Welcome to KIT

Dear colleagues,

welcome to Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). I am delighted to welcome you as a new colleague. At KIT, we can now look back on a 200-year history that has been and continues to be shaped by many important personalities. We are proud of how committed the people at KIT are to their subject and beyond. Without the people, without you, KIT would not be KIT. We are also looking forward to your impulses.

As a technical university and member of the Helmholtz Association, we develop solutions for a safe, sustainable and future-proof world on a broad disciplinary basis. Around 23,000 students and more than 10,000 employees in science and administration contribute significantly to the success of major projects such as the energy transition and thus to social benefits, economic prosperity and the preservation of our natural resources.

They come to a unique institution in the German science system. The founding of KIT in 2009 brought the University of Karlsruhe together with the Karlsruhe Research Center. The combination of university and large-scale research and teaching develops the actual innovative power. This is KIT's particular strength and it must be further expanded in the future. At the same time, we feel a strong commitment to society. It gives us the freedom to shape science and studies independently and to take unusual paths. At the same time, we must be aware that we make a significant contribution to how we as a university shape the present and future of society through research and teaching.

Our goals include being one of the best technical universities in Europe, offering an attractive place to study and driving scientific innovation. I believe more in scientific cooperation than in scientific competition. The tasks of KIT - education, research, innovation and social commitment - are complemented by central values such as trust, respect and openness, which run through all levels at KIT. We are also striving for a high level of national and international visibility and want to emphasize the advantages of KIT.

In the initial phase, it is certainly not easy to get an overview of an institution as complex as KIT and its work processes. To make your start at your new place of work easier, the Appointment Procedures Department in the Executive Office and Strategy Business Unit (STS) will be happy to assist you at any time. In addition to general information, the Portal for Newly Appointed Professors provides answers to many questions and an overview of contact persons who can help you.

I wish you a good start at KIT and hope that you settle in well in your new sphere of activity, both professionally and privately.

 Your
 Professor Dr. Jan S.
 Hesthaven,
 President of KIT