Hanover: Big business, bigger beauty
On the surface, Hanover is all about business, but look deeper and you’ll find an attractive city with lots to offer both students and young professionals. Students are lured by several high-profile universities and fall in love with the city’s café culture, sports teams and shopping district — then stay on for jobs they land through their schools’ affiliations with major corporations.
Part of the glass facade on the Norddeutsche Landesbank in Hanover. aboutpixel.de / futuristisch02 © Sven Brentrup
Hanover introduced
Hanover, nestled in the southeast of Lower-Saxony, halfway between Berlin and the Netherlands, is known worldwide for hosting the world’s largest conventions, including CeBIT and EXPO. Tucked behind its business façade are both unheralded attractions and a bustling university life. With a world-famous opera house, a vibrant shopping district, renowned botanical gardens, professional sports teams and a unique café culture, Hanover has something for everyone.
Hanover is also a hub for big business: The northern city serves as the home base for major insurers and financial services providers including Talanx Group (Germany’s third-largest insurer) and AWD (Allgemeiner Wirtschaftsdienst). Also located here are travel and tourism company TUI and tire manufacturer Continental.
Hanover also hosts some of the largest trade fairs in the world, including CeBIT (www.ceBit.com), the world’s biggest computer and IT trade fair, where some 6,000 companies from 77 countries showcase their latest innovations and products each spring.
Many of Hanover’s students start their careers in the city after they graduate, hardly surprising given the universities’ strong ties with industry.
Overview of the universities
Hanover has 500,000 residents, and fully 36,000 of them are students. The main university, Leibniz University of Hannover, sits along the Leine River, just five minutes from the city center.
The top floor of the university’s main building — one of the tallest in Hanover — boasts an amazing panoramic view of the city. The neighboring district of Linden, home to many students, is also the heart of the city’s university culture. Dotted with cafes, music venues, bars, art exhibits and the beautiful gardens that surround the university, Linden is one of the liveliest districts in the city.
Leibniz University of Hannover (UNIHAN)
www.unihannover.de
UNIHAN was recently renamed after the great academic Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who made great contributions to the fields of scientific and philosophical inquiry. In his spirit, the university forges ahead into the future, offering cutting-edge programs that are in-step with rapidly changing scientific fields.
This spring, Leibniz University is celebrating its 175th anniversary. From a first intake of just 65 pupils, it today has over 23,000 students who can choose from over 60 interdisciplinary and practice-oriented courses of study.
School of Music and Theater
www.hmt-hannover.de
Adding to Hanover’s cultural clout is the School of Music and Theater, which enrolls 1,200 students from 55 different countries. Since its founding in 1978, this institution has brought students from all over the world to study in a city that has an unqualified appreciation for music.
Hannover Medical School (MHH)
www.mh-hannover.de
Founded in 1965, the Hannover Medical School is one of the world’s premier university medical centers. Its excellence in research and patient care and strong position in the regional medical network has earned MHH national and international recognition.
School of Veterinary Medicine Hannover
www.tiho-hannover.de
Established in 1778 by King George III as the Royal School of Equine Medicine, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover (TiHo) is one of the oldest establishments of veterinary education in Europe and the oldest continuously operating independent one in Germany. TiHo consists of five clinics, 13 institutes, two centers, two special units and two affiliated independent organizations, making it one of the most important scientific institutions in Hanover.
University of Applied Science and Arts in Hannover (Fachhochschule Hannover, or FHH)
http://www.fh-hannover.de/de/
With about 6,000 students, the University of Applied Science and Arts is the second-largest in Hanover. Its graduates are prized by industry for their programs’ heavy emphasis on on-the-job training.
Gisma Business School
www.gisma-hannover.de
A fairly new addition to Hanover’s educational offerings, Gisma is affiliated with the prestigious Purdue University in the US. Its goal is to prepare aspiring young business talent for work in an increasingly globalized economy.
What Hanover is like
Rieke Liebrecht, 23, is a student at UNIHAN and also works in child development. She likes to spend most of her time in the Linden area, which she says is the most “studenty” district. In general, says the young German woman, “Hanover has a lot to offer its students.”
Currently writing her thesis on child development, Rieke is hoping to move to the Netherlands to teach children with learning disabilities. “Hanover is not only a great place to be a student: Its international network also opens a wide range of opportunities” she says.
My favorite places
When the weather is nice, Rieke loves to spend time in the Georgen Gardens, where she enjoys sitting along the Leine River reading a book or simply watching people.
“When the sun is shining, the park is full of smiling people, people playing football, barbecuing and having a good time. It is a great departure from the busy city life,” says Rieke.
When the sun goes down, one of Rieke’s favorite places to hang out is a cultural mix of bars, clubs and eateries known as Faust (www.faustev.de).
Did you know?
One of Germany’s most well-known international rock acts, the Scorpions, hails from Hanover. The band has helped shape the city’s image as a music mecca.
Hanover is the world capital of the so-called Schützenfeste (shooting festivals). No worries, this old medieval tradition is not nearly as bloody as it sounds. Instead, it’s an annual event where the town guards celebrate tradition — and themselves. Hanover hosts the world’s largest Schützenfest (which is saying something, because nearly every German town has such as festival).
Things to check out
Hanover has cultural offerings to suit any taste. With over 40 theaters, a world famous opera house and several museums, you are sure to find something that will tickle your fancy.
Hanover is a city that loves music, so it’s no surprise that there’s hardly a shortage of concert events. With its guiding motto “Summer in the City,” a concert series in the warmer season features an array of blockbuster outdoor music events. The 2007 season includes concerts by German pop legend Herbert Grönemeyer and pop act Genesis. Roger Cicero, Germany’s participant in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, will also perform.
For those who enjoy nature, the city has a world-class zoo, and the Georgen Gardens offer a retreat from the urban rat race. If shopping is your thing, you will find that Hanover has one of Germany’s largest shopping districts in the center of town.
Hanover also offers something for sports lovers: Hannover 96 plays in Germany’s top soccer division, the Bundesliga, and the Hannover Scorpions have established themselves in the DEL, the top ice hockey league.
Useful links
The city’s homepage
www.hannover.de
Check it out for useful information about the city and a complete list of events.
Leibniz University of Hannover (UNIHAN)
http://www.uni-hannover.de/en/index.php
UNIHAN’s website gives you all the inside information on the city’s largest university.
Music in the City
http://www.hannover.de/openair/index.html
Your direct link to this year’s open air music season.
Student services
www.studentenwerk-hannover.de
Studentenwerk Hannover is a great resource for student’s needs.
Studenten Wohnung.de
http://hannover.studenten-wohnung.de/
Looking for an apartment? Check out this useful website for a list of apartments in Hanover.
