University of Ulm

Ulm University
Universität Ulm
Motto	Sciendo - Docendo - Curando
Established	1967
Type	Public
President	Karl Joachim Ebeling
Students	9,188 (2013)[1]
Location	Ulm, Germany
Website	www.uni-ulm.de

The Ulm University (German: Universität Ulm) is a public university in the city of Ulm, in the South German state of Baden-Württemberg. The university was founded in 1967 and focuses on natural sciences, medicine, engineering sciences, mathematics, economics and computer science. With 9,188 students (summer semester 2013),^[1] it is one of the newest public universities in Germany. Times Higher Education (THE) ranks it at no. 22 position among top 100 universities under the age of 50 years in 2012.^[2] It ranks among the top five universities in Germany for Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. It also frequently ranks as one of the top schools in natural sciences in domestic rankings.

In 2007, University of Ulm was appreciated by German Universities Excellence Initiative and altogether financially endowed for International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine. In 2012, University of Ulm has been selected for 27th position by Academic Ranking of World Universities according to ratio of Academic staff to students indicator. The campus of the university is located north of the city on a hill called Oberer Eselsberg, while the university hospital has additional sites across the city.

Concept and history

The university is the youngest public university in the state of Baden-Württemberg, which boasts several old, renowned universities in Heidelberg (founded in 1386), Freiburg (1457) and Tübingen (1477). The idea was to create a university with a new approach in both research and teaching. An important concept since the foundation of the university has always been to promote interdisciplinarity. In the decades following the foundation, the spectrum of subjects has steadily been extended, and the university has grown significantly.

An important step in combining the strength of industrial and academic research was the realization of the idea of a science park around the main university campus. Research centers of companies like Daimler, BMW, Siemens and in the past also Nokia, AEG, have been established at the site, in addition to institutes of the university focusing on applied research. Among other large research projects, the university features four Collaborative Research Centers (German: Sonderforschungsbereiche),^[3] which are established on a competitive basis by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, DFG). Third-party funding of research reached 67.5 million euros in 2009.^[3]

In 1998, Ulm University introduced an International Masters program in English: M.Sc. in Communication Technology, which is the first of its kind in Germany. Since then, this program attracts the very best students from different countries around the world. C-Tech Program has research collaboration with many renowned Universities around the world.

It also offers other English programs, namely M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Molecular Medicine, M.Sc. in Advanced Materials, M.Sc. in Energy Science and Technology, M.Sc. in Finance, M.Sc. in Biology and M.Sc. in Advanced Oncology, the latter being an extra-occupational program.^[4]

In 2003, the Ulm University was involved in founding a private university in Egypt, the German University in Cairo.

Since 2007, the university has been participating in the German Universities Excellence Initiative with the newly founded International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine Ulm.^[5]

Structure

The university is composed of four divisions, which in German universities traditionally are called faculties, and separate institutes. The four faculties are the medical faculty, the engineering and computer science faculty, the natural science faculty and the mathematics and economics faculty. A university hospital is associated with the medical faculty.^[3]

The Science Park

The University of Ulm's campus is located on a hill on the outskirts of the city of Ulm hosts a variety of public and industrial research and development centres, as well as three major hospitals - jointly referred to as the science park. This close proximity of academic and industrial R&D is designed to improve interaction between industrial needs on the one hand and academic teaching and research on the other. The industrial and academic research centres within the science park encompass diverse applications in material science, hydrogen and solar energy sources, biomedical engineering, artificial intelligence, advanced materials for the automotive industry, mobile communication systems, advanced semiconductor devices, and the use of lasers in medicine and metrology. Students of the Sciences often spend their internship in companies located close to the campus or work on their master's thesis projects in close cooperation with the industrial partners.

Master Plan

An overall planning concept for Oberer Eselsberg was developed with all involved parties on the basis of the land utilisation plan. This includes sustainable enhancing of the campus by developing it into a centre of science and research, as well as a long-term plan for future areas of development. This planning was commissioned by the city of Ulm, in cooperation with the state.

• Enhancement of Albert-Einstein-Allee by turning it into a central axis of public infrastructure.

• Preservation and stabilisation of green areas Strengthening of public local traffic opposite to individual traffic: improving provision of

public infrastructure through the construction of a tramway to the science park. This plan was defined as the main traffic project.

• Determination of areas for students’ living

Research Profile

Right from the beginning, the University of Ulm asserted its claim as a research university. Thanks to its interdisciplinary and cooperative working methods, the University has been able to establish numerous research concentrations and Collaborative Research Centres both in basic and applied research, achieving successful results.

Inventions:

In 2008, a total of 37 inventions were registered at the University. With 14 of the inventions, exploitation had been predefined in the form of a contract. Ten inventions were absorbed and transferred with compensation to an industrial partner. In 43 cases, invention procedures from previous years were either processed further or taken up again, e.g. monitoring invention compensation and licence payments, tracing payment of invention compensation and distribution of residues to the facilities, processing offers of protection right adoption, etc. In 2008, a total of 45,173 euros were generated through the transfer of invention rights. Of that, 15,224 euros were paid out to 25 inventors.

In addition to national and international acclaim received, the regional research concentrations are worth pointing out. In the cooperative model "Science Park Ulm", universities, research institutes and industrial companies work together intensively at a regional level on developing and using new technology. In the past few years, the University has defined the following future-oriented areas as its concentrations:

• Engineering & Technology

• Life Sciences and Medicine

• Nanomaterials and Biomaterials

• Financial Services

With these focuses, the University of Ulm strengthens its distinctive profile: Medicine: The research topics in medicine are shaped by three Collaborative Research Centres and an Interdisciplinary Centre for Clinical Research. There are also research networks in biomaterials, Community Acquired Pneumonia and resistance development of human pathogen agents. In the field of stem cell biology, the network "ZytoOrganoPoese" is currently being developed.

Specially In engineering, the specific focus of University of Ulm's is marked by Energy conversion & Storage technology, Modern communications technology, System technology and the Microelectronic technical school's activities in nanoelectronics. The research projects, which are generally carried out with industrial partners, are on the subject of intelligent and reliable technical systems. There are also many information systems for today's mobile society. In computer science, research in the areas of human-machine interaction, e-learning and neuro computer science are particularly worthy of mention. By including creative elements in the field of computer science in media, the Computer Science Department has received its very own face. Here, Biological research is concentrated in molecular biology and physiology, with special inclusion of genetics as well as biodiversity and ecology. Chemistry Research concentrates on functional materials (such as bio-, nanomaterials and energy materials) supported by analytics, electrochemistry and theory. One focus consists in applications for regenerative energy and energy storage. Physical research focuses on questions in the fields of quantum physics / quantum information systems as well as biophysics and condensed materials. This includes nanosystems, which are being studied in a Collaborative Research Centre in cooperation with the Chemistry Department. Mathematics and Economics have something unique in their combination in Ulm, which in particular emphasises quantitative methods in commerce and application packets in, for example, the financial and insurance industries. Research concentrations in mathematics are mathematical applications in industry and commerce, analysis and algebra / theoretical arithmetic, especially concerning applications in communications technology. Central economic research themes are finance and insurance as well as accounting and auditing.

Facilities

University Library

Academy for Science, Industry and Technology

In 2008, the Academy again expanded its course programme, including a newly added programme entitled "Special Pain Therapy". This is an 80-hour course following the curriculum of the German Medical Association, which is taught in 14 themed blocks in four modules.^[6] Another new offer is a three-semester programme in "Commercial Mediation and Organisational Development", which consists of nine modules and follows the guidelines of the Federal Association for Mediation in Commerce and the Workplace. Within another newly integrated programme on intercultural training, the problems of intercultural communication and interaction were dealt with. The aim here is to shorten the adaptation phase in a foreign culture during a stay abroad and thereby ease integration into the new studying or working environment. In 2008, a total of 875 participants took advantage of the Academy’s course offerings. The most popular in terms of participant numbers was again the "Compact Seminar Emergency Medicine", followed by the course offerings from the International Center for Advanced Studies (ICAS) and the distance learning programmes in actuarial science.

University Foundation

Since 2008, the University of Ulm has its own foundation, which is open for contributions of all kinds. The University’s Executive Committee actively seeks contributions, donations, sponsors and potential money sources, whether companies or private individuals and aims to advise them on the possibilities of meaningful support for the University of Ulm. The main aims of the foundation are to promote special research pro jects, expand childcare services, build a student residence hall and offer scholarships for certain target groups of students. The fundamental idea of a strong university is important for the city, the region and its people and is the basis for the diverse civilian commitment in support of the University from the founding phase up to today.

Scientific Computing Centre at Uni Ulm

The Scientific Computing Centre Ulm [German: Ulmer Zentrum für Wissenschaftliches Rechnen (UZWR)] is an interdisciplinary research focus of the University of Ulm. Application-oriented research questions in science and economy been solved with advanced numerical methods. Overview of the services:

• Mathematical, numerical and stochastic computations
• Numerical Simulations and optimizing
• Strength analysis
• Stress analysis and optimization of components (FEM)
• Vibration analysis
• Computational fluid dynamics
• Statistical analysis and simulation
• Numerical biomechanic: Bone healing, musculoskeletal system
• Further education

Collaborative Research Centres

Collaborative Research Centres (Sonderforschungsbereiche - SFBs) are interdisciplinary research concentrations at one or more universities, which can be funded for up to 12 years. The University of Ulm is a public institution. As a major, innovative and forward-thinking employers in the Ulm region with over 1,800 employees, the University of Ulm University offers various facilities such as central Universitäsverwaltung, communication and information center, workshop and scientific animal research center at attractive occupations. The Collaborative Research Centres are reviewed by the German Research Foundation in a three-year rotation. Centres and Associations: At the University of Ulm, scientists work together in networks of competence and research associations on an interdisciplinary basis.

An overview of the existing establishments in 2008

• The University of Ulm's Networks, Projects and Centres
• State and/or Third-Party Sponsored Networks, Projects and Centres
• DFG Research Units and Clinical Research Units
• Junior Professors Programme Future Offensive MWK

Internationality & Ranking

Ranking	2012
Spiegel Ranking (2004) Mathematics (in German)	02
Academic Ranking of World Universities(Ration of academic staff & students)	27
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings (World)	201~225
THES-QS World University Rankings	233
CHE Hochschulranking 2012/13	10-20

The first phase of the development of the GUC with support of the University of Ulm can be judged as finished highly successfully. On the occasion of the celebration of 5 years GUC at the universities Ulm and Stuttgart the partners could be proud of the reached position: In winter semester 2008/2009 nearly 6.800 students are studying at the GUC on an extensive campus with a new building opened recently. In October 2008, the first class in engineering and in pharmacy and biotechnology graduated together with the second class in management technology. Now there are already around 800 GUC graduates who have very good job chances nationally and internationally. Professor Ashraf Mansour, Prime Founder of the GUC and Honorary Senator of the University of Ulm, got the Federal Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his contribution to the German-Egyptian relations.

Near East/Egypt:

In October 2008 the 25 years old exchange with Cairo University was celebrated by a conference titled »Science for Life« with the presence of an Ulm delegation headed by Vicepresident Prof. Dr. Dürre. The long-lasting collaboration was the basis for the Ulm participation in the »German-Egyptian Science Year 2007« and the follow-ups in 2008

China :

The successful cooperation with Chinese partner universities was strengthened. Chinese partners send doctoral students predominantly to the University of Ulm with own scholarships and thus start building up a lasting research cooperation. The »International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine Ulm«, financed by the Excellence Initiative, held the second successful Summer Academy in Wuhan at the campus of the partner university HUST, sponsored by the DAAD. In September 2008 the first Ulm Alumni Clubs have been founded with the presence of an Ulm delegation headed by the Vice-President Professor Stadtmüller at the HUST Tongji Medical Faculty and at the SEU in Nanjing.

International Master Programs Taught in English

• Energy Science & Technology^[7]

• Advanced Materials

• Communications Technology

• Molecular Medicine (Master + PhD)

• Finance

• Advanced Oncology (Master Online)

Students Exchange Programs

The internationalisation of teaching and research as well as international exchanges at the University of Ulm are covered by a spectrum of activities as the 25 years old university cooperation with the Cairo University, recent and however intensive exchanges with Chinese partner universities and last but not least the partnership with the German University in Cairo (GUC). Student exchange programmes were expanded to reach across all the continents. The university was able to win exceptional students and doctoral candidates by well-targeted marketing. The University of Ulm currently holds 101 bilateral agreements with 79 partner universities in 19 European countries. During 2008, a total of 43 students from these partner universities studied in Ulm, while 54 students from Ulm studied abroad at European partner universities under the ERASMUS programme. From overseas partners 38 students came to study at the University of Ulm for a full year and 51 students from Ulm took part in our 27 overseas exchange programmes. A particularly large number went to Canada and Australia as well as to the US. The number is further increased by the participants of the mathematics exchange programmes with partner universities in the US. The »11th International Summer Program at the Ulm University 2008« attracted again 29 students from transatlantic partner institutions.

Academy Fund for Internationalising the University

The Academy for Science, Industry and Technology allocated 100,000 euros out of the »Academy Fund« to the University for the promotion of internationalisation in 2008. Since it was founded, this non-profit organisation has been raising these funds itself with its successful course programme. 80,000 euros of the fund will be distributed as scholarships, especially to cover tuition fees for international students who are in need of financial aid. The remaining 20,000 euros are intended for the promotion of international cooperation, for continuing education, development of new programmes and public relations.

Certificate Family Friendly University

• University Hospital

The University of Ulm received the basic certificate »Family-Friendly University« on 24 November 2008 on the basis of an audit carried out by the company »berufundfamilie gGmbH«. The University of Ulm’s Executive Committee signed an agreement on objectives in which the University of Ulm commits itself to further measures of making more compatible career/ studying and family. The public awarding of the certificate was carried out by the patron, Federal Minister of Family Affairs, Dr. Ursula von der Leyen, on 17 June 2009. On 30 June 2008, the University Hospital was the first university hospital in Baden-Württemberg to receive the same certificate. By means of interim reports and another audit after three years, the institutes are required to prove that they implement their self-imposed goals – only then will the final certificate be awarded.

Children’s Day-Care Centre:

In the children’s day-care centre, jointly used by the University Hospital and the University of Ulm, there are 20 spots available for children of employees and young scientists of the University. These spots are all taken and other children are currently waiting for a vacancy. Possibilities for more capacity are therefore now being looked into. The question of subsequent childcare for children who have reached the age of three is becoming increasingly important.

Holiday Childcare:

The University administration offered a holiday childcare programme for children of employees, in cooperation with the Workers’ Welfare Organisation (research holidays) and the Centre for General Scientific Continuing Education (Summer Science Camp). The research holidays were met with great enthusiasm in 2008. A total of 141 children were registered for 218 childcare weeks. Registrations from 121 children 180 childcare weeks) were accepted. 40 children participated in the Summer Science Camp 44 childcare weeks)

Staff Day-Care Facility Officially Opened :

The University of Ulm and the University Hospital opened their joint staff day-care facility in early March 2008. The people responsible from both sponsor institutions, honoured guests from the state and municipal governments and those involved with planning and construction celebrated the completion of the new construction together with day-care teachers, parents and children. The facility, which was already being used intensively since late summer of the previous year, costs approximately 1.8 million euros and offers 50 places for children from the age of nine weeks to three years. The day-care centre is considered a very important factor in combining family and career for university and hospital staff. The new centre’s very flexible opening hours and the fact that it is only closed a few days a year are remarkable pluses compared to other childcare facilities. With a staff of 23, the ratio of teachers to children is also very good.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The idea behind the "Science Park Ulm", joining university and industrial research, is implemented successfully by collaboration between the University's associated institutions and the University, the University of Applied Science, the University Hospital and industry. Application-oriented research is in the foreground. The first associated institution was founded in 1985, the Institute for Laser Technology in Medicine and Measurement Technique (ILM), as a foundation under public law.

Partners in the Region

• Innovations region Ulm
• Science Park Ulm
• IHK Ulm
• University of applied Science Ulm
• University of applied Science Neu-Ulm
• Stadt Ulm/Neu-Ulm
• Ulmer Volkshochschule
• Stadtbiblothek Ulm

Trivia

Birth place of Albert Einstein : Name of the university

As Albert Einstein was born in Ulm in 1879, it was suggested repeatedly that the university be named after him. In November 2006, the senate of the university finally decided to rename the university.^[8] As this decision was however not confirmed by the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts of the State of Baden-Württemberg, the university will not be called Albert Einstein University Ulm (German: Albert-Einstein-Universität Ulm) as of July 2007 but simply Ulm University. However, the street on which the main buildings of the Ulm University are located - and thus, the physical address of the university - is called Albert-Einstein-Allee in honor of the great physicist.

Energy Maps

A prerequisite for the implementation of energy saving measures is to get an overview of actual consumption. In order to identify large-scale consumers, energy consumption was measured in 2008. The plan is to create an energy map which displays energy consumption in three separate classes. As a result, optimising measures can be planned and implemented in areas where it would be worthwhile. In this way the University’s Executive Committee hopes to counteract the enormous increase in energy prices over the last few years.

External links

• Homepage of the Ulm University (in German)
• Partnership with the German University in Cairo (in English)
• Spiegel Ranking (2004) Mathematics (in German)

Notes and references

Coordinates: 48°25′20″N 9°57′14″E / 48.42222°N 9.95389°E / 48.42222; 9.95389