RWTH Aachen University
Rhenish-Westphalian Technical University Aachen – a leading German University of Excellence.
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RWTH Aachen University (or , lit. Rhenish-Westphalian Technical University Aachen) is a public research university located in Aachen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is one of the oldest and leading technical universities in Germany (TU9) and, with about 45,000 students, is simultaneously the second-largest.
It was founded in 1870 as Königliche Rheinisch-Westfälische Polytechnische Schule zu Aachen in Prussia. Renowned for its academic excellence, RWTH Aachen is funded under the national Excellence Strategy and is recognized as an elite research university. The university comprises ten faculties and some 290 institutes.
Lore & Background
On 25 January 1858, prince Frederick William of Prussia was given a donation of 5,000 talers from the Aachener und Münchener Feuer-Versicherungs-Gesellschaft for charity. In March, the prince chose to use the donation to found the first Prussian institute of technology somewhere in the Rhine province. The seat of the institution remained undecided over years; Aachen finally won with a financing concept backed by the insurance company and by local banks.
Groundbreaking for the new Polytechnikum took place on 15 May 1865 and lectures started during the Franco-Prussian War on 10 October 1870 with 223 students and 32 teachers. The new institution had as its primary purpose the education of engineers, especially for the mining industry in the Ruhr area. In 1880 the early RWTH was reorganized as a Royal Technical University, gained a seat in the Prussian House of Lords and finally won the right to bestow Dr.-Ing. (1899) degrees and Dipl.-Ing. titles (introduced in 1902).
In 1909 the first women were admitted. World War I proved a serious setback. Nazi Germany's Gleichschaltung of the TH in 1933 met with relatively low resistance.
Beginning in September 1933, Jewish and (alleged) Communist professors were systematically persecuted and excluded. On 21 October 1944, when Aachen capitulated, more than 70% of all buildings were destroyed or heavily damaged. After World War II the university recovered and expanded quickly. By the late 1960s, the TH had 10,000 students.
With the foundation of philosophical and medical faculties in 1965 and 1966, the university became more 'universal'. The number of students almost doubled twice from 1970 (10,000) to 1980 (more than 25,000) and from 1980 to 1990 (more than 37,000). Now, the average number of students is around 42,000.
Reader's Guide
RWTH Aachen maintains numerous partner universities and is a founding member of CESAER and IDEA League, as well as TU9. It is also a member of DFG, Top Industrial Managers for Europe, ACalNet, ALMA, CESAER, DFH, JARA, NRW-Zertifikat, ENHANCE, PEGASUS and UNITECH International. Since 2007, RWTH Aachen has been continuously funded as one of eleven (previously nine) German Universities of Excellence. In the Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2025, RWTH Aachen University was ranked 36th worldwide in engineering.
In the QS World University Ranking 2025, RWTH Aachen University was ranked 1st in Germany, 8th in Europe, and 23rd worldwide in mechanical engineering. The university comprises ten faculties and some 290 institutes. The most popular study-programs are engineering (57%), natural science (23%), economics and humanities (13%) and medicine (7%).
Did You Know?
- The university's main building was built in 1870.
- The SuperC is a landmark of RWTH Aachen and the central service building for students.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is RWTH Aachen University?
It is a publicly funded research institution based in Aachen, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The university specializes in engineering and technical disciplines and ranks among the country's most prominent technical schools of higher education.
How large is RWTH Aachen University's student body?
Approximately 45,000 students are enrolled across its ten faculties and around 290 research institutes. This makes it the second-largest technical university in Germany by student count.
What does RWTH Aachen University's Excellence Strategy designation mean?
The university was selected as an elite research institution under Germany's national Excellence Strategy, a recognition it has held since 2007. This status highlights its standing as a top-tier destination for cutting-edge academic research.
Is RWTH Aachen University part of the TU9?
Yes, it holds membership in the TU9 consortium, a group of Germany's nine leading technical universities that collaborate on research and policy matters. Being part of this alliance underscores its position at the forefront of German technical higher education.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: RWTH Aachen University (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Currency conversion: European Central Bank euro reference rates, rates of 1 October 2026.
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