Study in Ilmenau

New discoveries have always had it easy in Ilmenau. Already in 1894, triggered by the rise of electricity, the Thuringian Technical School was established here. A lot of things have changed since then, but the love of everything new remains. And speaking of new, some of the university's old buildings are still being used. But the campus has moved out of the inner city and onto the top of the neighboring hill, Ehrenberg.

Many of the lecture halls and faculties are located on this hill today, as well as the canteen and student housing. Everything is just a stone's throw away from everything else, so you could really call this a campus of short distances. There's no waiting for the bus or train over here - everything can be reached quickly and easily.

Always one step ahead

Recent years have seen an enrollment of around 7,000 students, with about 600 foreign students. The curriculum ranges here from engineering and mathematics to economics. The university has a clear profile and places its focus on the areas of electrical and mechanical engineering. Nevertheless, some new subjects have been added to the spectrum in recent years, such as those from the field of media and communication technology.

Whatever is new and exciting has a good chance of becoming an official course of study at Ilmenau. Already in 1996, the university was the first in Germany to offer a course in media technology. Ten years later, the university had the country's first professor in the field of computer and video games. This love of innovation has earned the university a reputation as a small and dynamic think tank. In this way, Ilmenau managed to earn itself one of the top spots in the first German-wide university ranking - much to the surprise of some people.

Kickelhahn and cosmopolitanism

Apart from academic competence, the campus offers its students a very familiar environment. Everyone knows each other here, and a student party can sometimes be the same group of people that just sat together at a lecture. Naturally there are also students who live in the city center, but most of the student life is still concentrated on the slopes of Ehrenberg and its on-campus dorms. This is where you'll also find the clubs and cafes, the university cinema and campus radio, which happens to be the longest-serving campus radio in Germany.

Communication is as important in Ilmenau as integration. Already in the first week of university, a group excursion to the local mountain Kickelhahn is organized. The great views are not the only attraction here. According to local legend, participating in a race to the top brings about good grades. As for the integration of foreign students, the supervision network "we4you" helps new students adjust to their new environment. From academic assistance to language courses disguised as cooking classes, every effort is made to make international guests feel at ease.

In addition, every two years the entire city turns cosmopolitan thanks to the International Student Week in Ilmenau. This 10-day event sees the city filled with visitors and students from distant countries. They spend their time discussing world issues and getting to know the locals - which of course involves a climb to the top of the Kickelhahn.

Author: Sven Naebrich