University of Tübingen facts for kids
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Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
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| Latin: Universitas Eberhardina Carolina | |
| Motto |
Attempto!
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Motto in English
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I dare! |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1477 |
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Academic affiliation
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U15, German Universities Excellence Initiative, Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, MNU |
| Budget | € 589.2 million |
| Rector | Karla Pollmann |
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Academic staff
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3,604 |
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Administrative staff
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1,375 |
| Students | 27,196 (WS2019/20) |
| Undergraduates | c. 21,800 (WS2016/17) |
| Postgraduates | c. 4,600 (WS2016/17) |
| c. 2,000 (WS2016/17) | |
| Location | , , |
| Campus | Urban (University town) |
| Colours | |
The University of Tübingen, officially called the Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen (German: Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen; Latin: Universitas Eberhardina Carolina), is a public research university. It is located in the city of Tübingen, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
This university is one of eleven "German Excellence Universities." It is well-known for studying plant biology, medicine, law, and ancient cultures. It also excels in philosophy, theology, and artificial intelligence. Many famous people have studied or taught here. These include presidents, a pope, and judges. The university is linked to eleven Nobel Prize winners. They won prizes mostly in medicine and chemistry.
Contents
History of the University
The University of Tübingen was started in 1477. It was founded by Count Eberhard V. He was a leader who wanted to improve society and the church. He became interested in learning during his trips to Italy. The first head of the university was Johannes Nauclerus.
Its current name was given in 1769 by Duke Karl Eugen. He added his first name to the founder's name. The university became the main one for the kingdom of Württemberg. Today, it is one of nine state universities. These are funded by the German state of Baden-Württemberg.
The University of Tübingen has a history of new ideas. This is especially true in theology. The university and the Tübinger Stift are still famous for this today. Philipp Melanchthon, a key figure in the Protestant Reformation, helped shape its early direction.
Many important people studied or taught at Tübingen. These include the astronomer Johannes Kepler. Others were economist Horst Köhler (a German President) and Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI). Poet Friedrich Hölderlin and philosophers Friedrich Schelling and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel also attended. Hölderlin, Hegel, and Schelling were roommates. They are known as "The Tübingen Three."
The university became very important in the mid-1800s. This was due to the teachings of Ludwig Uhland and Ferdinand Christian Baur. Their group was called the "Tübingen School." They were pioneers in studying old religious texts.
Tübingen was also the first German university to create a science department in 1863. DNA was discovered here in 1868 by Friedrich Miescher. Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard, a German Nobel Prize winner in medicine, also works at Tübingen.
Since the late 1990s, important research on mRNA has happened here. This work helped create COVID-19 vaccines.
University During the Nazi Period
During the Nazi period, the university was used to support the government's ideas. Before 1933, there were very few Jewish staff or students. Some professors, like physicist Hans Bethe, were forced to leave. Others, like Traugott Konstantin Oesterreich, had to retire early. This was often because of their family's background.
After the War
In 1966, Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, taught theology here. He worked with Hans Küng. In 1967, Jürgen Moltmann, a famous Protestant theologian, became a professor. He was influenced by his friend, philosopher Ernst Bloch.
In 1970, the university changed its structure. It was divided into separate departments.
In 2009, students protested tuition fees. They occupied a lecture hall for several days. They believed education should be free for everyone.
In 2010, Tübingen joined the Matariki Network of Universities. This group includes universities from around the world. In 2022, Karla Pollmann became the first woman elected as the university's Rector.
Research at Tübingen
The University of Tübingen does many research projects. In science, the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research studies the brain. The Centre for Interdisciplinary Clinical Research focuses on cell biology.
In the arts, Tübingen has Germany's only rhetoric department. This department was started by Walter Jens. The university is also known for its research in philosophy and theology. For a long time, Tübingen has been a leader in studying prehistoric times and ancient cultures. This includes studying the ancient Near East. They have also done important excavations at Troy.
University Campus
The University of Tübingen is spread out across the city. Tübingen is one of Germany's classic "university towns." The university has four main areas.
- The old town has many university buildings. Some of these are very old. Smaller humanities departments use them today. The old medieval castle, Schloss Hohentübingen, is also used.
- The Wilhelmstraße area is northeast of the old town. It holds larger humanities departments and the university's main offices. The main library and dining hall are also here.
- A new science campus was built in the 1970s. It is on Morgenstelle, a hill north of the city center. It also has a large dining hall.
- The university's teaching hospitals are called the Klinikum. They are located between Wilhelmstraße and Morgenstelle. The 17 hospitals have 1,500 patient beds. They treat many patients each year.
Student housing is available in different parts of the town. The largest dorms are in Waldhäuser Ost and Französisches Viertel.
University Museum
Since 2006, the Museum of the University of Tübingen (MUT) has organized the university's collections. These collections are very old and unique. They include items from all departments. The museum holds exhibitions for the public. It also helps with research.
The MUT offers a master's degree program. Students learn about museums and collections.
Eight science collections are open to the public. These are in the Museum Alte Kulturen and Hohentübingen Castle. They include "Origins of Art" and "Ancient Art." Other collections are also available.
The MUT is special because it has artifacts with world heritage status. These include the oldest known art and musical instruments. They are mammoth ivory figures and bone flutes. These come from the Vogelherdhöhle cave. This cave is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2017.
Libraries
The University Library of Tübingen is open to everyone. It has over three million books. It also has more than 7,600 journals. Over 80 smaller libraries are also part of the university. They have another three million books.
The main library is on Wilhelmstraße. It has several connected parts.
- The Bonatzbau is the oldest building. It was built in 1912. It holds the historical reading room and university archive. It also has old manuscript collections.
- The main building was built in 1963. It has the information desk. You can also use computers here to find books and information.
- The Ammerbau is the newest part. It was built in 2002. It lets users directly access over 300,000 books. It also has the latest newspapers and magazines. There are many study spaces and group rooms.
How the University is Organized
University Departments
The university has seven main departments, called faculties. Some of these are divided into smaller sections.
- Protestant Theology
- Catholic Theology
- Law
- Medicine
- Humanities
- Economics and Social Sciences
- Science
University Leadership
The university is run by three different groups. They share different jobs.
The Rectorate is the main executive group. The current rector is Professor Karla Pollmann. She is supported by four deputies. These deputies are also part of the university senate.
The Senate makes the university's rules. Besides the rectorate, it includes an equal opportunities commissioner. It also has deans and 20 elected members. These members represent professors, lecturers, students, and staff. Two advisors represent the university's hospitals.
The University Council has 13 members. This includes its president and vice-president. It also has five internal and six external members.
University Rankings
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The University of Tübingen is highly rated around the world. In 2024, the QS World University Rankings placed it 213th globally. This makes it the 11th best in Germany. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranked it even higher, at 95th globally and 8th in Germany. The Academic Ranking of World Universities (Shanghai Ranking) put it in the top 151–200 worldwide in 2023.
Since 2012, Tübingen has been one of eleven German Excellence Universities. This award gives them extra money for research. Tübingen is one of the top universities in Germany for research.
The German Research Foundation (DFG) ranked Tübingen 8th overall for research funding from 2014 to 2016. It was 4th in humanities and social sciences. It was 6th in life sciences, including medicine. This shows the high quality of its research.
US News Best Global Universities also ranked Tübingen among the top ten universities in Germany in 2021.
Tübingen is especially strong in humanities, theology, medicine, and law. Its Law School is ranked very high in Germany.
Student Life
Students make up about one-third of Tübingen's population. So, student life is a big part of the town's culture. Things can be quieter during university holidays, especially in summer.
About 30 student groups, like fraternities, are connected to the university. They are known for parties and public talks. They also hold a yearly boat race called "Stocherkahn-Rennen" on the Neckar river.
Other student groups focus on arts and politics. There are many choirs and student theatre groups. Some theatre groups perform in other languages. Radio Uniwelle Tübingen is the university's radio station. Students produce shows for it every week.
The university also offers gym and sports classes. These are called Hochschulsport. Students can join many sports, from common ones to more unusual ones like parachuting. Classes are free or cost less for students.
Student discounts are not very common in Tübingen. Movie theaters and the public library do not offer them. Only a few restaurants have cheaper lunch deals. However, students can get a special Semesterticket. This pass gives them unlimited travel on trains and buses for six months at a very low price. The Landestheater Tübingen theatre and public swimming pools also offer student discounts.
Tübingen's nightlife is mostly in the old town. There are many pubs and clubs. During the semester, the Clubhaus hosts a weekly "Clubhausfest" on Thursday nights. This popular event is free. Student groups organize it, and the money raised helps their activities.
Famous People from Tübingen University
Many important people have studied or worked at the University of Tübingen. As of 2023, eleven Nobel Prize winners are connected to the university. Also, 18 Leibniz Prize winners and five Alexander von Humboldt Professorships are linked to it.
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Hans Küng (1928–2021), a Swiss Catholic priest and writer.
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Pope Benedict XVI (2005–2013), who taught at Tübingen.
Many politicians have also come from Tübingen. These include several German government ministers. There have been six founding fathers of the Federal Republic of Germany. Also, a Chancellor of Germany and two Presidents of Germany studied here. Several European Commissioners are also alumni.
Tübingen's law school is very famous. At least 19 judges of the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany studied here. Also, the first female German judge at the European Court of Justice was from Tübingen.
In religious studies, many influential theologians studied here. These include Pope Benedict XVI, Karl Barth, and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Philosophers like Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel also studied theology here. Tübingen is sometimes seen as the home of German idealism. This was a big philosophical movement.
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Horst Köhler, President of Germany (2004–2010).
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Roman Herzog, President of Germany (1994–1999).
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Günther Oettinger, a European Commissioner.
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Jürgen Stark, from the European Central Bank.
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Ralf Dahrendorf, a famous sociologist.
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Kurt Georg Kiesinger, Chancellor of Germany (1966–1969).
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Walter Eucken, an economist.
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Erwin Bälz, a physician who helped modern medicine in Japan.
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Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, a famous philosopher.
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Johannes Kepler, a famous astronomer.
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Nobel Prize Winners
Here are some faculty members and alumni who have won the Nobel Prize:
- William Ramsay (1904, Chemistry)
- Eduard Buchner (1907, Chemistry), faculty
- Karl Ferdinand Braun (1909, Physics), faculty
- Fritz Pregl (1923, Chemistry)
- Adolf Butenandt (1939, Chemistry), faculty
- Hans Bethe (1967, Physics), faculty
- Georg Wittig (1979, Chemistry), faculty
- Hartmut Michel (1988, Chemistry)
- Bert Sakmann (1991, Medicine)
- Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard (1995, Medicine), faculty
- Günter Blobel (1999, Medicine)
Famous Quotes About Tübingen
- "Tübingen does not have a university, Tübingen is a university." – Walter Jens
- "One need merely say 'Tübingen Seminary' to understand what German philosophy is at bottom: an insidious theology. The Swabians are the best liars in Germany: they lie innocently." – Friedrich Nietzsche, 1888
See also
In Spanish: Universidad de Tubinga para niños
- Efferenn's Trust
- List of medieval universities
- List of universities in Germany
- Friedrich Althoff
- Robert-Bosch-Hospital
- Pi-Chacán
- Plato's unwritten doctrines, for the influential Tübingen School of Plato interpretation
