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Die Maschinenhalle im Thüringischen Technikum
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It was on 3rd November 1894 when the engineer training was launched with the opening of the Thüringisches Technikum, a private educational establishment, in Ilmenau. This was due to the upswing of electricity which the headmaster of the school, Prof. Georg Schmidt, was so enthusiastic about. He expressed his enthusiasm by saying:
“There is no force of nature which is capable of such modulation as Electricity, it being such an easy matter to convert it into any form of energy; at one moment we use it as power, at another as heat, at another aslight, at another as magnetism and at yet another as a current producing achemical effect.”
In the centre of the town, the nucleus of today’s university was built - the “Altes Technikum” in 1895, known today as the Joliot Curiebau, the Joliot Curie Building. In 1926, the “Neues Technikum” was erected, known today as the Faradaybau (Faraday Building). It was in 1926, too, that the name was changed to “Ingenierschule Ilmenau” (Ilmenau Engineering College). At this point Professor Georg Schmidt was head of both schools. The range of subjects taught included not only the main fields of electrical and mechanical engineering, butalso car manufacture and aircraft construction, steam engines, bridgeconstruction and radio technology.
After it became a state institution in 1947, it received the name of “Fachschule für Elektrotechnik und Maschinenbau” in 1950.
Today, the Curie Building and the Faraday Building are the seat of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science with the Institutes of Mathematics, Physics and Media and Communications.
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Eröffnung der Hochschule für Elektrotechnik durch Gründungsrektor Prof. Hans Stamm
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With the foundation of the Hochschule für Elektrotechnik (HfE) as aspecialised university-level institute of higher technological education in1953, the academic training of graduate engineers began.The teaching started with 268 students. The scientific differentiated branches recognisable in the fields of electrical engineering,electrical mechanical engineering and precision engineering/optics were reflected by the academic structure of the HfE incorporating the following Faculties: Mathematics, Natural Science and Fundamentals of Technology, Heavy Current Technology, Light Current Technology, Precision Engineering and Optics as well as Technology and Engineering Economics. In the years that followed, the HfE founded also internationally acknowledged teaching and research areas such as the technology of electromedicine and radiology (forerunners of today’s biomedical and radiological engineering, digital network calculation, theory ofelectrical engineering, control engineering and cybernetics. The fields of electrochemistry, electroplating, electrical thermal technology, technical optics and light technology became the basis for absolutely new lines of engineering education in Ilmenau.
The Kirchhoff building, the Helmholtz building and the halls of residence were the first buildings which are still thought of as the core of the campus. | | |
Institut für Röntgentechnik
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In 1963, the status of Technische Hochschule (university-level institute of higher technological education) was conferred on the HfE. The Faculties were replaced in 1968/69 by the Departments of Electrical Engineering,Technical and Biomedical Cybernetics, Information Technology and Theory of Electrical Engineering, Equipment Engineering, Physics and Engineering of Electronic Devices, Mathematics, Computing and Economic Cybernetics which represented new interdisciplinary combinations.
New scientific branches were included: Microelectronics, Information Technology and Automation, Glass, Ceramic and Plasma Technology just as Neural Information Technology. Teaching in Biomedical Engineering and the mathematical work on the non-linear optimisation and on graphtheory received academic recognition at the highest level. | | |
Forschung zur Magnetofluiddynamik
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After the political changes in 1989 and 1990, the TH Ilmenau went through a thorough process of reorganisation. In 1992, the state parliament of Thüringen took the decision to accord the TH the status of Technische Universität, or University of Technology. It comprises five Faculties: Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Faculty of Computer Science and Automation, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science and Faculty of Economic Sciences.
In addition, the following central facilities (ZE) were founded: University Computer Centre, University Library, University Language Centre, University Sports Centre, PATON (Patents Information Centre and Online Services).
In 2002, another facility was established: the Centre for Micro- and Nanotechnologies.
The students can choose from a total of 16 courses of study in some ofwhich they can obtain a Bachelor’s and later a Master’s degree from the winter semester 2005/06 on, and in the other courses from the winter semester 2006/07 on. Furthermore, the Faculties provide for the technical training to become ateacher at vocational schools (with Metal Processing and Electrical Engineering being the first subjects) as well as scientific research work in selected competence areas.
The TU Ilmenau is the centre in the network of research, development and transfer institutions of the Technology Development Area of Ilmenau called Technologie Region Ilmenau. They are focussing their research work on mechatronics, microelectronics and microsystems technology, image processing, medical technology, information and communications technologies, environmental technology as well as on micro- and nanometer structures as technological newindustries.
A vast amount of information about the history of the engineering training in Ilmenau can also be found in the university archives. |
