University of Kiel

[EduCativ]

Kiel University sees itself as a university of dynamic, interacting academic cultures, which considers the dialogue between the disciplines and approaches an essential prerequisite for understanding and solving complex issues of our time. Topics such as health, nutrition, the environment, climate, and societal development are consistently dealt with on a trans- and interdisciplinary basis. Our fundamental research is the basis for future innovations and the committed transfer of knowledge and technology. Ethical principles, good scientific practice, and excellent working conditions for researchers are of great importance for first-rate research. We are continually refining these areas, for instance, through our Human Resources Strategy for Researchers, which defines and implements the basic principles of the European Charter for Researchers at Kiel University.

Our research is visible in multifaceted individual research, cooperative research projects, and the German Excellence Initiative's three ongoing projects. Over the past few years, four cross-faculty priority research areas have been established throughout the University, distinguished by their interdisciplinary approach, intensive research activity, and high-level publications. These priority research areas gave rise to the four draft proposals with which Kiel University is applying for Clusters of Excellence within the German Excellence Strategy framework.

Kiel University is a comprehensive university which explicitly encourages and fosters the dynamic interaction between its different academic cultures. Our inter-and transdisciplinary research is based on the excellent, thematically, and methodologically diverse joint and individual research in our eight faculties. Close interdisciplinary cooperation on topics that are of significant relevance to society, such as climate change, health, and human development, enables our researchers to find new, sustainable answers to urgent questions and successfully raise third-party funding for joint projects. Kiel University regards itself as a vital part of society and as an essential engine for responsible development.

As a result of the strategic promotion of interdisciplinary research projects, four cross-faculty priority research areas have developed in Kiel over the last years.

Our four priority research areas enable close interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary cooperation on common core topics. They are interconnected and maintain strong ties with the eight faculties at Kiel University. All four priority research areas have submitted draft proposals to participate in the German Excellence Strategy.

The International Center (IC) at Kiel University promotes and supports the University's international relationships with other institutions. It is the point of contact in all questions concerning partnerships between universities, international contacts, advising of international researchers, admissions, advising and assisting international students, and advising Kiel University's students on studying or interning outside of Germany.

In conjunction with Kiel University's faculties and academic departments, the IC supports activities that further internationalization, establishing and organizing exchange programs and applications for corresponding grant funding for both students and faculty. The IC also organizes special study programs and summer courses for international students and runs three guest houses for international scientists.

Established simultaneously at Kiel University in 1665, the library is almost 350 years old. Its first holdings were the manuscripts and imprints of the Augustinian abbey of Bordesholm closed about 1550. They still constitute the oldest part of our books and manuscripts.

In the first hundred years of the library's existence, additions to the collection could be made to a limited scale only in 1768; the holdings amounted to 6,000 volumes. At the end of the 18th century, however, the collection already comprised 40,000 volumes. Thus Kiel University Library was ranked among the more critical German libraries at that time.

For more than 200 years, the library had to share its building with other Kiel University institutions. In 1884, it was relocated to a building at Brunswicker Straße 2. As this building proved to be too small soon, it was extended in 1907 - less than 25 years after moving to this site. Unfortunately, the annex was destroyed during a bombing raid on April 29, 1942. As a result, half of the book stock (which had risen to more than 500,000 volumes by the beginning of World War II) was destroyed.

After the war, the entire University (except for the medical faculty) was relocated to the premises at Olshausenstraße. The library moved there in 1966, leaving only the Medical Department's library at the former site. Again the new building at the intersection Olshausenstraße/Westring turned out to be too small soon, necessitating establishing a Scientific Branch at Heinrich-Hecht-Platz in 1987.

The spatial dissection ended in 2001 when Kiel University Library was relocated to a new building at Leibnizstraße. Since then, the Central Library has three departments:

• the Main Department (plus a so-called "Service Point Westring" at the former site)
• the Medical Department at Breiter Weg
• the Engineering Department at Kaiserstraße

From the late 19th century on, the specialized libraries were founded along with the University's seminars and departments. Both the number of specialized libraries and their collection sizes increased soon. In 1973, the Schleswig-Holstein State Law on Universities and Colleges established a central institution, "University Library". Since then, the specialized libraries do not belong to the respective departments anymore but are part of the University Library.

View full university