European Policy Statement (EPS) TU Clausthal

Status 2013

Clausthal University of Technology is constantly striving to intensify existing contacts with partner universities and to gain additional cooperation partners. For some years now, the focus regions have included South and Southeast Europe, Scandinavia, North America (USA), South America (Brazil) and Asia (Thailand, Japan and India). In addition, Clausthal University of Technology has traditionally maintained numerous collaborations with Chinese universities and research institutions. The proportion of Chinese students is therefore relatively high compared to other German universities. Clausthal University of Technology has set itself the goal of achieving an even greater diversification of the student population in the medium term, in order to continue to take particular account of the idea of living globalization at the university.

When initiating new partnerships in the above-mentioned priority regions, great importance is attached to a high degree of consistency between the academic and research profiles. This should ensure that synergies in teaching and research can be optimally utilized. This is an essential prerequisite for the smooth flow of mobility at all levels, both within and outside Europe.

As an internationally oriented university with a proportion of foreign students (first, second and third cycle) and staff of around 29 percent, daily interaction in everyday university life requires a high degree of intercultural competence. Through measures such as

  • University seminars and workshops to promote intercultural competence,
  • language tandems and language courses in more than ten languages,
  • country and university information events,
  • group and individual counseling measures,
  • International Staff Exchange Weeks

This ensures that students and staff are not only optimally informed and prepared about exchange opportunities, but also that living, studying and researching together is made easier.

From a student perspective, however, universities that offer at least part of their courses in English are of particular interest, as students have limited confidence in following courses that are not taught in their native language or in English. At many of the partner universities, however, the range of courses taught in English is limited. In order to motivate students to spend time at the partner universities mentioned above, the range of language courses on offer has been expanded. This gives students the opportunity to improve their receptive and productive language skills at their home university to a level that makes them less reluctant to attend courses in a language other than German or English. The range of language courses is therefore evaluated annually in order to be able to respond promptly and purposefully to changing needs and requirements.

Clausthal University of Technology has long had double-degree agreements in each of the three faculties with recognized universities within and outside Europe, e.g. in Mechanical Engineering/Mechatronics with the Universities of Oviedo and Valencia, in Geoenvironmental Engineering with Sichuan University in the People's Republic of China or in Materials Science/Materials Engineering with Ain Shams University in Cairo.

Further double-degree agreements are planned with Técnico Lisboa (IST Lisbon) in the field of petroleum engineering and the Moscow University of Steel and Alloys in the field of materials science. Initial talks have already taken place and it is expected that the corresponding agreements will be signed within the next twelve months, so that the first students can begin their studies in the new double-degree programs within the next two years.

Due to its cosmopolitan orientation and interdisciplinary networking both at the university location and with partners in industry and research worldwide, Clausthal University of Technology has the unique opportunity to bundle competencies and thus enable knowledge transfer within the university and back to the respective home countries of the students and scientists. Clausthal University of Technology thus makes a valuable contribution to the education of students and to the qualitative improvement of research and teaching not only at the home university but also at the partner institutions.

Expected effects

  1. Due to the excellent ratio of teaching staff to students of approx. 1:8, Clausthal University of Technology is able to provide personal support for the future scientific elite in an almost ideal way. Clausthal University of Technology actively counteracts a potential attrition rate through accompanying measures during the course of study. The tutoring and mentoring program, which represents an important link between teachers and students, deserves special mention here. Current developments show that a further increase in the number of graduates can be expected as a result of these facts and measures.
  2. Complex tasks in a globalized world can often only be solved on an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary basis. For this reason, Clausthal University of Technology links the potential in three research areas and associated research centers:
    - Energy and Raw Materials: Energy Research Center of Lower Saxony (EFZN)
    - Materials and Machines: Clausthal Center for Materials Technology (CZM)
    - Complex Systems and Simulation: Simulation Science Center (SWZ)
    In research, Clausthal University of Technology is positioned across disciplines and networked with other universities: The Harz scientists have been working with the University of Hanover for years in the field of materials science in the Collaborative Research Center 675 ("Generation of High-Strength Structures"). A European Research Training Group in the field of plastics links the universities of Göttingen, Amsterdam and Eindhoven with Clausthal.
  3. Clausthal University of Technology has always had numerous international contacts. Thanks to its international network, in most cases it is easy to arrange a suitable semester or internship abroad for students. In conjunction with intensive training measures to acquire intercultural competence, which are carried out in advance of a stay abroad, it is ensured that students can move confidently on the international stage and act in an interculturally appropriate manner.
  4. The maxim at Clausthal University of Technology is the close networking of natural sciences, engineering and economics within application-oriented research. This is organized in three innovative centers already mentioned under point 2. The excellent supervision ratio makes it possible for students to be involved in scientific work and joint research projects between the university and industry at an early stage of their studies.
  5. The new internationalization strategy currently being discussed at Clausthal University of Technology provides for constant monitoring of measures within the framework of this programme. This is not only intended to ensure quality, but also to create a set of funding instruments in order to provide targeted support for particularly excellent measures.

The bundling of the above-mentioned measures will provide new impetus for the continuous modernization of Clausthal University of Technology.