Technical University of Munich facts for kids
|
Technische Universität München
|
|
 |
|
| Motto | The Entrepreneurial University |
|---|---|
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1868 |
| Founder | Ludwig II of Bavaria |
|
Academic affiliation
|
|
| Budget | €1,839.2 million (2022)
|
| President | Thomas Hofmann (list of presidents) |
|
Academic staff
|
666 professors 7,883 (other academic staff) |
|
Administrative staff
|
3,502 (without university hospital) |
| Students | 52,580 (WS 2023–24) |
| Address |
Arcisstraße 21
,
,
,
80333
,
48°08′56″N 11°34′01″E / 48.149°N 11.567°E |
| Campus | Urban |
| Colors | Blue, White |
 |
|
The Technical University of Munich (TUM) is a famous public university in Munich, Germany. It's a top place for studying things like engineering, technology, medicine, and different kinds of science.
King Ludwig II of Bavaria started the university in 1868. Today, TUM has many locations, including big campuses in Garching and Freising. It also has campuses in Heilbronn, Straubing, and even Singapore. TUM is one of the biggest universities in Germany, with over 52,000 students. It has a large budget of about €1.8 billion each year.
TUM is known as a University of Excellence in Germany. This means it's one of the best universities in the European Union. Many smart people have studied or worked here. This includes 18 winners of the Nobel Prize and 24 winners of the Leibniz Prize.
Contents
History of TUM
How TUM Started: The 1800s
In 1868, King Ludwig II of Bavaria created the Polytechnische Schule München. This name means "Polytechnic School of Munich." Karl Maximilian von Bauernfeind was its first leader. The school was built on Arcisstraße, where the main campus still stands today.
When it first opened, about 350 students learned from 24 professors and 21 teachers. The school had six main areas of study. These included mathematics, natural sciences, civil engineering, architecture, mechanical engineering, chemistry, and agriculture.
In 1877, the school changed its name to Technische Hochschule München. This means "Technical University of Munich." In 1901, it gained the right to give out doctorate degrees. For a while, it was the biggest technical university in Germany. In 1970, it got its current name, Technische Universität München.
TUM in the 1900s
In 1906, Anna Boyksen became the first female student to study electrical engineering at TUM. This happened after the government allowed women to study at technical universities. Later, in 1927, Martha Schneider-Bürger became the first German woman to graduate as a civil engineer from the university.
In 1913, Jonathan Zenneck became the head of the new Physics Institute.
During the 1920s and 1930s, Germany faced tough times. The university also went through political changes. Some professors and students were treated unfairly. After Adolf Hitler came to power, the university's freedom was limited. Some staff members were forced to leave their jobs. Jewish students were not allowed to enroll after 1938.
During World War II, TUM helped with research for the war. Famous professors like Willy Messerschmitt (aircraft designer) and Walther Meissner (physicist) worked here. Even during the war, some professors and students secretly helped Jewish students. Nobel laureate Hans Fischer was one of them.
After World War II
.JPG)
During the war, about 80% of the university's buildings in Munich were destroyed. Despite this, classes started again in April 1946.
In 1956, TUM began building a research reactor in Garching. This was the start of the Garching campus. Later, in 1969, the physics department moved there. New buildings for chemistry, biology, and geoscience followed in 1977.
In 1967, a Faculty of Medicine was created. By 1968, TUM had six faculties, 8,400 students, and 5,700 staff. In 1972, a huge sports center was built for the university.
In 1970, the university officially became the Technische Universität München. In 1974, its six faculties changed into eleven departments. In 1992, computer science became its own department.
TUM in the 2000s
In 2002, TUM opened a branch in Singapore called TUM Asia. This was the first time a German university had opened a branch outside Germany.
New departments like Sport and Health Sciences and the School of Management were also started in 2002. Over the years, TUM has continued to grow. It now has 15 schools and departments.
Since 2006, TUM has been named a University of Excellence in Germany. This shows it's one of the top universities in the country. By 2023, the 15 schools and departments were reorganized into seven larger schools.
TUM Campuses
TUM has many different campuses where its various study areas are located.
Munich Campus
.jpg)
The main campus, called Stammgelände, is in the center of Munich. Here you'll find departments like Architecture, Civil, Geo and Environmental Engineering, and Electrical and Computer Engineering. The Schools of Management, Governance, and Education are also here.
The TUM School of Medicine is located at the Rechts der Isar Hospital in the Haidhausen area. The TUM Department of Sport and Health Sciences is in the Olympiapark, where the 1972 Summer Olympics were held.
Garching Campus
The Garching campus is about 10 kilometers north of Munich. It has become the largest TUM campus. Many science and engineering departments have moved here. These include Physics, Chemistry, Mechanical Engineering, Informatics, and Mathematics.
Many important research centers are also in Garching. These include Max Planck Institutes for Plasma Physics and Astrophysics. The Forschungsreaktor München II (FRM II) and the Leibniz Supercomputing Centre are also here. The Garching campus has its own fire department.
Weihenstephan Campus
The third TUM campus is in Weihenstephan, Freising, about 35 kilometers north of Munich. This campus is home to the School of Life Sciences.
Other TUM Locations
TUM also has facilities in Ottobrunn, Straubing, Heilbronn, and Singapore.
TUM Asia in Singapore
TUM has a special branch in Singapore. It's called German Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) – TUM Asia. It offers advanced study programs. In 2010, TUM Asia also started offering bachelor's degrees.
In 2010, TUM and the Nanyang Technological University created TUMCREATE. This is a research group that works on making public transportation better in Singapore.
What You Can Study at TUM
TUM is a technical university. This means it focuses on engineering, technology, medicine, and science. It doesn't offer studies in subjects like law or many social sciences.
As of 2023, the Technical University of Munich has seven main schools:
| Schools | Students | Female | International |
|---|---|---|---|
|
15,092 | 22.2% | 55.1% |
|
13,285 | 29.6% | 45.1% |
|
4,950 | 35.7% | 39.3% |
|
4,884 | 57.6% | 33.6% |
|
4,393 | 54.6% | 17.0% |
|
6,977 | 39.7% | 53.2% |
|
2,201 | 57.7% | 25.0% |
| TUM Campus Straubing | 798 | 45.0% | 65.3% |
Other important parts of TUM include the Rechts der Isar Hospital and the TUM Graduate School. The TUM School of Management has special accreditations, which means it meets high international standards.
Research at TUM
TUM is one of Europe's top universities for research. It gets a lot of funding for its projects. It also ranks high in research studies.
TUM has received special funding for many research groups. These groups study things like energy technology, quantum mechanics, astrophysics, and neurology.
Besides its schools, TUM has many research centers. These centers work with outside partners. Some centers combine research with teaching, like the TUM Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-IAS). Other centers work with companies to solve real-world problems. These include the research reactor FRM II and the Catalysis Research Center.
Working with Others: Partnerships
TUM has over 160 partnerships with universities around the world. These partnerships involve joint research and student exchange programs. Some partners include:
- Europe: ETH Zurich, EPFL, Technical University of Denmark
- United States: MIT, Stanford University, Cornell University
- Asia: National University of Singapore, Tsinghua University, University of Tokyo
- Australia: Australian National University, University of Melbourne
Students can study abroad through programs like Erasmus+ and TUMexchange.
TUM's Reputation: Rankings
| University rankings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall – Global & National | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By subject – Global & National | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
28
1
=59Overall Rankings
TUM is ranked very high among universities worldwide.
- In 2025, it was ranked 28th globally by QS World University Rankings. It was the best in Germany.
- In 2024, it was ranked 30th globally by Times Higher Education World University Rankings. It was also the best in Germany.
- In 2023, it was ranked 59th globally by the Academic Ranking of World Universities. It was second best in Germany.
- In Europe, TUM ranked 11th in the 2024 QS Europe rankings.
TUM graduates are also highly sought after for jobs. In 2022, TUM graduates were ranked 12th globally for getting hired. TUM is also known for its impact on industry and innovation.
Subject Rankings
TUM is a top university for many specific subjects.
- In QS World University Rankings, it's the highest-ranked German university for:
- Engineering and Technology (19th globally)
- Natural Sciences (23rd globally)
- Computer Science (31st globally)
- In Times Higher Education World University Rankings, it's the highest-ranked German university for:
- Business and Economics (27th globally)
- Physical Sciences (22nd globally)
- Engineering and Technology (22nd globally)
- Computer Science (15th globally)
TUM is also ranked first in Germany for many other subjects by ARWU. These include electrical engineering, aerospace engineering, food science, biotechnology, and management.
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
21–40Student Life at TUM
In winter 2023/24, TUM had over 52,000 students. About 36% of them were female, and 45% came from other countries.
Student Groups and Clubs
Students at TUM run many exciting groups.
- TEDxTUM and the TUM Speaker Series bring famous people to speak. Past speakers include Ban Ki-moon (former UN leader) and Bill Gates (Microsoft founder).
- IKOM is a big career fair that helps students find jobs.
One very special student group is the Workgroup for Rocketry and Space Flight (WARR). This group won all the SpaceX Hyperloop pod competitions from 2017 to 2019. Another group, TUM Boring, won a tunnel-boring competition in 2021. In 2023, a TUM team got second place in an autonomous racecar competition.
Student Government
The Student Council is the main group that speaks for all students at TUM. It chooses the General Student Committee (AStA). This committee helps students with their studies, money, and social life. Each school or department also has its own student council.
Every year, students vote for their representatives. These representatives help make important decisions for the university.
Fun Events at TUM
The Student Council organizes many fun events each year.
- TUNIX and GARNIX are week-long outdoor festivals held every summer. TUNIX is near the Munich campus, and GARNIX is at the Garching campus.
- GLÜHNIX is a christmas market held in December.
- MaiTUM is a Bavarian spring festival held in May.
Campus Activities
The Zentrale Hochschulsportanlage (ZHS) is Germany's largest university sports center. It offers hundreds of different sports programs for students.
TUM also has many music groups. These include the TUM Chamber Orchestra, the TUM Jazz Band, the TUM Choir, and a full symphony orchestra.
Famous People from TUM
Nobel Prize Winners
17 people who studied, taught, or did research at TUM have won the Nobel Prize:
- 1927 – Heinrich Otto Wieland, Chemistry
- 1929 – Thomas Mann, Literature
- 1930 – Hans Fischer, Chemistry
- 1961 – Rudolf L. Mößbauer, Physics
- 1964 – Konrad Emil Bloch, Physiology or Medicine
- 1973 – Ernst Otto Fischer, Chemistry
- 1985 – Klaus von Klitzing, Physics
- 1986 – Ernst Ruska, Physics
- 1988 – Johann Deisenhofer and Robert Huber, Chemistry
- 1989 – Wolfgang Paul, Physics
- 1991 – Erwin Neher, Physiology or Medicine
- 2001 – Wolfgang Ketterle, Physics
- 2007 – Gerhard Ertl, Chemistry
- 2016 – Bernard L. Feringa, Chemistry
- 2017 – Joachim Frank, Chemistry
- 2022 – Anton Zeilinger, Physics
Other Famous Scientists
Many other important scientists have been part of TUM:
- Rudolf Diesel, who invented the Diesel engine.
- Claude Dornier, an airplane designer.
- Emil Erlenmeyer, a chemist known for the Erlenmeyer flask.
- Carl von Linde, who discovered the refrigeration cycle.
- Willy Messerschmitt, a famous aircraft designer.
- Oskar von Miller, who started the Deutsches Museum.
Images for kids
-
The new building of the Polytechnische Schule München in 1869
-
The main building of the Technische Hochschule München in 1909
-
Lecture hall in the former Institute of Chemistry in 1909. An early version of the periodic table can be seen on the wall.
-
The research reactor FRM I, nicknamed the atomic egg, has become a landmark of the city of Garching, even being featured in its coat of arms.
-
The TUM campus in Garching with the Department of Mechanical Engineering to right
-
Aerial view of the main building (dark brown) in downtown Munich (2007)
-
Aerial view of the TUM campus in Garching (2011)
-
Interior of the faculty building for the Departments of Mathematics and Informatics
-
Entrance to the Main Campus in Munich
-
The Werner von Siemens Auditorium Maximum on the Main Campus
-
TUM has operated two research reactors on its Garching campus, the egg-shaped FRM I from 1957 to 2000 and the FRM II (with the curved roof) since 2004.
-
Heinrich Otto Wieland, professor at TUM from 1913 to 1921, won the 1927 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
-
Carl von Linde, lecturer at the TH Munich, discovered the refrigeration cycle that led to the development of the modern refrigerator.
See also
In Spanish: Universidad Técnica de Múnich para niños
- Education in Germany
- List of universities in Germany
- List of forestry universities and colleges
