University of Mainz facts for kids
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Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
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Historic Seal of the University of Mainz
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| Motto | Ut omnes unum sint German: Dass alle eins seien |
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Motto in English
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That they all may be one |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1477 (University of Mainz) Re-opened 1946 (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz) |
| Budget | € 504 million (2018) |
| President | Georg Krausch [de] |
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Academic staff
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4,353 |
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Administrative staff
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7,825 |
| Students | 32,000 |
| Location |
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Rhineland Palatinate
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Germany
49°59′32″N 8°14′17″E / 49.99222°N 8.23806°E |
| Colors | Red |
| Affiliations | U15 |
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The Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (German: Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz) is a big public research university located in Mainz, Germany. It is named after the famous printer Johannes Gutenberg. In 2018, about 32,000 students were studying there. They could choose from around 100 different programs. The university has 11 main departments, called faculties.
This university is part of the German U15. This is a group of fifteen top research and medical universities in Germany. It also works with the IT-Cluster Rhine-Main-Neckar. Plus, it's part of the Rhine-Main-Universities (RMU) group. This group includes Goethe University Frankfurt and Technische Universität Darmstadt.
The first University of Mainz started in 1477. This makes it one of the oldest universities in Europe. It is also one of the most respected in Germany.
Contents
History of the University
The first University of Mainz was started by Archbishop Adolf II von Nassau. He was a powerful church leader. To open a university back then, you needed permission from the Pope. Adolf II began this process.
The university officially opened in 1477. This happened under Adolf's successor, Diether von Isenburg. In 1784, the university welcomed Protestants and Jews. It became one of Europe's largest Catholic universities. It had many professors teaching theology.
Academic activities slowly stopped after 1792. This was due to political changes and a war in Mainz. The university became active again in 1798. This was when the French took control. Medical classes continued until 1823. Only the theology department kept teaching after that. It became a special school for religious studies.
The university we know today was re-opened in 1946. This happened after World War II. The French military government helped to restart it. The first buildings were old army barracks. These barracks were built in 1938. They are still used by the university today.
There was a long break in teaching for over 100 years. During this time, only a religious school and a school for midwives remained. So, people sometimes debate if the new university is a direct continuation of the old one.
In 1972, student protests from 1968 changed the university. The old departments were reorganized. The university was then divided into broader study areas. In 1974, Peter Schneider became the first president. He led the university as a new, more modern institution.
What the University Teaches
The Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz has ten main departments. These are called faculties. They were reorganized on September 1, 2010.
- Faculty of Catholic and Protestant Theology (Religious Studies)
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Media, and Sports
- Faculty of Law, Management, and Economics (Business and Law)
- University Medicine (Medical Studies)
- Faculty of Philosophy and Philology (Languages and Thinking)
- Faculty of Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies (Learning Languages and Cultures)
- Faculty of History and Cultural Studies
- Faculty of Physics, Mathematics
- Faculty of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Geosciences (Earth Sciences)
- Faculty of Biology (Study of Life)
The university also has two independent art schools. These are the Hochschule für Musik Mainz for music and the Kunsthochschule Mainz for art.
University Campus
The University of Mainz is a "campus university." This means almost all its buildings are in one place. They are located on the site of an old army base. This area is in the southwest part of Mainz.
The university's medical center is not on the main campus. Also, the Department of Applied Linguistics is in Germersheim. This department joined the university in 1949.
Next to the main campus, you can find other important places. These include the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry. There's also the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research. You can find the Institute of Molecular Biology here too. Other facilities include the MAMI electron accelerator. There's also the TRIGA research reactor. The university has a botanical garden. There is also a sports stadium and an indoor swimming pool.
Study Programs and Research
The university offers a wide range of subjects. It does not have some technical studies. It also doesn't offer veterinary medicine or nutrition science. But you can study many unique topics. These include theology, the history of books, athletics, music, visual arts, theater, and film.
As of 2010, the university had about 36,000 students. It has over 150 different departments and clinics. The university also has international programs. One example is the EuropaChorAkademie. This award-winning choir was started in 1997. It works with the University of the Arts Bremen.
Scientists at the university helped develop a special instrument. It's called a miniature Mössbauer spectrometer. This instrument was carried by the Mars Exploration Rovers. These rovers were named Spirit and Opportunity. They explored the planet Mars.
Currently, the University of Mainz does not charge tuition fees. This is for regular students. However, older students or those taking special courses might have to pay.
University Rankings
Universities are often ranked to show how good they are. These rankings look at things like teaching and research.
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In 2024, the QS World University Rankings placed the university 464th globally. It was 27th in Germany. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2024 put it between 251st and 300th worldwide. In Germany, it ranked between 25th and 31st. The ARWU World Rankings for 2022 placed it between 201st and 300th globally. It was between 10th and 19th in Germany.
The German Research Foundation (DFG) made a report in 2018. It said the University of Mainz is one of Germany's best in natural sciences. From 2014 to 2016, the university received the most research grants in natural sciences. It also ranked first in physics. The DFG chooses the best research projects to fund. So, this ranking shows the quality of research.
Rankings by Subject
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283
151–200
11–14
10–13Famous People from the University
Many notable people have studied or taught at the University of Mainz.
From the Old University
- Johann Joachim Becher: A doctor and professor of medicine.
- Johann Friedrich von Pfeiffer: An economist who taught about managing public money.
- Andreas Joseph Hofmann: A law professor and leader of Germany's first elected parliament.
- Samuel Thomas von Sömmerring: A professor who studied the body's structure and how it works.
- Georg Forster: A naturalist and world traveler who was also the university librarian.
Professors (after 1946)
- Paul J. Crutzen: A chemist who won the Nobel Prize in 1995.
- Fritz Strassmann: A physicist.
- Karl Cardinal Lehmann: A well-known theologian (religious scholar).
- Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann: A famous communication studies expert.
- Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci: Doctors known for their work in medicine.
Alumni (Students)
- Klemens von Metternich: An important Austrian diplomat.
- Malu Dreyer: A German politician who is the Minister President of Rhineland-Palatinate.
- Rainer Brüderle: A German politician who was a Federal Minister.
- Horst Teltschik: A former security advisor to a German Chancellor.
- Kristina Schröder: A former Federal Minister.
- Franz Josef Jung: A former Federal Minister of Defense.
- Jonas Mekas: A founder of American avant-garde cinema.
- Ruth Katharina Martha Pfau: A nun and doctor who helped fight leprosy in Pakistan for over 50 years.
See also
In Spanish: Universidad de Maguncia para niños
- List of medieval universities
- List of universities in Germany
