Around 10,000 students, 1,800 graduates, 500 doctoral degrees and 1,000 research projects per year: 58 years after its foundation, Ulm University is not only training the specialists of tomorrow, but is also conducting research on future topics at the highest level. This was celebrated on Friday, 14 February at the Dies academicus with a ceremony in the research building N27, where awards were presented to outstanding teaching staff, researchers and students, and the Doctoral and PhD prizes of the Ulmer Universitätsgesellschaft e.V. (Ulm University Association) and the new research incubators were awarded.
Ulm University specialises in topics that will shape the future - not only in Ulm and the region, but also nationally and internationally: "With its four major profile areas of Green Energy, Quantum Science and Technology, Life Long Health and From Data to Knowledge, the university is driving forward topics that have a major impact all over the world," said President Professor Michael Weber in his welcome address at the Dies academicus. The University celebrated its 58th anniversary with a ceremony. Many members of Ulm's city society were also present in the fully occupied multimedia room, including Lord Mayor Martin Ansbacher.
"What we are doing here is world-class," said the President. He left no doubt that Ulm University - should it be authorised to do so - will apply to become a University of Excellence. The decision on whether the existing POLiS cluster of excellence will be extended and whether the application for the new Chem4Quant cluster of excellence will be approved will be made on 22 May. If both applications are approved, Ulm can apply to become a University of Excellence. "We have very good chances in this competition," Professor Weber is convinced.
The President looked back on the past year: although the number of students had decreased slightly compared to 2023 at just under 10,000, the number of new students who started a degree programme increased significantly in 2024: At 2336 first-year students, it was seven per cent higher than a year earlier and therefore significantly higher than the national average (1.3 per cent) - "a very pleasing development", as Weber emphasised. As was the seventh place in the StudyCheck ranking of Germany's most popular universities. Weber was particularly pleased that 96 per cent of those surveyed would recommend Ulm University to others: "They tell those around them: it's a great place, they look after you, you'll be successful here."
With 1,800 graduates last year, the University is making a major contribution to combating the shortage of skilled labour in economic viability and research. New study/degree programmes, such as the Master's in Management Information Systems - Digital Business and Analytics, also contribute to this. And thanks to the new location of the Psychotherapeutic University Outpatient Clinic in the city centre and the Master's in Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ulm University has become "one of the largest training centres for psychotherapy in southern Germany". In addition, 500 doctoral degrees were completed in 2024: "These are highly qualified young people who continue to work in scientific research, at clinics, in economic viability or found a start-up and ensure that we continue to have prosperity in our country," praised the President. Around 1000 research projects are carried out at the university every year. This is only possible thanks to the excellent female and male scientists.
The upcoming refurbishment of Uni Ost, which was built in the 1970s, remains a challenge. "The heart of the university needs to be renovated," said the President. The university is currently working on finding interim space for the Forum and replacements for the lecture halls. Negotiations are still underway with the state on the University Financing Agreement III, which is intended to provide planning security for the years 2026 to 2030. The President warned: "If the inflation rate remains the same, we will have to tighten our belts a little. We will manage, but we won't be able to afford everything we would like to."
Awards for research, studies and teaching
Ulm University has awarded two foundation prizes for successful cooperation between science and industry, each worth 4000 euros. One of these prizes goes to Professor Claus Braxmaier. The precision engineer and physicist has been researching and teaching at the Institute of Microelectronics since 2021. He holds the professorship for Quantum Metrology at Ulm University and is associated with the Institute of Quantum Technologies at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR-QT). Braxmaier was honoured for his cooperation with the companies Airbus Defence & Space in Friedrichshafen and Space Tech GmbH in Immenstaad (STI). The collaboration centres on the development of quantum optical instruments for space travel and earth observation. This involves high-precision measurement technology suitable for space for measuring time, distance and acceleration. One example of this is the laser clock that Braxmaier developed in his laboratory. It is one of the most accurate clocks in the world and is now being set up for a space mission in collaboration with these two companies. The gas cell chronometer will be tested on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2027.
The second cooperation award goes to two other Physics researchers in the field of quantum technologies. Professor Fedor Jelezko, Head of the Institute of Quantum Optics, and Professor Martin Plenio, Head of the Institute of Theoretical Physics, are being honoured for their collaboration with NVision. The Ulm-based company emerged from a high-tech start-up at Ulm University, in the foundation of which Plenio and Jelezko themselves played a key role. NVision is regarded as a prime example of technology transfer and now has 100 employees and its own company headquarters in Science Park III. The company uses quantum physics effects to optimise magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By polarising marker substances, it is possible to visualise metabolic processes in real time using conventional MRI devices. This technology offers ground-breaking new possibilities for the life sciences, not least for cancer therapy. In autumn 2024, deliveries of polarisers began in Germany and abroad. This makes NVision one of the first companies to successfully offer commercial quantum technology.
This year's Harald Rose Prize goes to biochemist Julia La Roche. The 27-year-old is doing her doctorate at the Central Institutes and Facilities for Electron Microscopy (ZEEM) at the University of Ulm. The young scientist is being honoured for her master's thesis, which was also written at ZEEM. La Roche has further developed a labelling method for electron microscopy that makes it possible to localise biochemical structures such as viral proteins in cells using antibodies. Special antibodies are used for this purpose, to which small gold particles visible under the electron microscope are coupled. Using this method, labelled biochemical structures can be localised both in two-dimensional cell cross-sections and in larger volumes using 3D tomography.
The Harald Rose Prize, endowed with 3000 euros, is named after a pioneer of electron microscopy who worked in both Darmstadt and Ulm. Professor Harald Rose celebrates his 90th birthday today, Friday. The prize is sponsored by the electron microscope manufacturer CEOS, which also realised the Ulm super microscope SALVE, which Professor Rose played a key role in developing.
Professor Walter Karlen, Head of the Institute of Biomedical Engineering, receives the Ulm University Teaching Award 2024 , which is endowed with 4000 euros. By establishing a new degree programme in a MINT subjects (Mathematics, Information Technology, Natural Sciences and Technology), Karlen has not only set innovative trends, but also made a significant contribution to promoting diversity in the discipline - as evidenced by the high proportion of women on the Biomedical Engineering degree programme. The attractive curriculum is consistently implemented using modern teaching and examination methods, including methods such as design thinking and rapid prototyping, which enable practice-orientated and innovative training; (akad.: ) education. This not only teaches technical skills, but also promotes creativity and teamwork. Professor Karlen's respectful approach to students is also impressive. He creates a learning atmosphere characterised by trust, inspiration and practice-oriented excellence and promotes critical and independent thinking beyond one's own discipline. In this way, he makes a significant contribution to ensuring that students are optimally prepared for the challenges of the professional world.
The Ulm University Special Prize for Outstanding Student Commitment 2024 goes to the "WissenSchaffer" student project. The nine students from the fields of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering have set themselves the goal of inspiring pupils to study STEM subjects. For example, they are involved in practical programmes such as soldering workshops on "Girls' Day" and offer an annual school project in which participants implement their own research projects. All of this promotes both practical skills and enthusiasm for technology and science. In addition, the WissenSchaffer advisors advise the young people on an equal footing and provide a direct insight into university life. The award of 500 euros was accepted by students Felix Lippe, Elias Ruopp and Julius Hense and their supervisor Dr Margarita Puentes-Damm.
Junior Professor Ann-Christin Haag receives the ExzellenziaUlm research prizes for excellent young female scientists at Ulm University totalling 5000 euros. The Margarete von Wrangell Junior Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy studied in Freiburg, Hamburg, Zurich and Paris and completed her doctorate at the University of Zurich. At the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at Ulm University Hospital, Haag conducts research at the interface between trauma, resilience and the use of digital media. Her focus is on the application of new methods for data collection and analysis, including using machine learning. Haag has raised 1.6 million euros in third-party funds since 2019. She leads a diverse team, attaches great importance to mentoring and is an impressive role model for other female scientists and students. Ann-Christin Haag also manages to reconcile her socially relevant research with her family commitments and three children
The Ulm University awards two research incubators which support particularly innovative and risky projects. Both research incubators combine Mathematics and Medicine. The OptiReg project (A novel feedback-loop framework to optimize tissue regeneration) by PD Dr Andreas Seitz, Dr Graciosa Teixeira, Dr Ulrich Simon, Dr Tim Eiseler and Professor Jan Tuckermann aims to optimise tissue regeneration in meniscus injuries. They are among the most common injuries to the knee joint and contribute to the development of post-traumatic osteoarthritis in 25 to 50 per cent of patients. Because surgical interventions can lead to infections and long recovery times, the researchers want to optimise non-invasive regenerative approaches. To this end, biological and computer-aided approaches are to be combined in order to improve therapeutic results.
The second research incubator MUST (Multi-state survival models for heterogeneous high-dimensional bio-marker profiles) led by Professor Michael Vogt, Professor Jan Beyersmann and Professor Hans A. Kestler aims to develop statistical data analysis tools that can model complex disease processes and provide reliable, personalised medical predictions. This is an important goal in biomedical research in order to support clinical decision-making. The tools required must be able to process high-dimensional information that refine over time, which existing methods are not or only partially able to do.
Doctoral and PhD prizes from the Ulmer Universitätsgesellschaft e.V. (Ulm University Association) (UUG) were awarded to Dr Matthias Domhardt, Dr Tobias Drey, Dr Nensi Ikonomi, Dr Lukas Moritz Niebel, Dr Stefan Reich, Dr Ilai Schwartz, Dr Manuel Seefelder, Dr Carolin Seeling and Dr Ulrich Stifel. The prizes were presented by UUG chairwoman Manfred Oster.
The event was moderated by Dana Hoffmann and accompanied by Lukas Hadinger (bassoon) and Mirko Rossini (clarinet).
To the recording of the Dies academicus 2025
Further information: Daniel Strang, Dept. I-1 Marketing, Tel.: 0731 / 50 22123, e-mail: daniel.strang(at)uni-ulm.de
Text and media contact: Christine Liebhardt