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Mittweida University of Applied Sciences offers its almost 7,000 students more than 50-degree programs of international standard. Students can complete their Bachelor's, Master or Diploma degrees at the five faculties. The acknowledged study programs provide scientific skills and expertise in engineering, economics, computer sciences, social work, and media. Studies are characterized by a theoretical and strong practical orientation and build on active cooperation with national and international businesses and industry. The university is proudly looking back upon a successful history of 150 years with nearly 80,000 graduates from more than 40 countries. Internationality has been a trademark of the Mittweida University of Applied Sciences since its foundation in 1867. In the first decades of its existence, more than half of the students came from abroad to gain expertise in Mittweida. Today the university is cooperating with over 100 partners worldwide, and approximately 21 percent of all students are international students. The European exchange program Erasmus+ is an integral part of the international cooperation strategy. The university also realizes exchanges with universities in Asia, North and South America, the Middle East, Africa, and New Zealand. Carl Georg Weitzel, an engineer from Mannheim, founded the "Technikum Mittweida "in the old city theatre on 7 May 1867. Local enterprises and the municipality supported him. This privately-run training center for mechanical engineers had soon attracted numerous students because the "Technikum Mittweida" had already been one of Germany's most prominent educational institutions at the turn of the century. At that time, the Free State of Saxony was one of the leading states in mechanical engineering. In 1870, it owned the densest railway network of all German states. Moreover, Chemnitz was the center of German mechanical engineering in 1871. Carl Georg Weitzel recognized that the industry needed engineers familiar with and connected to industrial experience next to qualified workers and masters. For centuries, education felt obliged to keep this image up, sometimes fighting against the view of the official educational policy and occasionally against chicanes. By no means was it strived to approximate the "Technikum" as a "higher technical institution" to a technical university. Nevertheless, compared to diverse vocational schools, it was taught on a much higher level. The training began with 17 students. However, the number of students rose to 185 in 1873, so that the capacities of rented rooms did not meet its requirements. Despite considerable financial difficulties, Carl Georg Weitzel managed to use his first own educational building in 1874, which was later part of the main building and which nowadays is known as "Carl-Georg-Weitzel-Bau." The construction of laboratories for practical experience and the introduction of "electrical engineering" as a subject belonged to the founder's future decisions in 1884. Two years later, the lecture rooms for physics held electrical lighting set for demonstration. In 1890, three new halls were built for the department of electrical engineering. In 1892 the town council deemed Carl Georg Weitzel, founder of the "Technikum Mittweida," worthy of his merits by giving him the city's freedom. An honorary degree called "Kammerrat" was conferred on him by the Free State of Saxony. In the same year, Weitzel handed over the official duties to Alfred Udo Holtz after having been in office for 25 years. The psychological stress as a director, teacher, author of textbooks, and personal strokes affected his health condition. By taking over the leadership of the institution, a man assumed the office who had not only taught as a young engineer at the "Technikum" but who would continue to pursue the target of Carl Georg Weitzel who had demanded that "especially in teaching the practical side had to be taken into account. Early enough, Holtz took new technical developments into account. Consequently, he offered classes on aeronautical and automotive engineering beginning in 1909. Since 1917 the future electrical engineers could also attend a class on "telecommunications and radio technology." Furthermore, they could use laboratories for high-frequency technology, radio technology, and telecommunications. Results of his ambitious objectives were the construction of the "electrotechnical institute," opened in 1894 and now called "Alfred-Udo-Holzt-Bau," and the opening of the "teaching fabric workshops" in 1901, which were renamed "concision workshops Mittweida GmbH" three years later. Not only students could get prepared for their studies in this company. It was also used to produce electrical machines, measurement devices, teaching aids, and machine tools. In 1902, the title professor and 1917, the honorary title "Königlich-sächsischer Hofrat" were awarded to Alfred Udo Holtz. In the middle of the 1920s, the "Technikum Mittweida" reached the highest student numbers (more than 2300 young people) at that time. Most of the visitors came from European countries, from overseas and from Asia. From time to time, more than half of all students were foreigners. Although the "Technikum Mitweida" enjoyed great popularity and a good reputation, the educational institute and the "Präzise" got into financial embarrassments at the end of the nineteen-twenties. In the years of the worldwide economic slump, the number of student enrollment sank, and the closing seemed unavoidable. The institute's character exacerbated the critical situation since it was opposed to nationalizing all schools. After the National Socialists came to power, there was no realistic possibility to carry on with the ordinary course. From 1935 onwards, it was renamed "engineering school Mittweida." The court counselor, professor Alfred Udo Holtz resigned on 15 June 1936. After long-lasting negotiations, the foundation "engineering school Mittweida (higher technical institute)" acquired the educational institute. On 25 October 1938, Prof. Ludwig Zipperer got in the lead. The teaching could be perpetuated until January 1945. On 1 November 1947, the "engineering school Mittweida" continued with teaching mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, agricultural machines, and automotive engineering. From 1951 onwards, only students for electrical engineering were enrolled. Simultaneously, the engineer Martin Schneidereit was appointed director by the responsible ministry for the industry. In the summer of 1951, constructions of a new laboratory began, now called "Walter-Bruch-Bau." On 16 October 1953, the new laboratory was ceremoniously inaugurated. View full university