Ladies and Gentlemen,
The University of Bremen was founded in the fall of 1971 forty years ago. The principles the University were founded on at that time – an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and research, orientation to the practice, and social commitment – have long since become the standard for modern universities around the world. At the University of Bremen it is an established tradition that teaching and research focus on the pressing issues confronting society. “Science in the interest of society” – the University lives up to this aspiration in a number of ways: Via cooperation projects with public institutions as well as private enterprises, a network of international cooperation partners, and a broad spectrum of services for the general public.
Thanks to the rigorous pursuit of leading-edge research, the University of Bremen has meanwhile secured a place in the highest rankings of German universities. It is now firmly established in the international scientific community and enjoys a high reputation worldwide.
For a mid-sized university – 250 professorships and approx. 18,000 students – it covers a very wide spectrum of subjects: Students can choose between 100 programs in some 30 different disciplines.
The exceptional linkages between research, teaching, life and work radiate out into the immediate vicinity of the University. More than 400 institutes and businesses with over 6,000 employees have already located in the technology park which surrounds the campus. They are closely connected to the University via numerous projects. The short ways open up opportunities for uncomplicated cooperation. The University of Bremen therefore constitutes the core of one of Germany’s most successful high-tech locations.
The latest chapter in the success story of the University of Bremen is its participation in the Excellence Initiative launched by the German Government and the Länder. The goal pursued by this competitive funding procedure is to crown the best and highest-potential universities in Germany. The University of Bremen is the only university in the North West of Germany to have made it to the final phase. It will now be evaluated by panels of international experts. The result will be made known in June 2012.
On the following pages you can read more about 40 years University of Bremen as well as the Excellence Initiative of the German Government and the Länder and Bremen’s participation in the competitive evaluation procedure.
Bremen is riding high – accompany us on the way to excellence!
Prof. Dr. Wilfried Müller
President of the University of Bremen
The University will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a big “UniFest” party, to which all its students, employees and other friends of the University are warmly invited. It will take place in the main dining hall on the campus boulevard on 25th November 2011. A wide range of other activities and events are also planned to mark the occasion. more »
Founded in times of social reform The University of Bremen is a young university. It was founded in 1971 for the purpose of teacher training. What was to become known as the “Bremen Model“ was conceived in times of social reform. Its core elements apply to this day and it was these basic principles which first made the subsequent research success possible: Interdisciplinary orientation, research-based learning in teaching projects, orientation to the practice and social commitment. Some new guiding principles have been added since: Internationalization of teaching and research, equal gender opportunity, and environmental responsibility. more »
