RWTH Aachen University
Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen | |
Website | rwth-aachen.de |
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RWTH Aachen University (German: [ˌɛʁveːteːˌhaː ˈʔaːxn̩]), in German Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen,[a] is a German public research university located in Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With more than 47,000 students enrolled in 144 study programs, it is the largest technical university in Germany.
RWTH Aachen in 2019 emerged from the final of the third federal and state excellence strategy. The university will be funded as a university of excellence for the next seven years. RWTH Aachen was already part of the federal and state excellence initiative in 2007 and 2012.
Since 2007, RWTH Aachen has been continuously funded by the
RWTH Aachen is a founding member of the
History
On 25 January 1858, prince
The unclear position of the new Prussian polytechnika (which officially were not universities) affected the first years. Polytechnics lacked prestige in society and the number of students decreased. This began to change in 1880 when the early RWTH, amongst others, was reorganized as a Royal Technical University, gained a seat in the Prussian House of Lords and finally won the right to bestow Dr.-Ing. (1899) degrees and Dipl.-Ing. titles (introduced in 1902). In the same year, over 800 male students enrolled. In 1909 the first women were admitted and the artist August von Brandis succeeded Alexander Frenz at the Faculty of Architecture as a "professor of figure and landscape painting", Brandis became dean in 1929.[10]
World War I, however, proved a serious setback for the university. Many students voluntarily joined up and died in the war, and parts of the university were shortly occupied or confiscated.
While the (then no more royal) TH Aachen (Technische Hochschule Aachen) flourished in the 1920s with the introduction of more independent
After
Recent developments
In December 2006, RWTH Aachen and the
In 2007, RWTH Aachen was chosen as one of nine German
RWTH was selected to receive funding from the German federal and state governments for the third Universities of Excellence funding line starting 2019. RWTH's proposal was called "The Integrated Interdisciplinary University of Science and Technology – Knowledge. Impact. Networks." and has secured funding for a seven-year period.
2019 Clusters of Excellence
- The Fuel Science Center (FSC) Adaptive Conversion Systems for Renewable Energy and Carbon Sources
- Internet of Production
- ML4Q – Matter and Light for Quantum Computing
RWTH was already awarded funding in the first and second Universities of Excellence funding lines, in 2007 and 2012 respectively.
Campus
RWTH Aachen University's 620 acres (250 ha) campus is located in the north-western part of the city Aachen. There are two core areas – midtown and Melaten district. The Main Building, SuperC student's center 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. Other points of interest include the university's botanical garden (Botanischer Garten Aachen).
A new building, the so-called Central Auditorium for Research and Learning (CARL) was opened in 2017. It offers space for 4000 students and replaces Audimax as the largest lecture hall building. The name of the new central auditorium, which is going to contain different lecture halls, is a reference to Charlemagne, who reigned his empire from Aachen in the middle-ages.[16][17]
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.
The university is currently expanding in the city center and Melaten district. The SuperC, the new central service building for students, was opened in 2008. The groundbreaking for the new Campus-Melaten was in 2009.
Internationality
Double degrees and student mobility are promoted with other technology universities through the TIME (
Compared to other German universities the RWTH Aachen received the highest amount of funds granted by third-party donors in the last years.[18]
More than 7,000 international students are currently enrolled within the undergraduate, graduate or PhD programme. Compared to other German universities the portion of international students at the RWTH Aachen is higher-than-average.[12] 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.
In Asia, RWTH Aachen collaborates with Tsinghua University to offer Tsinghua-Aachen (Germany) Joint Master Program.[19]
Rankings and reputation
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Overall
RWTH Aachen was ranked #106 globally (#5 nationally) in the QS World University Rankings 2024,[20] #90 globally (#5 nationally) in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024,[21] and #201–300 globally (#10–19 nationally) in the ARWU World Rankings 2023.[22]
Subject
In the 2023 QS Subject Ranking, RWTH Aachen ranks first in Germany in mechanical engineering and materials sciences.[23] In the 2023 THE Subject Ranking, RWTH Aachen ranks second in Germany in engineering and computer science.[24] In the 2022 ARWU Subject Ranking, RWTH Aachen ranks first in Germany in chemical engineering.[22]
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In 2009, two prominent German newspapers, Handelsblatt and Wirtschaftswoche, ranked RWTH Aachen the first place in Germany in the fields of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, industrial engineering, and computer science.[25] In 2012, Handelsblatt ranked The RWTH School of Business and Economics amongst top 10 within Germany.[26] In the 2015 ranking published by DAAD together with Centre for Higher Education Development and Die Zeit, RWTH Aachen also stands on top among other German universities in the aforementioned fields of engineering and computer science.[27]
Graduates
RWTH Aachen took 3rd place in 2018 based on the number of top managers in the German economy measured by the number of
According to the Stepstone Salary Report for Graduates 2019/2020, graduates of RWTH Aachen are amongst the highest earners in Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.[30] From 2001 to 2013, national rankings regularly identified RWTH Aachen as one of the best universities in Germany in the fields of engineering (especially mechanical engineering, electrical engineering), as well as amongst the top three in computer science, physics, chemistry, and medicine.[31][32][33][34][35]
Organisation
The factual accuracy of parts of this article (those related to paragraph) may be compromised due to out-of-date information. (June 2012) |
Almost all basic lectures are held in German, but an increasing number of master programs require proficiency in English for admission.
Fees
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. In the past, tuition fees applied solely for long-term students and second studies. Since the summer semester of 2007, all students enrolled at the RWTH Aachen had to pay these €500, if they were not exempt for one of several reasons put forth by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.
Since 24 February 2011 study fees were abolished by the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia (Legislation for the Improvement of Equal Opportunities to University Admission) with effect from Winter Term 2011/12. Universities will receive 249 Mio Euro of national funding for measures that improve the quality of teaching (e.g., through additional teachers and tutors) as compensation. Tuition fees per semester are still being charged.
Faculties
The RWTH is divided into nine (previously ten) faculties:
Faculty nine was pedagogical sciences, but it was abandoned in 1989. Teacher education, however, continued.[36]
Fraunhofer-Institutes
The university cooperates with the Fraunhofer-Institutes situated in the Melaten district of Aachen. The institutes offer workshops, courses and lectures for the students of RWTH Aachen.
- 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
Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)
The Jülich-Aachen Research Alliance (JARA) was founded by the RWTH Aachen and Forschungszentrum Jülich in 2007.[37] Five sections are coordinated by the research facilities:
- JARA-Brain (Diagnosis and therapy of neurologic sickness)
- JARA-Fit (Fundamentals of future information technology)
- JARA-HPC (High Performance Computing)
- JARA-Energy (Energy research)[38]
- JARA-FAME (Forces and matter experiments) [39]
Graduate schools
Aachen Institute for advanced study in Computational Engineering Science
The Aachen Institute for advanced study in Computational Engineering Science (AICES) is a graduate school established in 2006 under the
Associations
- RWTH Aachen – North American Alumni Association: Prof. Dr. Burkhard Rauhut, former president of the RWTH, and Prof. Dr. Laszlo Baksay, President of the newly founded "Association of Alumni, Friends and Supporters of RWTH Aachen University in North-America" signed the founding statement for a new branch of the RWTH Alumni Community in Melbourne (Florida) in May 2006.
- AStA (Students' Union)
- AISA (Assoc. of Indian Students in Aachen)[40]
- GATS (Association of Thai Students in Aachen)[41]
- ISA e.V (Iranian Students Association)[42]
- Pakistan Student Association[43]
- MexAS – Mexikanische Aachener Studierende (Mexican Students' Association)[44][45]
- ADDI (Aachen Drone Development Initiative)[46]
- Flugwissenschaftliche Vereinigung Aachen (abbreviation: FVA, English: Flight Research Association Aachen).[47] The FVA academic flying group is closely affiliated with RWTH Aachen and overseen by IDAFLIEG (Interessengemeinschaft deutscher akademischer Fliegergruppen e.V.).[48]
- Team Sonnenwagen Aachen Student team founded in late 2015 with the goal to develop and build solar cars for the World Solar Challenge in Australia. In 2017, the team participated for the first time in the challenge.
- Ecurie Aix – Student team founded in 1999 to compete in the formula student[49]
- SKY Campus Aachen – A student initiative that aims to boost awareness for mental health in the student community, through mindfulness, breathwork and yoga.[50][51]
- Space Team Aachen[52]
- TechAachen[53]
- Ecogenium[54]
Notable faculty and alumni
RWTH Aachen University has educated several notable individuals, including some Nobel laureates in physics and chemistry. The scientists and alumni of the RWTH Aachen played a major role in
Notes
- highschool. Sometimes, RWTH Aachen is also referred to as TH Aachen or Aachen University.
References
- ^ "Corporate Design". RWTH Aachen. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Facts and Figures". RWTH Aachen. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
- ISBN 0-521-64303-1.
- ISBN 1-84064-028-6.
- ISBN 978-3-030-36769-5.
- ^ "Excellence Strategy".
- ^ "Drittmitteleinnahmen und Drittmittel je Professorin und Professor der Universitäten". Statistisches Bundesamt (in German). Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Who We Are". Retrieved 13 July 2019.
- ^ "Geschichte der RWTH Aachen" [Archives of RWTH Aachen] (in German). RWTH Aachen University. Archived from the original on 3 April 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
- ^ "Spurensuche Ausstellung > Brandis". spurensuche-ausstellung.de.
- ^ "Geschichte der RWTH Aachen" [Archives of RWTH Aachen] (in German). RWTH Aachen University. Archived from the original on 3 April 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
- ^ a b c University, RWTH Aachen. "Facts and Figures – RWTH AACHEN UNIVERSITY – English". www.rwth-aachen.de.
- ^ Annual report 2007/2008 of the Chair of Computer Science 5 (Information Systems) (retrieved 11 April 2009)
- ^ Federal Ministry for Education and Research: Initiative for Excellence Archived 29 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine (retrieved 11 April 2009)
- ^ "Excellence Initiative at RWTH Aachen University". RTWH Aachen University. Archived from the original on 19 April 2009. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
- ^ "RWTH-Hörsaalzentrum C.A.R.L.: Noch im Oktober in den Probebetrieb". aachener-nachrichten.de. 20 October 2016.
- ^ University, RWTH Aachen. "Neues Hörsaalzentrum heißt C.A.R.L. – RWTH AACHEN UNIVERSITY – Deutsch". www.rwth-aachen.de.
- ^ "Research Funding at RWTH Aachen University" (PDF). eua.be. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 October 2006. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
- ^ "Master's Program-清华工业工程系英文". Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ a b "QS World University Rankings 2024". QS World University Rankings. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
- ^ a b "World University Rankings 2024". Times Higher Education World University Rankings. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ a b c d "2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities". Academic Ranking of World Universities. Retrieved 15 August 2023.
- ^ a b "QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022". QS World University Rankings. 23 March 2023.
- ^ a b "World University Rankings by subject". Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ^ "Mass Customization". Prof. Frank Piller – RWTH Aachen TIM Group. Archived from the original on 27 August 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "Handelsblatt-Ranking Betriebswirtschaftslehre 2012 – Handelsblatt Online". tool.handelsblatt.com. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
- ^ DAAD – Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst. "Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst – DAAD – Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst". Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ 7 DAX-Vorstands-Report 2018 odgersberndtson.com [dead link]
- ^ a b Klaus Hansen. (2019). 8. DAX-Vorstands-Report
- ^ "Einstiegsgehälter für Absolventen". 19 November 2019.
- ^ RWTH Aachen ranking report 2001–2010 (German; retrieved 9 April 2009)
- ^ "CHE report" (PDF). che-ranking.de.
- ^ "Uni-Ranking: Deutschlands beste Universitäten – Campus & MBA – Erfolg – Wirtschaftswoche". 11 April 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ (in German) Uni-Ranking 2011: Die besten Unis für die Karriere – Trends – Erfolg – Wirtschaftswoche. Wiwo.de (19 April 2011). Retrieved 18 September 2013.
- ^ (in German) WiWo Rankings 2013. Wiwo.de (2013). Retrieved 14 December 2013.
- ^ "Studienangebot – RWTH AACHEN UNIVERSITY – Deutsch". www.rwth-aachen.de. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
- ^ "Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)". rwth-aachen.de. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011.
- ^ "Error". Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ RWTH Aachen University. "JARA-FAME". Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "Association of Indian Students in Aachen". Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "Association of Thai Students in Aachen". rwth-aachen.de. Archived from the original on 21 May 2007.
- ^ ISA e.V (Iranian Students Association)
- ^ "Home". Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "MexAS – Über uns". Archived from the original on 25 April 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "MexAS – Mexikanische Aachener Studierende". Facebook. Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "Aachen Drone Development Initiative | Discover. Develop. Fly" (in German). Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ "Fva.rwth-aachen.de". rwth-aachen.de. Archived from the original on 12 June 2007.
- ^ "Home". Retrieved 21 July 2015.
- ^ "Ecurie Aix – Der Verein". Ecurie Aix RWTH Aachen (in German). Retrieved 17 November 2021.
- ^ "SKY Campus Aachen | AStA der RWTH Aachen" (in German). Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ "Sky Campus Aachen". Sky Campus Aachen. Retrieved 7 October 2022.
- ^ "Space Team Aachen". www.spaceteamaachen.de. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ "TechAachen — Technische studentische Vereine Aachen". techaachen.de. Retrieved 16 January 2023.
- ^ "Ecogenium". Ecogenium. Retrieved 30 June 2023.