Heidelberg University
Outstanding research & teaching
A long history of excellence. Heidelberg University is the oldest university in Germany. Since its founding 1386 it has attracted many top scientists from Germany and abroad, including Robert Bunsen, Hermann Helmholtz, Gustav Kirchhoff and Max Weber. To date, eleven Nobel Prizes have been awarded to professors at the University of Heidelberg, most recently in 2014 to professor Stefan Hell for his work on the development of super-resolved fluorescence microscopy. Current successes in competitions and rankings attest to the outstanding level of science at Heidelberg.
Recognized success. In 2019 Heidelberg University's status as an elite university was officially confirmed once again. Building on the concept of Comprehensive Research University – a university with outstanding research strenght– and the basis of a cross-disciplinary dialogue, Heidelberg University uses its special strengths to continue innovation in research, teaching and transfer and help with solving complex societal challenges. As part of the excellence initiative, the new clusters of excellence 3D Matter Made to Order – together with the Karlsruher Institute for Technology – and STRUCTURES receive federal and state funding.
A university with a future. More than 30,000 students are currently enjoying an excellent university education at the University of Heidelberg. With more than 160 courses of study to choose from, the range of subject combinations on offer at the University is virtually unrivalled in Germany. The diverse leisure activities available in Heidelberg and its surrounding area make it easy for students to strike a balance between study and recreation.
A further strength of the University of Heidelberg is its wide range of partnerships with external research bodies and businesses. These enable it to facilitate dialogue between the business and academic worlds, creating ideal conditions for research. Just how closely theory and practice are intertwined at the University is demonstrated by the large number of successful start-ups that have originated there.