Bielefeld University was founded in 1969 in the city of Bielefeld, North Rhine-Westphalia, and was set up as a reform university in which interdisciplinary work was a declared aim. Its large main building is a defining feature of the site: the university library occupies the first floor.
The university is organised into 14 faculties: biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, law, sociology, economics, educational science, health sciences, psychology and sports science, history, philosophy and theology, linguistics and literary studies, a technical faculty and the Medical Faculty OWL. Their range runs from the natural sciences and the humanities to engineering and medicine.
Two institutions illustrate the interdisciplinary idea. The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF) serves as the university’s institute for advanced studies and offers researchers from different fields time, space and resources to work together, while CITEC focuses on cognitive interaction technology. Educational research is linked to two experimental schools founded by Hartmut von Hentig, the Laborschule and the Oberstufen-Kolleg. The university reports more than 23,000 students.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Astroscience, Automation, Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Computer Vision, Data Analytics, Ecology and Sustainability, Electrical and Electronics, Fluid Dynamics, Life Sciences, Materials, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Microbiology and Genetics, Nanotechnologies, Optics, Physics, Process Control, Robotics, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Statistics, Structural Engineering, Telecommunications, Thermodynamics
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong focus on interdisciplinary research, particularly in areas like AI, complex systems, and genomics.
Research:
Artificial intelligence and robotics, Nanoscience and biophysics, Genomics and systems biology, Theoretical mathematics and physics, Social interaction and complex systems.
Famous Alumnis:
Niklas Luhmann (faculty)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
2800
Current students***:
24000
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Interdisciplinary research university, strong in computer science, AI, and life sciences.
Cons
Engineering faculties are less traditional, more integrated with sciences.
Best For
Interdisciplinary research university strong in computer science, AI, physics, and life sciences.
Universität Konstanz in Baden-Württemberg lists chemistry and nanoscience, physics and materials science, and computer science among its specialties, a mix close to this university's natural-science and computing profile.
Universität Ulm offers physics and quantum science alongside computer science and engineering, in the Baden-Württemberg city of Ulm.
At Universität Hamburg, physics and nanoscience sit next to climate and earth system science and informatics.
Universität Bayreuth, in Bavaria, combines polymer and materials science with ecology and environmental research.
Cognitive sciences and data science are listed beside earth and environmental sciences at Universität Potsdam, in Brandenburg.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Universität Basel in Switzerland lists life sciences, nanoscience, physics and chemistry as specialties, close to the natural-science side of this university.
In Austria, the University of Innsbruck combines physics, mathematics, chemistry and biology with law.
Aarhus University in Denmark pairs natural sciences with bioscience and nanoscience.
Universiteit Leiden in the Netherlands covers life sciences, natural sciences and data science.
Uppsala University in Sweden ranges from life sciences to law and the humanities, a broad full-university profile.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
When was Bielefeld University founded, and what was the idea behind it?
It was founded in 1969 as a reform university with interdisciplinary work as a declared aim. Teaching and research now span the humanities, natural sciences, engineering and medicine.
How many faculties does the university have?
It has 14 faculties, including biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, law, sociology, economics, psychology and sports science, a technical faculty and the Medical Faculty OWL. The full list is published on the university website.
Where is the university located?
It is in the city of Bielefeld in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The university library is on the first floor of the large main building.
What is the ZiF?
The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research is the university's institute for advanced studies. It gives researchers from different disciplines time, space and funding for joint projects.
What does CITEC do?
CITEC is a research centre of the university devoted to cognitive interaction technology. It is listed among the university's research centres.
What are the Laborschule and the Oberstufen-Kolleg?
They are two experimental schools founded by Hartmut von Hentig and attached to the university's educational science research. They let teaching practice and school research develop side by side.
How many students study at Bielefeld?
Published figures range from about 23,000 to almost 25,000, depending on the source and reference date. Current admission rules and semester fees are published on the university website.
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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