Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel

Kiel University: keeping on course together

Kiel University is Germany's northernmost State University and the scientific centre of Schleswig-Holstein. At our institutes, more than 24,000 students learn their trade, about 2,000 scientists teach and do research in one of our eight faculties. They educate students in 185 degree programs and approximately 80 different areas ranging from Agricultural Science to Zoology. Founding members of Kiel University in 1665 were the faculties of Arts and Humanities, Theology, Law, and Medicine. Since then, four additional faculties have been established: Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Business, Economics and Social Sciences, Engineering as well as Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences. During its long history, the city of Kiel and the University have formed tight bonds. With its clinic, the University is one of the biggest employers in the region. It sees itself as a modern State University of interconnecting academic cultures. As a state institution, Kiel University has a special responsibility: It offers students from Schleswig-Holstein a broad range of subjects so they can study in state. Kiel University also offers a clearly structured scientific profile that attracts students from all over Germany and the world. Contributing to this are the bachelor and master programs, which are available in almost all disciplines. They are designed to make it easier for international students to get their degrees accepted. Kiel University also attaches great importance to the education of their doctoral candidates, who do research on their own and have established strong networks - such as Research and Training Groups, Graduate Schools and the Graduate Center. Various international Summer Schools invite future students to get to know their area of interest or to join supervised studies. Connecting the various scientific areas has been given top priority by Kiel University because societal issues can often only be answered through collaboration of various disciplines. These communalities enable scientists from all over the world to work together in Northern Germany. Being "family friendly" is a high priority at Kiel University. The parents among the students and employees might be interested to know that the university was certified as family friendly in 2002 for the first time through the nation-wide "audit familiengerechte hochschule" by berufundfamilie gGmbH. Last year, Kiel University was awarded the certificate for the fourth time. The university is constantly working to make it easier for students with small children to keep their schedules. In order to draw qualified employers, the university tries to establish a family friendly work policy. As a recognised partner of top level sports, Kiel University supports its ambitious sports students so that they can manage both - elite sports such as beach volleyball or sailing, and their studies.