The RWTH and the Future

The RWTH Aachen University celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2020. This is a good occasion to reflect on the origins and future of this technical university. 

The demands placed on such educational institutions have changed considerably. In the present, it can no longer be a matter of simply increasing and imparting technical knowledge. Engineers and scientists work in complex, dynamic and conflict-ridden situations. What innovations can be used to solve the global challenges? To what extent will these innovations be technical or rather socio-technical? Ultimately, the question is what it means to work as an engineer now and in the future. What is the image of engineers and scientists of the future? Here, the RWTH has already formulated a clear picture in its excellence strategy: the convergence of disciplines is increasing, their character is changing and this is to be met by the training of T-shaped scientist / engineer. This task is very challenging, so questions arise as to how this can – and should – be done in detail. As if this were not enough change, the framework conditions for teaching and learning are also changing in the wake of the corona pandemic. The more or less complete digitalization of teaching is in contrast to the culture of presence in university teaching. What new ways must be found here? 

This module aims to ask these two questions about the educational goal and the forms of education of future engineers and scientists and to outline perspectives for their answers.