Reutlingen University

Reutlingen University offers 22 bachelor’s and 14 master’s courses in the fields of technology, economics, informatics and design. Reutlingen University is very much focused on offering study programmes that comply with the best international standards, as it accepts students from all over the world. The course contents have a practical orientation at the same time as providing a solid scientific background, the programmes are designed to help build on students’ personal strengths, applicants are individually selected and there is the possibility of participating in research and development projects.

Stays abroad and practical courses are an integral part of study at Reutlingen University. Close contacts with industry and science, with globally acting big companies and effective small- and medium-sized companies support the training and facilitate career entry after graduation.

The Reutlingen University campus has 17 buildings with more than 30,000 square metres of usable space, including auditoriums, laboratories, pilot plants and duty rooms. Its textile training and pilot plant is unique worldwide. 7,700 square metres are dedicated to the laboratories of the cotton-spinning mill, combed yarn and woollen yarn spinning mills, weaving mill, manufacturing workshops and textile finishing. The big laboratories of the Faculties of Technology/Mechanical Engineering and Applied Chemistry are also housed here.

Reutlingen University is hence endeavouring to exploit its diverse fields of knowledge as creative and innovative resources, and to further develop interdisciplinary programmes. An important step in this direction was taken with the founding ot the Reutlingen Research Institute, one of the functions of which is to coordinate and document research projects.

The Reutlingen Research Institute is an important research instrument at the University, providing a platform for researchers. The RRI, which was set up in the spring of 2008 through the merger of the Institute of Applied Research (IAF) and the Institute for Applied Research in Automation (IFA), coordinates research activity in the fields of science / technology and business administration and documents the results.

An overview of selected research fields of the Reutlingen Research Institute:

• Sustainability    

This field takes a markedly interdisciplinary approach to current topics from the areas of energy technology, the recycling of renewable resources, and process optimisation. This includes, for example, the processing of biogenic raw materials into higher quality products for industry, or online measuring systems for the optimisation of process control. A further topic is the drawing up and analysing of material and energy balance sheets from production and logistic processes, with the aim of increasing efficiency. Energy technology focuses mainly on decentralised energy provision. The main areas of interest here include combined heat and power with the cogeneration units, further conversion processes such as phtovoltaics, and energy management focussing on appropriate ways of combining technological processes.

• Intelligent products, processes and services          

The optimisation of processes, systems and products is the main area of interest in the third research field. The main focus of polymer and textile technology is on the development and production of customized synthetic materials, based on fibre-reinforced composites or nanomaterials, can be found in photovoltaics, the automobile industry and in medical technology.       

The diagnosis of machines and processes, together within the remote controlling of external facilities, receive attention in the development of intelligent manufacturing. By using rapid, non-invasive measuring techniques such as spectroscopy, process analysis is able to assess qualitiy at the molecular level without interrupting the production process. Moreover, as it works in microscopic dimensions, spectroscopy is capable of rapid and marker-free recognition of abnormal cells or chromosomes at the nano-level. This research field also includes innovative services: software can be developed for a number of areas, such as safety systems in automobiles or the controlling of production and logistic processes.

• Innovation management    

The research field "Innovation management" examines questions concerning the structure and management of knowledge as a corporate resource. The acquisition and dissemination of knowledge in both conventional and electronical form are considered, as are equally the processes and results of innovation in dynamic markets, together with the effects of these on the competitive ability of businesses and industries. The results of the investigations take the form of comparative studies, benchmarks and analyses of innovative ability, of the shaping of innovative processes and the relevant tools, as well as of the introduction and management of innovative processes in a range of technical and business disciplines. The scope of this research field is very wide: it involves topics such as intercultural teaching behaviour, e-learning, or sustainability and responsibility; it also encompasses innovative ways of combating counterfeiting and piracy, innovative services and innovative marketing; and, finally it includes the topic of the labour market. 

• International management  

The resarch field "International management" covers questions concerning international business activity, management and the shaping of business processes. Particular weight is attached to the interdisciplinary approach, in order to ensure that the many interdependent features of international activities are fully taken into account. The results of this resarch take the form of situational descriptions and analyses intended to illustrate laws, trends and possible courses of action on the international markets, together with any strategies, recommendations and process planning which can be seen to follow from these. Here, too, a wide range of topics emerges which are dealt with under the headings of international marketing, financial & management accounting and cultural & IT governance / strategy.                                                                                              

• Information and communication        

Effective, efficient, worlwide information gathering, the exchange, storage and representation of information from the points of view of cooperation, communication and logistics: these are the key phrases which characterise this research field. The three main areas of work in this field are: e-science platform and virtual engineering; information processes, architectures and systems; and communication networks and infrastructure. These deal with the topics such as biomedical informatics, service-oriented architectures (SOA), service component architecture, and electromagnetic compatibility.