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The University of Excellence
Technische Universität München
Excellence Initiative by the
TUM International Graduate School
German Federal and State Governments of Science and Engineering (IGSSE)
IGSSE is an interdisciplinary scientifi c institution that aims to in-
n 2005 the federal and state governments started the so- tegrate Natural and Engineering Sciences through (post-) gradu-
called Excellence Initiative in Germany. Between 2006 and ate education rooted in a strong emphasis on research. Up to 70
2011 they will fund the expansion of top university research scholarships will be awarded to doctoral students each year in
with up to 1.9 billion Euros in three funding categories: gradu- order to achieve this goal. 20 project teams with 150 members
ate schools, clusters of excellence and institutional strate- have already started.
gies for universities. TUM was recognized as one of the fi rst IGSSE brings together German and international Research Train-
three universities that succeeded in all three categories and ing Groups and master’s programs at TUM. With demonstrative
were awarded the unoffi cial label of “Elite University”. expertise in natural and engineering science, medicine, mathe-
matics and computer science, they form the scientifi c backbone
The successful applications for the “International Graduate School of the IGSSE. IGSSE defi nes the framework conditions and a role
of Science and Engineering“ (IGSSE) as well as two TUM-man- model for future TUM doctoral programs and will be the model for
aged Clusters of Excellence “Cognition for Technical Systems” the comprehensive “TUM Graduate School“.
(COTESYS) and “Origin and Structure of the Universe,” cleared
the way for the realization of the Institutional Strategy “TUM. The TUM. The Entrepreneurial University
Entrepreneurial University”, based on the consequent university The corporate concept “TUM. The Entrepreneurial University”
reforms of the past years. supports and advances the existing TUM strategy and promotes
TUM covers a large spectrum of fundamental and applied re- top-level research on multiple levels. In this context ‘Entrepre-
search with studies ranging from engineering, natural sciences, neurial Spirit’ means to activate the diversity of human talent in
including life and medical sciences, to economics. Today TUM a concerted, interactive way. In terms of top-level research, it
comprises twelve faculties with more than 21,000 students (about entails combining a maximum of individual freedom with a sup-
20 percent of whom come from abroad), 420 professors, and portive administration.
roughly 6,500 academic and non-academic staff. TUM is thus
well positioned to create new knowledge and know-how. Since Institute for Advanced Study
its inception in 1868, TUM has established its reputation as a The institutional strategy is centered on the “TUM Institute for
foremost academic institution with 6 Nobel prizes and many other Advanced Study” (TUM-IAS), founded in 2005. Much like the leg-
prestigious awards, making it repeatedly the number one German endary IAS in Princeton, TUM-IAS is based on the assumption
university in various rankings, including the most recent ones. that an atmosphere of creativity, inspiration, freedom and support
(free from bureaucracy) for excellent researchers forms the most
productive source for outstanding scientifi c achievements. The
selection process is based on a joint proposal by the applicant
and a TUM host institution. To this end, all labs and facilities of
the university are at the fellows’ disposal. This fall semester, the
fi rst eight fellows started to work on “high-risk, high-potential”
topics, ranging from fundamental physics to biomedical engi-
neering. During the time of their fellowship (1-3 years on aver-
age), they have unbureaucratic access to research funding and
are supported in optimal ways by the IAS-staff.
Work-Life-Balance
Simultaneously, TUM wants to become Germany‘s most attrac-
tive Technical University for female students and scientists. Gen-
photo: Thorsten Naeser
der-equitable and family-friendly measures are most supportive
of an “entrepreneurial university”. The development of fl exible
Informatics and Mathematics building, Campus TUM working hours geared to individual lifestyles makes it easier to
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