international - Bergische Universität Wuppertal

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UW history//milestones
1972
Foundation of the University of Wuppertal
(UW) as one of five new Gesamthochschulen
(practically oriented ‘comprehensive’ universities)
in NRW (State of North Rhine-Westphalia).
Existing Wuppertal higher education institutes
such as the Schools of Engineering and
Industrial Art, as well as the Wuppertal branch
of the Rhineland College of Education, are integrated
into the new university structure and
expanded.
1980
UW is the first Gesamthochschule to gain funding
from the German Research Foundation
(DFG) for a collaborative research project: the
School of Chemistry’s “Quantum Theoretical
and Experimental Investigation of the Energy
State of Simple Molecules”.
The official title of UW is now “Universität –
Gesamthochschule”.
1983
UW mathematician Professor Dr. Gerd Faltings,
at 28 Germany’s youngest mathematics
professor, receives the Fields Medal, an honor
on a par with a Nobel Prize.
The official title of UW is now “Bergische Uni-
versität – Gesamthochschule Wuppertal“.
1987
Spiegel editor Rudolf Augstein is awarded an
honorary doctorate.
1989
The university launches its biggest research
project to date: investigation of the Earth’s
upper atmosphere. The project (1989-2000)
attracts external funding totaling almost DM
55m.
1990
october 17: UW physicists and mathematicians
start up their new parallel computer – a
machine with more than 8000 processors – in
the University Computing Center.
1994
UW’s space probe CRISTA is launched in November
on NASA’s ‘Atlantis’ space shuttle.
The probe will measure trace gases in the
shuttle’s orbit.
1995
The university is growing: work starts on the
new Freudenberg Campus just up the hill from
the main Grifflenberg Campus.
1999
Europe’s Ministers of Education agree in Bologna
to develop new consecutive degree programs
on the Anglo-American BA/MA model.
2000
First bachelor’s and master’s programs start
at UW.
2001
In his function as mediator, Prof. Dr. Hans Weiler
develops a concept for the enhancement
of the university’s profile.
2002
UW Rector Volker Ronge and Prof. Dr. Hans
Weiler submit the final ‘Mediation Report’ to
the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister of Science
and Research, Gabriele Behler. Reduction
of the number of faculties from 13 to 7
will concentrate the university’s strengths and
form the basis for a clear up-to-date profile.
2003
The term Gesamthochschule is abolished and
UW’s official title is now ‘Bergische Universität
Wuppertal’.
2004
Installation of the supercomputer AliCEnext –
at the time the most powerful in any German
university.
opening of the first three Interdisciplinary
Research Centers: Applied Informatics and
Scientific Computing, Technical Process Management,
and Polymer Technology.
2006
June 14: UW Senate resolves to introduce tuition
fees.
2007
NRW Academic Freedom Act comes into
force on January 1, granting the universities
greater autonomy and responsibility. on the
basis of the new Act, UW and the State of
NRW conclude the third Target Agreement,
which determines among other things that
subjects in great demand will be enlarged and
extended.
Members of UW’s first Supervisory Board are
appointed by the Minister of Science and Research.
Wuppertal astrophysicists take part in the
world’s biggest experiment: the 3000 sq km
Pierre Auger observatory in Argentina, dedicated
to the investigation of black holes and
allied phenomena.
2008
Prof. Dr. Lambert T. Koch is installed as sixth
Rector in the 36-year history of UW, succeeding
Prof. Dr. h. c. Volker Ronge (1999-2008),
Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Erich Hödl (1991-1999),
Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. Siegfried Maser (1987-
1991), Prof. Dr. Josef M. Häussling (1983-
1987) and the Founding Rector Prof. Dr. Dr. h.
c. Rainer Gruenter (1972-1983).
The Faculty of Economics takes the additional
name ‘Schumpeter School of Business and
Economics’.
The German Research Foundation (DFG) sets
up a joint collaborative research project on
“Hadron Physics from Lattice QCD” at UW
and the University of Regensburg.
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