International Relations
International Relations - A Worldwide Network
Internationality is part of the daily life at the Universität Stuttgart. Many partnerships, institute cooperations and formal exchange programs with universities all over the world are cornerstones of the university's international network.
The Universität Stuttgart aims at expanding international cooperations in the areas of research, practice and teaching continuously. For this purpose mobility windows should be established in Bachelor courses in order to make it possible for interested students to take integrated study periods abroad.
It has already been the case for many years now that students have been able to gain double degrees at selected partner universities of the University of Stuttgart. With the agreement on double master programs sealed with Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg, Sweden at the end of 2010, new attractive qualification opportunities have opened up, which are to be supplemented worldwide through further planned double master programs.
Programs such as ERASMUS, TEMPUS, ERASMUS-Mundus and many more exchange programs with partner universities of the University of Stuttgart in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australia are becoming increasingly popular. The number of students of the Universität Stuttgart who decide to spend time abroad increases annually.
At the same time, more and more foreign students come to Stuttgart through exchange programs. In Stuttgart they do not only benefit from the wide range of subjects of a big university, but also from the flair of an attractive city, which is the center of a whole region regarding culture, economy and sports. Special attendance to this group of students is of special importance for the university. At the same time offers such as intensive German courses, architectural design workshops but also the Winter resp. Summer University and international summer language courses are very well received since they are specially tailored to suit the needs of the students from Stuttgart’s partner universities.
Students who want to achieve a German university degree are playing an important role alongside the students who only study at the Universität Stuttgart for a limited time. In total there are over 4,400 students with an international background, for whom there are intercultural consultation and support services available. The University of Stuttgart sees international students as an academic and cultural enrichment as well as important future specialists.
The presence of German universities on the international educational landscape is continuing to grow in importance. With the DAAD support program „Courses of study offered by German Universities abroad“ the University of Stuttgart has been working jointly with the University of Ulm since 2003 as a German partner university on the exciting and ambitious project German University in Cairo (GUC), an Egyptian private university in Cairo based on a German model. The German University of Cairo (GUC) serves as a role model as the largest project up to now for German education exports. Through this commitment a contribution is being made to the science and economic locations of Baden-Württemberg and Germany in general. German partners are anticipating a lively mutual exchange of highly gifted students and scientists.
The university is aware of its responsibility concerning international relations. Above all the university wants to intensify mutual scientific contacts. Many former students return to the university as guest scientists. Enduring partnerships at university level are created by the work on cooperate research projects in institutes. The university tries to support foreign guests at its best during their stay; among other things, a guest house is available in the town center and also in Vaihingen.
International Center
With the new, architecturally award winning International Center in Vaihingen a coordinating contact point was created in 2005 for students, postgraduates, guest scientists and international guests, who are co-designing the internationality of the University of Stuttgart.
International Meeting Center
A place to meet and to discuss is the "Internationales Begegnungszentrum", the international meeting center of the Universität Stuttgart close to the campus Vaihingen. The building which was built by Paul Schmitthenner - a famous architect of the university and one of the founders of the so called „Stuttgarter Schule“ - was remodeled and adjusted to the new function thanks to the important efforts of the "Vereinigung von Freunden der Universität Stuttgart" and many other institutions. An exhibition in the foyer of the house shows highlights of the history of the university.