Studies and Teaching Mission Statement of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

Research-based Teaching 

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is a university of the state of Baden-Württemberg and, at the same time, National Research Center of the Helmholtz Association. In line with these missions, KIT conducts and promotes research, academic education, and innovations for a sustainable development of society and economy and for mastering current and future challenges of regional, supraregional, and worldwide relevance. KIT is committed to creating, disseminating, and maintaining knowledge and strictly follows the principles associated with the entity of research and teaching.  


Teaching at KIT is aimed at qualifying young people through profound academic and research-based education and the acquisition of interdisciplinary skills. At the end of their studies, students are capable of independently identifying current and future problems, investigating complex issues, and developing sustainable solutions with the help of scientific methods. To reach this goal, KIT pursues the strategy of research-based teaching in line with the standards of (classical) disciplines. 
Teaching and studies at KIT are characterized by a student-centered teaching and learning culture with an open and creative teaching and learning environment. This also includes an extensive international exchange of students and faculty and the integration of research projects, also at a large scale, in academic education. 
KIT undertakes to assure and further develop a high quality of teaching and studies. KIT’s quality management scheme boosts autonomy in the conception of degree programs on all levels.  


KIT offers degree programs in natural sciences, engineering, economics, the humanities, and social sciences. These study programs ensure sound basic academic education, incite scientific curiosity, and impart subject-related and interdisciplinary competencies. KIT considers the master’s degree the standard for graduation. For this purpose, students are offered research-based degree programs following the “6 plus 4” scheme. Bachelor’s programs of six semesters’ duration enable students to start a profession. At the same time, KIT’s bachelor’s degree is the key requirement for subsequent master’s programs of four semesters’ duration which result in advanced academic and professional qualification.  


In this way, KIT prepares its students for tasks and challenges requiring responsible, knowledge-based, and creative acting. KIT is convinced that research-based teaching in all its facets represents an optimum basis for the successful work of its graduates in society, academia, and industry. 

 

Education Profile 

KIT offers degree programs in natural sciences, engineering, economics, the humanities, and social sciences. Teaching offers focus on consecutive bachelor’s-master’s programs following the “6 plus 4” scheme. The range of offerings is complemented by interdisciplinary master’s programs addressing selected research foci of KIT, some of which are taught in English. This also includes continuing education courses. 


KIT’s research and academic education focus on subjects relating to natural sciences and engineering. Research and teaching activities in economics, social sciences, and the humanities are pooled in the KIT Humans and Technology Center, among others. The range of disciplines covered is reflected by KIT’s degree programs. 


Research-based teaching at KIT is highly diverse. All study programs of KIT contain elements of research-based teaching. 

 

Overarching Quality Goals

Based on the above research-based teaching mission statement, two overarching quality goals can be derived:

 

  1. Conceiving degree programs in line with the mission statement
  2. Creating optimum learning and teaching conditions

They can be subdivided into five work objectives: 

 

  • Defining clear qualification aims taking into account research and professional practice
  • Creating an optimum structure
  • Maintaining and improving teaching quality
  • Enabling success in studies
  • Supporting academic education