Spotlight – The Rector’s Column

Dear Alumnae and Alumni,

I am delighted to share with you the latest edition of our “keep in touch” magazine for the Winter 2025/26 semester. I hope your 2026 is off to a wonderful start.

This past year has been pivotal for RWTH. We have been actively involved in the Excellence Strategy competition, an initiative of the German federal and state governments. This process has supported our University’s continued progress, while also revealing new challenges and opportunities that will help us further strengthen our standing as a leading university of technology.

The review of our Excellence Strategy proposal by an international panel of experts from the German Council of Science and Humanities in October 2025 was a significant milestone. It offered us a valuable opportunity to highlight RWTH’s strengths and ideas. We are committed to using the feedback we received to further refine our strategy, address emerging challenges, and fully embrace the opportunities ahead. The constructive conversations with the reviewers confirmed that we are on the right path – one defined by collaboration and a shared commitment to our vision.

A particularly significant step in RWTH’s ongoing development was the establishment of the new Faculty of Computer Science (Faculty 9), which officially launched on October 1, 2025. This is especially remarkable because new faculties are rarely founded at German universities. The last time this occurred at RWTH was in 1966 with the launch of the Faculty of Medicine. Under the leadership of Professor Kobbelt and a dedicated Dean’s Office team, the new faculty began operations on October 1. We look forward to celebrating its founding with a special event on June 26, 2026. You can read more about this in this issue.

We are also excited to announce a new Elementary Education program, offered in partnership with the University of Wuppertal. This initiative marks another step in our commitment to high-quality teacher training, ensuring that future educators are well-equipped for their careers. Our close partnership with the University of Wuppertal allows us to bring diverse perspectives to our students and to offer them a broad array of educational opportunities.

Reflecting on the past year, I am proud of all that we have accomplished together. Our broader university community – students, staff, and alumni – plays a central role in our success. Their dedication enables RWTH to continue as an innovative force in science and technology.

I warmly invite you to stay engaged – whether by sharing your feedback or by actively participating in our initiatives. Together, we can shape a bright future for RWTH!

Warm regards from Aachen,