Josef Paefgen – CEO of Bentley Motors, former CEO of. Audi AG
- Mario Theissen - Boss of BMW's Formula One racing division
- Wendelin Wiedeking - CEO of Porsche, member in the supervisory board of Volkswagen
- Otto Lehmann – Father of liquid crystal research
- Necmettin Erbakan - Former Turkish Prime minister
- Philipp Forchheimer (1852-1933) Civil Engineering
- Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie – Former President of Indonesia
- Theodore von Kármán – Pioneer of modern Aerodynamics
- Ulrich Schumacher – former CEO of Infineon (2000-2004)
- Rudolf Schulten (1923-1996) Physicist and father of Pebble bed reactor
- Arnold Sommerfeld - Extraordinarius professor, Chair of Applied Mathematics, 1900-1906. Furthered the theory of hydrodynamics while at RWTH.
- Walter Metzner - CEO of the Max-Planck Institute for Solid State Research
- Theo Lieven – Entrepreneur (founder of Vobis)
- Hans-Harald Bolt - Director of the Max-Planck Institute for Plasma Physics
- Ryoji Noyori - Japanese Nobel Laureate, RWTH-Honorary doctor
- Dierk Raabe - Director of the Max-Planck Institute for Iron Research
- Rangin Dadfar Spanta – Afghanistan Secretary of State (since March 2006)
- Young-Sup Huh – President of the Green Cross Corporation, RWTH-Honorary senator
- Lu Yongxiang - President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
- JB Mangun Wijaya - Indonesian Architect and Novelist
- Friedrich Robert Helmert – Mathematician und Geodesist
- Lutz F. Hornke – Psychological Assessment, Organizational Psychology
- Otto Intze – Professor of Hydraulic engineering
- Hans Wilhelm Schlegel – Astronaut
- Ulrich Daldrup – Professor of International Law, former Mayor of the City of Aachen
- Rolf Göpfert – Architect
- Walter Biemel – Philosopher
- Arno Joentgen - Magician
- Arnold Gehlen – Sociologist
- Hans Glinz – Germanist and Linguist
- Hugo Junkers – Industrialist and academic
- Martin Wilhelm Kutta - Mathematician
- Jürgen von der Lippe – Comedian
- Hans von Mangoldt – Mathematician
- Klaus Mehnert – Political scientist and Journalist
- Georg Menges - Former leader of Institute for Plastics engineering and creator of Georg-Menges Prize
- Sonia Mikich – TV correspondent and top editor
- Claus Müller - Mathematician
- Hartwig Neumann (1942-1992) Historian for old buildings and fortresses
- Horst Niemeyer - Mathematician
- Jesco von Puttkamer – Rocket engineer, Space exploration technology
- August Ritter – Professor of Mechanics and Astrophysics
- Wolfgang Rudolph – TV Journalist
- Kemal Şahin – Turkish entrepreneur (Şahinler Group)
- Ulla Schmidt – Politician, Federal minister
- Wolfgang Back – TV journalist
- Hans Ernst Schneider/Hans Schwerte – Rector of RWTH under fake name (1970-1973). Identified as a former SS member, and all his rights were revoked.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- RWTH Aachen (English version)
