The Universität Karlsruhe Honors Famous Former Graduate

Dr. Elisabeth Zuber-Knost
Press Officer

Kaiserstraße 12
76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 721/608-2089
Fax: +49 (0) 721/608-3658

On the occasion of its 10^th anniversary, the English-speaking bachelors’ studies course in mechanical engineering at the Universität Karlsruhe will be named “Carl Benz School of Engineering”. The opening ceremony in the honor of the famous car developer and former graduate from the University will take place on Monday, December 3, 2007, 14 to 18 hrs, at the Tulla lecture hall (Tulla Hörsaal, Englerstraße 11, building No. 11.40).

For details, please contact:
Universität Karlsruhe (TH)
International Department
Dr. Birgitta Kappes

Phone + 49 (0) 721 608 7885
E-mail

This new name also reflects the close relatedness of the International Department that has been offering this international studies course since its foundation in 1998 with the Daimler AG. Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chief Executive Officer of the Daimler AG and responsible for Mercedes-Benz Cars, graduated from the Universität Karlsruhe and is member of the university council. During the ceremony, he will stand godfather of the school, and during the opening, Zetsche will talk about the “Requirements on Tomorrow’s Engineer in a Global World”.

As a representative of the Benz family, Jutta Benz will remind of the heritage of her grandfather and grandmother and drive in a historic motor vehicle in the Ehrenhof of the University. Students and graduates of the studies course that was one of the first English-speaking studies courses at the University will highlight the advantages of the innovative training concept in a discussion round. The University’s President, Professor Dr. Horst Hippler, as well as Dr. Zetsche and Jutta Benz will finally unveil a stela in the Ehrenhof.

Professor Dr. Hartmut Weule founded the International Department with the objective of offering studies courses in English that combine an expert education in mechanical engineering with internships at industrial companies and parallel studies of applied cultural sciences. In this way, he intended to win excellent students from abroad for the Universität Karlsruhe.

Meanwhile, the scope of activities of the International Department has been extended: Under its roof, it bundles three institutions that offer specific types of training to the students and young workers. Apart from the Carl Benz School, the Hector School of Engineering and Management with five master programs and the Karlsruhe School of Optics and Photonics (KSOP) with one master studies course and a program for PhD students convey expert and interdisciplinary skills.

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) represents the merger of the Universität Karlsruhe with the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe. Altogether, it has 8000 employees and an annual budget of 600 million Euros. In the KIT, both partners are bundling their scientific competences and capacities, establishing optimum research structures, and developing joint strategies and visions.

The KIT will be an institution of internationally excellent research and teaching in natural and engineering sciences. KIT shall attract the best experts from all over the world, set new standards in teaching and promotion of young scientists, and establish the leading European center in the field of energy research. KIT will assume a leading role in nanosciences worldwide. It is the objective of KIT to be one of the most important cooperation partners of industry.