University development

Cooperation with universities in Eastern and Central Europe

The presidents of the Technical Universities of Budapest and Karlsruhe entered into an agreement together on May 8, 1970 to advance the scientific and cultural contacts between the two institutions. This was the first official post-WWII partnership between universities in the Hungarian People’s Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany – and it occurred before official diplomatic relations between the two states were resumed. Since then, over 700 Budapest scientists have come to Karlsruhe to conduct research, and similar numbers of Karlsruhe specialists have been in Budapest. The fruits of this partnership have been several joint research projects, publications, doctorates and post-doctoral degrees.

German-language training programs for engineers in Hungary and Bulgaria

Success was the motivating factor which brought about the creation of the German-language training programs for engineers at the Technical University of Budapest in 1992. These courses are available in the fields of civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering/computer science and traffic planning. The goal of the program  is to encourage and sustain the technological and economic relationship between Germany and Hungary. The exchange also includes university students: up to 50 students from Budapest spend their fifth semester in Karlsruhe every year, and our professors serve as thesis advisors to some 25 Hungarians annually. In Budapest, three to five Karlsruhe students complete their degree each year. The two universities have also offered binational telelectures and tele-seminars in the past.

There is a similar project which links the Universität Karlsruhe to the Technical University of Sofia in Bulgaria. In 1990, a unique institution was created there: the department of German engineering and business training. The teaching there, which is conducted in German, follows exactly the same structure as the mechanical engineering program in Karlsruhe. In addition to a diploma from the University of Sofia, graduates also receive a certificate from the Universität Karlsruhe which is the equivalent of a degree in techanical engineering from Karlsruhe. A lively exchange between students and instructors keeps the cooperation program dynamic.