RWTH Aachen University has a long history as a research
organisation and as an institution of education. It is known as a
progressive, modern and forward-looking institution among students,
industrial partners and citizens. RWTH Aachen University
recognises its responsibility towards society, it has established
and demonstrated flexibility and adaptability over the years and
it is determined to improve its international visibility.
Within the Excellence Initiative of the German federal and state
governments, RWTH Aachen University has been awarded
funding for its future concept. This allows a greater concentration
on the clear stated goals and principles of the university,
one of which is to train a highly-qualified and responsible new
generation of academics for the benefit of business and society,
research and teaching. RWTH Aachen University has developed
a strategic plan which is reflected in the Institutional Strategy
and leads to a super ordinate goal: In contrast to a university primarily
characterised by the coexistence of individual strengths,
especially in engineering, RWTH is developing into an integrated
interdisciplinary university of technology that is able to meet
global challenges.
Six interdisciplinary forums at RWTH (e.g. Forum Materials
Science, Forum Technology and Society) are engaged to
provide a better integration and cooperation among all scientific
areas. Working groups within the forums and the different
departments at the university collaborate in order to make a
faster progress in cross-cutting research fields. Interdisciplinary
pathfinder project proposals were submitted and doctoral theses,
e.g. “Development of materials and technologies in the mirror of
literature” and “Material design against the background of technology
and society”, are begun at our Department of Ferrous
Metallurgy, Chair for Metallurgy of Iron and Steel. In cooperation
between different departments of Material Sciences and
the Humanities we have set up a project relating to “Materials,
symbolic meanings of materials and identity construction”. The
speakers of the Forums support the dialog between academic
world, industry, society and politics.
The best researchers are supposed to contribute and collaborate.
That is why the social surroundings and environment should be
appropriately arranged. Modifications in organization and structure
at RWTH Aachen University have been made. With its large
number of projects for integration and support for newly-appointed
researchers and their families, Dual Career Programme,
Parent Service Office, efforts to internationalise all the faculties
and to inspire young people to be the future generation of engineers,
scientists and leaders in industry and society, demonstrates
the strong will to learn and teach.
RWTH Aachen University is looking ahead with a great optimism
that it will succeed in Meeting Global Challenges in the next 10
years and that it will bring valuable information, research and
development to the SOVAMAT Initiative.