Reforms introduced by the Technical University of Munich
Ever since its foundation, the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has been contributing to technological and social progress. It has initiated pioneering policy reforms for universities in Germany and, through the 1999 “Experimentation Clause”, it has helped to modernize higher education legislation in Bavaria. With its forward-looking concept “TUM. The Entrepreneurial University”, the university again provided compelling proof of its strong reform drive, also marking it out for success in the 2006 and 2012 rounds of “Excellence Initiative” funding.
Transforming into an Entrepreneurial University
1998
- First Bachelor and Master’s programs in the year before the Bologna declaration
- TUMTech GmbH: Technology transfer and consulting, fundraising, project acquisition in research and technology
1999
- "Allianz für Wissen" (Alliance for Knowledge): The first professional fundraising campaign by a German university raises over EUR 191 million
- Alumni & Career: International network of TUM alumni
- New organizational structure: Operational bodies (university management and dean) are separated from governance bodies (Administrative Council, consisting of the Senate and external members)
2000
- Establishment of the TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan.
- Aptitude assessments: The university assesses applicants’ suitability for their chosen course.
2002
- SAP R/3 business process software supports university’s financial system
- UnternehmerTUM GmbH, supported by entrepreneur Susanne Klatten: Promotes entrepreneurial mindset among students and academics.
- Wolfgang A. Herrmann becomes the first President of a German university to call for the introduction of tuition fees.
- German Institute of Science and technology (GIST) in Singapore: First overseas campus set up by a German university.
- MentorING program: Supports women studying natural sciences and engineering to increase the proportion of women in these disciplines.
- The Department of Sport and Health Sciences is built up around the acclaimed University Sports Center
- The TUM School of Management is founded.
2004
- Carl von Linde Academy: Equips students and lecturers with interdisciplinary and teaching skills, supported by Linde AG
- IntegraTUM, elecTUM und HIS@TUM: Programs for seamless information and communication infrastructure, e-learning and electronic exam management
- Opening of FRM II: Heinz Maier-Leibnitz neutron source research reactor
2005
- StudiTUM project: The university funds a student-led project to foster a top-quality study experience.
- TUM Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-IAS): Selected scientists are given the freedom to work on innovative and higher-risk projects; interdisciplinary, high-caliber research groups work alongside international fellows from the worlds of science and industry.
Milestones since the 2006 Excellence Initiative
2006
TUM named University of Excellence in acknowledgement of
- Institutional strategy "TUM.The Entrepreneurial University"
- International Graduate School of Science and Engineering (IGSSE)
- Clusters of Excellence: TUM is a leading partner in five Clusters of Excellence: Cognition for Technical Systems (COTESYS), Origin and Structure of the Universe, Munich-Centre for Advanced Photonics – MAP, Nanosystems Initiative Munich – NIM and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich – CIPSM
2007
- TUM Leonardo da Vinci-Zentrum for Bionics: Interdisciplinary research with a focus on technology, biosciences and medicine
- Center for Carbon Composites: Integrated approach to research involving collaboration with other institutes (Fraunhofer Institute Augsburg)
- TUM International GmbH. The University Company: TUM subsidiary; markets university-related knowledge and coordinates international R&D projects between science and industry
- Introduction of a performance incentive system for all employees
2008
- TUM ForTe – Office for Research and Innovation: Targeted support for research (e.g. German Research Foundation (DFG), ERC), advice for young scientists, technology transfer, intellectual property rights; managed research budget
- TUM Catalysis Research Center: Catalysis research, international alliances, long-term partnerships with industry ("Munich Catalysis": Süd-Chemie/Clariant)
- Hans Eisenmann Zentrum for Agricultural Sciences: Connecting agricultural science institutes at TUM and support for agriculture industry
- Munich Dual Career Office: Comprehensive range of services for the partners of newly appointed professors
- Mentoringprogramm-TUM²: Strategic advice for students from alumni
- TUMlab: Cooperation between the Deutsches Museum in Munich and TUM in the areas of research, teaching and public outreach
- TUMonline: Introduction of integrated campus management database: Electronic application, short-listing and enrolment processes – a first in German higher education
2009
- TUM Graduate School: Umbrella organization for structured doctoral studies with obligatory crossdisciplinary content
- TUM gender center and gender board: Oversees all gender and diversity measures, provides strategic advice to the Board of Management
- TUM.Energy: Cross-faculty research initiative, central to the university "Clean Technologies" strategy; an initiative of the Munich School of Engineering (MSE).
- TUM School of Education: First department at a German university to combine teacher training and education research
2010
- Integrated TUM Campus Management for the student lifecycle
- TUM University Foundation: Vehicle for endowment fundraising
- Academic and Student Affairs: Umbrella organization for all interdisciplinary study and teaching processes; institutionalization of quality management
- TUM: Junge Akademie: Support program for extremely talented and highly dedicated students
- MUNICH AEROSPACE:Research, development and training center jointly run by TUM, Universität der Bundeswehr München, the German aeronautics and space research center (DLR) and Bauhaus Luftfahrt e.V.
- TUM Research Center for Industrial Biotechnology
- Center for Sustainable Building in conjunction with the Oskar von Miller Forum of the Bavarian construction industry
- Spin-off company AmSilk GmbH (27%TUM initial holding): Marketing "synthetic spider silk" from the university’s patent portfolio
2011
- TUMentrepreneurship recognized in the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology’s national EXIST IV competition, "Start-up culture"
- Center for Advanced Laser Applications (CALA): Research center jointly run by TUM and Ludwig Maximilian University in Garching
- TUM: Agenda Lehre (agenda for teaching) recognized by the Joint Science Conference (GWK) as part of the "Quality Pact for Teaching"
- First Senior Vice President for Diversity and Talent Management appointed
2012
Excellence Initiative: The university succeeds once again with its forward-looking concept "TUM.The entrepreneurial University":
- Germany's first Tenure Track career system for junior scientists: Possibility of promotion from Assistant Professor (W2) to Full Professor (W3); 100 new professorships by 2020
- Munich Center for Technology in Society (MCTS) investigating the human dimension in science and technology
- Offices in São Paulo and Cairo established , and a joint Brussels office under the Eurotech Universities alliance.
- International Graduate School of Science and Engineering (IGSSE)
- Research Clusters: Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology – SyNergy, Origin and Structure of the Universe, Munich-Centre for Advanced Photonics – MAP, Nanosystems Initiative Munich – NIM and Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich – CIPSM
2013
- Leonhard Obermeyer Center for 3D models of the built environment founded.
- First Research Opportunities Week to attract international postdocs.
- Schülerforschungszentrum Berchtesgadener Land:Regional collaborative model bridging school and university; extracurricular voluntary scientific research for school pupils with professional guidance
- The International Beverage Research Center in Weihenstephan (iGZW) and the Hans Eisenmann-Zentrum – Institute for Agricultural Sciences are opened at the Center of Life and Food Sciences Weihenstephan.
2014
- MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses): Free online courses accessible from anywhere in the world; non-exclusive partnerships with renowned American platform providers Coursera and edX.
- Technologist: Research magazine of EuroTech Universities –TUM, EPF Lausanne, DTU Copenhagen and TU Eindhoven
- TUM becomes host university of the Bavarian School of Public Policy (HfP).
- System accreditation:All degree programs that meet the quality assurance requirements at the university are duly accredited.
- Part time courses: The university offers Master’s programs in computer science, electrical engineering and information technology on a part-time basis
- Studium MINT and studium naturale: Orientation programs for prospective students who are undecided about the course they should take.
2015
- Teach@TUM: This concept combines subject area knowledge with education and learning theory, effective pedagogical strategies and practice and insights into how education theory and practice are applied to schools. The aim is to improve teacher training in STEM subjects. It is supported by the German federal government and the states as one of 19 nationwide programs in a teacher-training quality campaign.
- Opening of the TUM Entrepreneurship Center: The university and its affiliated institute UnternehmerTUM have bundled an end-to-end offering for technology-focused start-ups at this new building on the Garching campus. It networks research and practical application, with academic chairs from the TUM Entrepreneurship Research Institute also under the same roof.
2016
- Science & Study Center, Raitenhaslach: After an extensive restoration, the university opens a new academic center in the former Cistercian abbey at Raitenhaslach as a hub of international scientific exchange.
- TUM School of Governance: This School, aligned with the Bavarian School of Public Policy (HfP München), is to become the university's 14th department. It focuses its research and teaching on the interaction between politics, society, the economy and technology, and officially opens at the beginning of 2017.
2017
- Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability: As an Integrative Research Center, Campus Straubing is fully integrated into TUM and classifies as the university’s fourth campus after Munich, Garching and Freising-Weihenstephan.
2018
- TUM Campus Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg is the first campus of a German university to be located in a different federal state. The TUM School of Management offers a wide range of courses here for the managers of the future. The non-profit Dieter Schwarz Foundation is providing long-term support by funding 20 new business management professorships with complete facilities and infrastructure.
- The Munich School of Robotics and Machine Intelligence (MSRM) taps into and investigates the basics of robotics, perception and artificial intelligence for innovative and sustainable technological solutions to the major challenges of our time.
- Establishment of the Department of Aerospace and Geodesy as the university’s 15th department. Once completed, it will be the largest academic department of its kind in Europe.
International alliances since 2006
2007
- European University Alliance in Science & Technology (EuroTech Universities): TUM, EPF Lausanne, DTU Kopenhagen, TU Eindhoven, École Polytechnique and Technion.
- European Graduate School of Sustainable Energy: Doctoral studies in several European countries.
2008
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia with TUM as the exclusive German partner; 3 research projects, USD 21 million
2010
- "TUM Center for ElectroMobility in Mega-Cities" on the Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) in Singapur
2018
- Flaggship partnership with Imperial College London
- Partnership for innovation and sustainable development with KNUST university in Ghana