Hundreds of young people will start a new phase in their lives this week with the first lectures. At the opening of the winter semester 2024/25, the university president and members of the Student Representation welcomed many new faces at Ulm University and prepared them for the challenges ahead. Once again, the total number of students at Ulm University is around 10,000.
"Be curious, try things out and ask questions," said Professor Michael Weber, President of Ulm University, appealing to the more than one thousand young people who have passed their A-levels and are now starting the adventure of studying. He greeted the new students in Lecture Hall 4/5 and advised them to keep enjoying their subject and their studies. "After all, you are studying exactly what gives you the most pleasure," said the computer science professor. He presented the green campus university in the most liveable city in Germany, along with the numerous support services available to students.
Students Julius Schürrle (Chair of the Student Parliament) and Annika Wilke from the Public Relations Department explained how the Student Representation (Studierendenvertretung - StuVe) works and the many opportunities for students to get involved on a voluntary basis – from the bicycle repair shop to organising university parties and working on committees within the democratic self-administration.
After the official opening, students were able to get to know various university groups in the university forum and find out about university offers such as the Humboldt Centre, university sports or the Musisches Zentrum (art centre). After that, the first subject introductions were waiting for the right start to university studies.
In the winter semester of 2024/25, a total of almost 10,000 students were enrolled at Ulm University, around 1,700 of whom were first-time or new enrolments. Most of the first-time enrolments were in the fields of medicine/dentistry and the bachelor's programmes in psychology and economics.
Link to the semester opening programme website
Text and media contact: Daniela Stang