Braunschweig: City of Science
If you ask Braunschweig's inhabitants about their city, they will stress its cultural and economic richness, its beautiful historic center and the quality of life. But they will stress it in a peculiar way — as though you must have expected the opposite. Braunschweig has an image problem, largely stemming from its location in the former zonal border area, the “Zonenrandgebiet.” While nightlife still isn't Braunschweig's core lure, the city is the epicenter of one of Europe's most active research and development regions. On top of that, it's home to a high class technical university.
Braunschweig Kohlmarkt. Photo: wiki commons
The city introduced
“We're from Braunschweig, we're the hub of the world,” Duke Henry shouted in a recent musical in the city's state theater. The quote hints at the power and influence of Braunschweig in medieval times, when it was a major crossroad of international trade routes. Today, the Lion Monument, the city's landmark, still symbolizes the prowess of Braunschweig during those times, and the historic city with its magnificent buildings and monuments has been preserved through the present day.
Germany's reunification revitalized Braunschweig's role as an important European hub. The city is located at the country's most important east–west arteries of transportation, including railroad, Autobahn, and the Hanover airport, and has comfortable connections to national and international destinations. Its infrastructure is excellent, providing the basics for companies like Volkswagen Financial Services, Siemens and Intel.
Braunschweig is one of Germany's most important industrial areas and offers a perfect environment for international companies. According to statistics, it is Europe's most active research and development region: Over 27,000 people are employed in research and development here and 7.1 percent of the gross domestic product is invested in research — putting Braunschweig ahead of Silicon Valley. Unsurprisingly, “Lion City” was chosen as Germany's “City of Science” in 2007.
Overview of the universities
TU Braunschweig
http://www.tu-braunschweig.de
Founded in 1745, the “Technische Universität Carolo-Wilhelmina zu Braunschweig” is Germany's oldest technical university. As official rankings show, it's also one of the country's leading universities — and a member of the TU9, the association of the nine leading technical universities in Germany.
The TU's reputation in international research is outstanding, and about 12,500 students in six faculties and 110 research institutes benefit from close contact with partners in research, business and industry. During internships students can work on real projects, gaining valuable experience for their future careers and establishing contacts with potential employers.
Many departments of engineering science and natural sciences are closely interlinked with research institutions, such as the Luftfahrtbundesamt (federal authority responsible for supervision of the aviation industry) and the Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture. At Braunschweig, students and staff are developing digital television, designing the European satellite navigation system Galileo and let robot-manned vehicles drive themselves.
Braunschweig University of Art
http://www.hbk-bs.de/home/en/Startseite.html
Some 1,200 students are currently registered at the Braunschweig University of Art. In 22 arts classes with an average class size of 15, students become familiar with a wide range of artistic media and styles. Art films, performance art and the new media are well represented in addition to the classic genres of painting, sculpture and print graphics. The University of Art is involved in a sustained dialogue with the TU and other research institutions; with the art and design institutes between Wolfsburg and Hanover; and with companies in the region. The courses range from study in fine arts and art science to media sciences and communications design to programs in art, creative art, and theater art leading to teaching degrees.
University of Applied Sciences Braunschweig/Wolfenbüttel
http://www.fh-wolfenbuettel.de/cms/en/
The University of Applied Sciences at Braunschweig/Wolfenbüttel (FH) is smaller than the TU and spread out over four campuses in Braunschweig, Wolfenbüttel, Wolfsburg and Salzgitter-Calbecht. About 6,000 students are currently enrolled at the university; 400 of them come from abroad. The FH offers 50 degree programs, many of them with integrated professional training.
What Braunschweig is like
Jan Suwart is originally from Poland but has been living in Lowland Saxony since the 1980s. Looking for a place to study, he followed a good friend to Braunschweig and took up computer science at the TU.
“I'm in my 13th semester now and I don't regret the move to Braunschweig. I think it's a good place to study, especially for people in technical fields… There's an extensive exchange between the university and the research institutions and industry in the region. I realized that in my time as a working student and when I first talked to post-graduates in my assistant job at the International Office.”
At the university's International Office and the International Student Network, Jan offers a helping hand to Erasmus students and tries to get them in touch with German students. Having spent a year in New Mexico, he can identify with their specific problems and their perspective.
Is it easy to get connected in Braunschweig?
“The problem in Braunschweig is that we don't have a campus. Different subjects are located in different parts of the city. And since some of them, like psychology, are mostly attended by women and others, like computer science, by men, you have a visible separation. It's definitely not like an American university, where the campus gives students a feeling of unity.”
“Generally, the people in the northern part of Germany tend to be more reserved. It takes a little time to get to know people. It took me seven years to find out that I'm a little more open than the people around me.”
My favorite spot
Jan's favorite place in Braunschweig is the student hall of residence. “It's located in a historical, half-timbered house with a terrific patio. I've never seen such a beautiful “Wohnheim” in any other city. And we have our own bar in there, too.”
“Another place I like is the beach bar. It's one of those places that you find in almost every city. It's close from where I live and the atmosphere is relaxed. I think the sand gets everybody into vacation mode.”
Did you know?
There are no excuses for being late in Braunschweig — because that's where time is “made:” The PTB Braunschweig maintains the atomic clock responsible for the official German time.
Many places around the world are named after Braunschweig, such as the Canadian province of New Brunswick, Brunswick Mountain in British Columbia, Brunswick Peninsula in Chile, as well as several towns in the US.
Braunschweig has a research airport. The headquarters for the German aerospace institute and the federal authority responsible for the supervision of the aviation industry are located at the airport in northern Braunschweig. Four institutes from the Technical University (TU) have been relocated to the airport grounds in order to improve networking.
Things to check out
Don't forget to visit one of the pubs in the “Gewandhaus”, in order to try Braunschweig's traditional beer: Mumme. It's a thick, dark beverage dating to medieval times. While it used to be very popular, outside of Braunschweig, it's now only available in pharmacies.
It's the city of the lion, so don't miss the copy of the “Burglöwe” on the central square, a romanesque statue of a lion, cast in bronze in 1166. If you want to see the original statue, visit the museum of the Castle Dankwarderode.
Useful links
Student Union Braunschweig (Studentenwerk)
http://www.studentenwerk-braunschweig.de/braunschweig/
Braunschweig's Studentenwerk page gives plenty of info about studying and living in the city. For English, click on the flag in the upper right.
International Office (IO)
http://www.tu-braunschweig.de/international/
The staff of the IO are the first people to turn to with any questions you might have about studying at the TU. They give advice and information about applying and acceptance, visas, financing, studying, and living in Braunschweig.
International Student Network (ISN)
http://www.isn-braunschweig.de/
The International Student Network is a student association that organizes joint activities for international and German students. You can find peer students or enjoy the varied semester program, including excursions and parties.
