Here’s a comprehensive guide to the University of Hildesheim

About the University of Hildesheim

In 1978, the University of Hildesheim became a university in its own right, and in 2003, it became a Foundation under Public Law, making it one of the first of its kind in Germany. Let’s learn more about this famous German university.

Study courses in Educational and Social Sciences, Cultural Studies and Aesthetic Communication, Linguistics and Information Science, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Economics, and Computer Science are all available at the university. Teacher Education students can relate basic theory to practical experience from the start of their studies, thanks to the collaboration with more than 250 partner schools.

International Communication and Translation courses, as well as Double Degree programs, such as Culture Management (France) and International Information Engineering (South Korea), contribute to the University’s international profile.

History

1946- Hildesheim’s tradition of teacher education dates back to the twentieth century.

1978- Beginning of ‘the Hildesheim Teacher Training College’s Alfeld lecture courses’

1989- 

• The Hildesheim Teacher Training College, which was previously part of the Lower Saxony Teacher Training College, becomes an independent university.
• Diversification led to the creation and establishment of new faculties outside of Teacher Training.
• The University of Hildesheim got full university status.

2003- Establishment of the Hildesheim University Foundation.

The University of Hildesheim Foundation was the Teacher’s Training University of Lower Saxony in 1946, and currently has four divisions- ‘Educational and Social Sciences,’ ‘Cultural Studies and Aesthetic Communication,’ ‘Linguistics and Information Science,’ and ‘Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Economics, and Computer Science’. Since 2000, there has been a steady increase in the number of students studying at the University of Hildesheim, reaching 8,000 in the Winter Semester of 2018/19.

73% of the students are female. Women make up 43% of the faculty, which is higher than the national average. Gender equality, as well as equal treatment for people of different social, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, are important components of the university’s mission.

Research

Interdisciplinary work and closing the gap between theory and practice are important components of the University of Hildesheim’s research and teaching profile. The University of Hildesheim’s traditional strength is its well-designed and tested educational studies programs, as well as cultural studies and applied linguistics. 

The university’s programs in psychology, childhood education, diversity education, translation studies, intercultural communication, environmental studies, and business information/computer science are in high demand.

Campus and administration

The University of Hildesheim has been a foundation under public law since 2003 and thus has a relatively high degree of autonomy. It can award professorships and approve its own construction projects. Since the foundation’s inception, annual third-party funding has increased sevenfold, and three major construction programs (Main Campus, Marienburg Culture Campus, and Bühler Campus) began, in addition to a number of other foundation projects and ten innovative endowed professorships.

The University of Hildesheim, as a public foundation, maintains close relationships with civil society and a strong network of affiliations with educational, scientific, and cultural institutions, as well as economic and business organizations.

Courses

Students at the University of Hildesheim are active participants in the teaching and learning processes, and the university encourages them to participate in the development and improvement of teaching and study.

The University of Hildesheim supports exceptionally capable students who believe in social commitment through its own scholarship programs (such as the College of Minerva and Lore-Auerbach Scholarships).

Regular course evaluations show that the majority of students are ‘mostly satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their courses, and students especially appreciate the faculty’s engagement and commitment. Accreditation reports also show a high level of teacher commitment and motivation among university faculty, as well as a friendly environment between students and professors.

The University of Hildesheim’s four departments offer a wide range of academic programs.

The first department teaches psychology, educational science, and social pedagogy, with most classes held on the main campus. The second department has an association with cultural studies, creative writing, and scenic arts, and the courses take place on Domäne Marienburg’s cultural campus.

Languages and communication are the focus of the third department. The study program ‘International Communication and Translation’ is an example of the course of this department. In addition, the fourth department offers courses in information technology and environmental science.

All four departments offer teacher education for elementary, secondary, and intermediate schools, with a curriculum that includes 18 subjects.

In total, the university provides more than 40 Bachelor’s and Master’s programs, including the English-taught Master’s program in ‘Data Analytics’.

Top bachelor degree programs

• BSc in Applied Computer Science
• BSc in Information Management and Information Technology
• BA in Digital Social Sciences
• BA in English Applied Linguistics
• BA in Pedagogy
• BA in Global Information Management

Rankings

National Rankings

• Humboldt Ranking- 75
• DFG-Ranking- 78

Partnerships and scholarships

The University of Hildesheim collaborates with over 180 universities or tertiary education institutions in approximately 50 countries and offers over 400 student exchange places each year.

The University won the European Quality Label in 2007 and again in 2011, as well as the European Language Label in 2011, and was the only German university to get recognition from the European Union for its Erasmus success story in 2010. Students appreciate the small campus, which houses approximately 8000 students and over 470 academic staff members across four faculties. The learning environment is very personal, with first-rate tutoring, and the close combination of theory and practice, the latter being a guiding principle of the University Foundation.

Alumni

• Prof. Dr. Joachim Friedmann- German screenwriter, comic writer, developer of online formats, and media scholar
• Juliana Kálnay- German author 
• Lothar Herzog- An author 
•  Keyna Wilkins- Famous Australian/British composer-musician

Key takeaways

• The Teacher’s Training University of Lower Saxony became the University of Hildesheim Foundation in 1946. It currently has four divisions- ‘Educational and Social Sciences,’ ‘Cultural Studies and Aesthetic Communication,’ ‘Linguistics and Information Science,’ and ‘Mathematics, Natural Sciences, Economics, and Computer Science’. 
• The university can award professorships and approve its own construction projects. There is an increase in annual third-party funding and due to this three major construction programs (Main Campus, Marienburg Culture Campus, and Bühler Campus) began.
• Regular course evaluations indicate that the majority of students are ‘mostly satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their courses. Students appreciate the faculty’s engagement and commitment. Accreditation reports also show a high level of teacher commitment and motivation among university faculty.

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FAQs

Q1. Is the University of Hildesheim a public or private institute?

Ans- The University of Hildesheim is a public foundation and maintains close relationships with civil society and a strong network of affiliations with educational, scientific, and cultural institutions.

Q2. What is the average on-campus living expense at the University of Hildesheim? 

Ans- The average annual on-campus living expense at the University of Hildesheim is 6.712,92 euros.

Q3. Is German language proficiency required to get admission to the University of Hildesheim?

Ans- Studying at a foreign university requires fluency in the native language. Along with English proficiency, you must have a B1 CEFR German proficiency certificate. Official exams such as B1 telc and B1 Goethe, are acceptable.