Profile of the University of Hamburg

As the largest institution for research and education in northern Germany and one of the largest universities in Germany, the University of Hamburg combines a diverse range of degree programs with excellent research. Alongside its broad spectrum of disciplines with numerous areas of concentration, it maintains an extensive network of partnerships with leading institutions at the regional, national, and international levels.

University of Excellence

The University of Hamburg has performed exceptionally well in the Excellence Strategy of the Federal and State Governments and has been awarded funding for 4 clusters of excellence: CUI: Advanced Imaging of Matter, Climate, Climatic Change, and Society, Understanding Written Artefacts, and Quantum Universe. It was also one of only a few universities in Germany to be granted the status of University of Excellence for its Flagship University concept.

World-class research

The University of Hamburg—University of Excellence is one of Germany’s largest research and educational institutions. The University’s research profile is characterized by outstanding individual projects and interdisciplinary areas of concentration with international appeal, particularly in the fields of photon sciences and nanosciences; climate research and manuscript research; and particle physics, astrophysics, and mathematical physics. Infection research, neurosciences, and cognitive systems are additional areas of focus in which University of Hamburg researchers initiate and coordinate groundbreaking projects.

Interdisciplinary education: More than 180 degree programs

The University of Hamburg offers approximately 180 degree programs within its 8 faculties:

• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences
• Faculty of Medicine
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Humanities
• Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences
• Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement
• University of Hamburg Business School (Faculty of Business Administration)

The University of Hamburg takes a research-oriented, interdisciplinary approach to curriculum design. Through the Hub for Crossdisciplinary Learning, students can pursue interdisciplinary areas of concentration and tailor their education to their interests. With the support of special funding programs, student research groups also have the opportunity to carry out their own projects and launch their academic careers.

Academic research with a commitment to society

The University of Hamburg addresses current social, environmental, and global challenges and sees itself as a knowledge organization that serves as a role model and proactively helps shape the future of society. In line with the mission statement Innovating and Cooperating for a Sustainable Future in a Digital age, the topics of sustainability and digitalization are viewed as university-wide cross-sectoral tasks and are considered intrinsically linked as part of the so-called twin transformation. To firmly embed this approach within the University’s structure, the Executive University Board has been expanded to include the roles of chief sustainability officer and chief digital officer.

Knowledge exchange

The University of Hamburg sees itself as a place of lifelong learning and offers people of all ages many opportunities to get to know academia and campus life. For example, the University Museum in the Main Building provides a fascinating insight into the history of the University and academia in general, as well as regular interactive hands-on projects. On the Knowledge for All portal, interested individuals can filter the University of Hamburg’s public educational offerings by target group, subject area, and format. These include, among others, the Hamburg Children’s University Lectures for kids aged 8 to 12, the Contact Studies: University of Hamburg Open Education Program for people of all ages interested in science, the General Lecture Series, and the Science on Tap evening.

History

The University of Hamburg was founded in 1919 by local citizens, including Senator Werner von Melle and the merchant Edmund Siemers. Nobel Prize winners such as the physicists Otto Stern, Wolfgang Pauli, and Isidor Rabi taught and researched at the University. Many other distinguished scholars, such as Ernst Cassirer, Erwin Panofsky, Aby Warburg, William Stern, Agathe Lasch, Magdalene Schoch, Emil Artin, Ralf Dahrendorf, and Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker, also worked here.