About 4750 new students will begin their studies at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) this winter semester. The traditional welcome ceremony will take place on Friday, October 22, 2021, 18.00 hrs. A live stream will be provided at https://www.aserv.kit.edu/erstsemesterbegruessung21.php .
“We are indeed very happy that many courses will take place on campus again and that our students will return to our campus and fill it with life,” says the President of KIT, Professor Holger Hanselka. “Of course, we will continue to need rules, but encounters will be far more numerous which is essential to all of us. Exchange and learning together are major elements of studies and teaching at KIT.”
“After three digital semesters, we are now getting closer to normal business again, with many courses taking place on campus,” says Professor Alexander Wanner, Vice-President for Higher Education and Academic Affairs. “We are planning a mix of on-campus, hybrid, and online courses. Studies will mainly take place on campus and, at the same time, online participation will be possible. This will also give us the flexibility to respond to potential changes of the situation.”
Hybrid Courses and Lectures
For hybrid courses and lectures, i.e. courses that will take place both online and in-person, KIT has provided 35 lecture halls with the required equipment. With a small effort, teachers can stream their courses or lectures via video conferences. In this way, students can attend the courses and lectures from other places as well. Hybrid types of courses will enable teachers to offer a maximum of in-person teaching and to respond flexibly to potential changes occurring during the semester.
About 22,000 Students at KIT
In the 2021/22 winter semester, the number of beginning students, including beginners of master’s programs, will total about 4750. The total number of all students amounts to about 22,000. However, enrollment and the procedure for subsequent admissions are still underway. The reference date for statistics will be November 30.
Commitment of Students at KIT
The start of studies at KIT is facilitated in particular by the orientation phases organized by departmental student representations prior to the start of the semester. Campus life also includes culture, sports, and politics groups. More than 90 student groups exist at KIT. During the welcome event, KIT will honor 76 students for their outstanding commitment and work in the student groups and student representations.
“How to Ersti:” Tips for Beginning Students
In a video series (in German with english subtitle), students of KIT answer questions relating to the start of studies, for example, what the student card can be used for or what information is provided on the Students Portal. In addition, they give tips for learning, leisure time, life in Karlsruhe, or for jobs parallel to studies. The first part of the series is online now, further videos will follow in the next days.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk9Jc1t-Cx0UBpAHvgFDOsYM459EN5k2W
KIT Backpack with Postcard Catalog “Infos zum Studienstart”
For twelve years now, all beginning students have been provided with a backpack for starting their studies. It is filled with tips and information of important units of KIT, the General Students Committee, and Studierendenwerk. In addition, it contains information and freebies of sponsors.
The postcard catalog “Infos zum Studienstart” summarizes important information for starting studies, on central units and on service and consultation offers at KIT.
Information Booths at the Mensa on Adenauerring
After the ceremony, various units, groups, and partners of KIT will provide information at the booths in Mensa or digitally at https://www.aserv.kit.edu/erstsemesterbegruessung21.php . Have a look at selected products from the Campus Collection of KIT, including t-shirts made of recycled materials, hoodies, and sustainable and practical helpers for studies. All products are also available online at www.kit-shop.de.
Being “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.