History, Affiliations and Rankings
Bielefeld University was founded in 1969 and is situated in a small town called Bielefeld, Germany. It is among the recently established universities in the country and claims to be a “reform” university as it follows a unique style of teaching and planning as compared to other universities. In the latter half of the 20th century, the University made an important contribution to educational reform in Germany. The University nevertheless maintains its interdisciplinary, inventive, and reformative nature today, despite having to modify some of its original goals in the period that followed due to worsening financial and economic difficulties. It is formally recognized by Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia). Currently, the University has 14 faculties and about 25,000 students. Various groups have ranked the university like World University Rankings by Times Higher Education has placed it at #166 and QS World University Rankings placed it at 1001 - 1200 in 2023.
Infrastructure, Campuses and Courses
The university is situated near the Teutoburg Forest in Bielefeld's west. There are many parks and small lakes scattered around the city of Bielefeld, which is a vibrant and multicultural university town. After classes, you can unwind or go hiking in the Teutoburger Forest or at the 13th-century "Sparrenburg" castle. The city centre has a tonne of shopping options, as well as a tonne of bars, cafés, clubs, restaurants, and seasonal cultural and international events in parks and plazas, all within walking distance of the campus. The University is divided into 13 faculties that represent a wide range of fields in the social sciences, humanities, and technology. Some of the popular courses are Biology, Chemistry, History, philosophy and theology, Public Health, Linguistics and Literature, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology and Sports, Law, Sociology, Business Administration and Economics, etc.
Accomplishments and Alumni
According to the Academic Ranking of World Universities of 2018, Bielefeld is ranked 101–150 globally and among the top four universities in Germany when it comes to mathematics. According to the Times Higher Education (THE) Young University Rankings, Bielefeld University was rated 22nd globally in 2017 and was listed among the top 300 universities in the more established Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Some of the popular notable alumni are Stefan Konrad Raab (German television producer), Niklas Luhmann (German sociologist, philosopher), Marieluise Beck (German politician), Matthias Blübaum (German chess grandmaster), and Ute Frevert (German historian).
Student Diversity and Visiting Companies
It is one of Germany's medium-sized universities, enrolling 25,000 students in 117-degree programmes, and employing around 3,000 people (311 professors and lecturers, 1,570 academic employees, and other workers). There is a total of 8.0% international students. The male and female ratio is 43:57. The University has students from a wide range of backgrounds, including race, national origin, religion, beliefs, age, socioeconomic level, gender, sexual orientation, and handicap status. University's vibrant and diverse campus offers several opportunities for students to engage with their peers. Some of the top companies that visit the university are Miele, Selbständig, Arvato Supply Chain Solutions, Fachhochschule Bielefeld Bayer, Roche, SAP, Schüco International KG, Dr Oetker, EY, KPMG Law, Siemens, etc.
