“Welcome to the Hamburg University of Technology!” this was the greeting yesterday, on October 15th, in the Audimax during the ceremonial reception of international students by the Vice President for Education, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thorsten Kern. In his welcoming address, he spoke to around 480 foreign students who are beginning their academic careers or continuing their master’s studies at TU Hamburg this winter semester.
More than half of them are enrolled in a bachelor's degree program, 213 continue their studies with an internationally oriented master’s program (AOS), and 18 are pursuing a German-language master’s degree. “You will show the world that there are problems, but you will not think in problems, but in solutions,” Kern encouraged the students in line with the university’s motto, “Engineering to Face Climate Change.”
The high interest of international students at TU Hamburg is also a welcome proof of the university’s increasing internationalization efforts. The proportion of international students now stands at over 30 percent.
To facilitate personal exchange, networking and orientation for the aspiring engineers and to encourage them to feel part of the university community, the welcome was rounded off by presenting a wide range of practical advisory and support services, such as those offered by the Students‘ Union of the Hamburg University of Technology (AStA TUHH) and the integration programs of the International Affairs department. The colorful and informative “Freshers’ Program” was moderated by Professor Dr.-Ing. Marcus Rutner and the master’s student Fabian Finkenzeller.
DAAD Award Presentation to Sania Ejaz
A highlight of the ceremonial reception was the presentation of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) award to Sania Ejaz. The graduate of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s program “Interdisciplinary Mathematics” distinguished herself particularly through her extraordinary social and intercultural commitment. Her dedication to persons with disabilities, her efforts especially to provide women with better access to educational opportunities—particularly in STEM fields—as well as her commitment to promoting intercultural exchange in her home country Pakistan were honored with the DAAD Award endowed with 1,000 euros.
Following Oleksandra Riabova, who received the DAAD Award in 2022, Sania Ejaz is now the second InterMaths graduate at TU Hamburg to receive this distinction.
The DAAD Award has been presented at TUHH since 2011 and honors international students for exceptional social and intercultural engagement as well as outstanding academic achievements. The aim of the award is to promote internationality at universities and encourage joint exchange among students.
