The Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg () (Short: ''OVGU'') is a public research university founded in 1993 and is located in

Magdeburg Magdeburg (; ) is the Capital city, capital of the Germany, German States of Germany, state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is on the Elbe river. Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archbishopric of Mag ...

, the Capital city of

Saxony-Anhalt Saxony-Anhalt ( ; ) is a States of Germany, state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of and has a population of 2.17 million inhabitants, making it the List of German states ...

. The university has about 13,000 students in nine

faculties Faculty or faculties may refer to: Academia * Faculty (academic staff), professors, researchers, and teachers of a given university or college (North American usage) * Faculty (division), a large department of a university by field of study (us ...

. The university is named after the

physicist A physicist is a scientist who specializes in the field of physics, which encompasses the interactions of matter and energy at all length and time scales in the physical universe. Physicists generally are interested in the root or ultimate cau ...

and former mayor of Magdeburg

Otto von Guericke Otto von Guericke ( , , ; spelled Gericke until 1666; – ) was a German scientist, inventor, mathematician and physicist. His pioneering scientific work, the development of experimental methods and repeatable demonstrations on the physics of ...

. The main research areas of the university are in the

process engineering Process engineering is a field of study focused on the development and optimization of industrial processes. It consists of the understanding and application of the fundamental principles and laws of nature to allow humans to transform raw mate ...

neurosciences Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system (the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system), its functions, and its disorders. It is a multidisciplinary science that combines physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, ...

, biosystems technology,

disease prevention Preventive healthcare, or prophylaxis, is the application of healthcare measures to prevent diseases.Hugh R. Leavell and E. Gurney Clark as "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting physical and mental health a ...

, automotive research, digital engineering and

renewable energies Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind power, and hydropower. Bioenergy and ...

. One of the best-known alumni and professors is the Leibniz Prize winner Axel Ockenfels.

History

The university was founded in 1993 and is therefore one of the youngest universities in Germany. The roots of the university lie in the three higher education institutions that previously existed in the city of Magdeburg: Technical University, University of Education and Medical Academy. Due to the three predecessor institutions, there are still three campuses today: "Universitätsplatz", "Universitätsklinikum" and "Zschokkestrasse". Since 2022, Otto von Guericke University has been part of the European university network "EU Green" along with eight other universities. This is intended to promote international cooperation in order to adequately meet future social challenges.

Academics

Faculties

* Faculty of Computer Science (FIN) * Faculty of Economics and Management (FWW) * Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education (FHW) * Faculty of Mathematics (FMA) * Faculty of Medicine (FME) * Faculty of Natural Sciences (FNW) * Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (FMB) * Faculty of Process and Systems Engineering (FVST) * Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (FEIT)

Rankings

In the

Times Higher Education World University Rankings The ''Times Higher Education World University Rankings'', often referred to as the THE Rankings, is the annual publication of university rankings by the ''Times Higher Education'' magazine. The publisher had collaborated with Quacquarelli Symon ...

of 2024, the university is placed at 601–800 globally and 46–48 within the country.

IKUS

IKUS is an inter-cultural association for international students. It contributes to cultural synergies between the countries. Students actively participate in and celebrate cultural festivals frequently. A large number of foreign students organize the days for each country.

MIPS

MIPS (Magdeburg International PhD Students) is the network for international PhD students at OvGU. This association helps to create and enhance the contact between international PhD students in order to promote the social and academic integration of young scientists. MIPS offers support and advice in various areas, e.g. to learn about Magdeburg and the German language, to give information about scholarships and job opportunities.

Studentenwerk Magdeburg

Studentenwerk Magdeburg is a student organization which provides a mensa (canteen) and dormitories for students. There are more than 10

dormitories A dormitory (originated from the Latin word ''dormitorium'', often abbreviated to dorm), also known as a hall of residence, a residence hall (often abbreviated to halls), or a hostel, is a building primarily providing sleeping and residential qu ...

near or on the university's campus.

Notable people

A sample of alumni and lecturers of the university includes: *

Antje Buschschulte Antje Buschschulte (born 27 December 1978) is a German former swimmer. Her best disciplines were the short distance backstroke and freestyle races. Buschschulte swam for the sporting club SC Magdeburg. She participated in Olympic Games 1996, 2 ...

– swimming world champion and PhD biologist * Arno Ros – philosopher and former professor of theoretical philosophy at the university * Axel Ockenfels – professor for economics * Bernhard Sabel – psychologist who heads the Institute of Medical Psychology *

Birgitta Wolff Birgitta Wolff (born 14 July 1965 in Münster) is a German economist and politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). She served as minister of education and culture and as minister of research and economy in the state government of Saxony ...

– economist, politician and former president of the

Goethe University Frankfurt Goethe University Frankfurt () is a public research university located in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. It was founded in 1914 as a citizens' university, which means it was founded and funded by the wealthy and active liberal citizenry of Frankfurt ...

Claudia Maria Buch Claudia Maria Buch (also Claudia-Maria Buch; born March 1966) is a German economist who serves as Chair of the ECB Supervisory Board since 2024. She was a Vice President of the Bundesbank from 2014 to 2023. Earlier in her career, Buch worked as ...

– economist, university teacher and currently Vice President of the

Bundesbank The Deutsche Bundesbank (, , colloquially Buba, sometimes alternatively abbreviated as BBk or DBB) is the national central bank for Germany within the Eurosystem. It was the German central bank from 1957 to 1998, issuing the Deutsche Mark (DM). ...

* Dagmar Schipanski – physicist, university teacher and politician * Henning Scheich – professor for physiology at the medical faculty * Johannes Mallow – winner of the

World Memory Championships The World Memory Championships is an organized competition of memory sports in which competitors memorize as much information as possible within a given period of time. The championship has taken place annually since 1991, with the exception of ...

. * Nguyễn Thiện Nhân –

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

's former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Training, who graduated with a doctorate in cybernetics * Rumiana Jeleva – former Minister of Foreign Affairs of

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

, who earned a PhD in sociology *

Raila Odinga Raila Amolo Odinga (born 7 January 1945) is a Kenyan politician who served as the Prime Minister of Kenya from 2008 to 2013. He was the Member of Parliament (Kenya), Member of Parliament (MP) for Langata Constituency from 1992 to 2013 and has ...

kenyan The Demographics of Kenya is monitored by the Kenyan National Bureau of Statistics. Kenya is a multi-ethnic state in East Africa. Its total population was at 47,558,296 as of the 2019 census. A national census was conducted in 1999, although t ...

politician,former prime minister.

Notes and references

External links

*
Medical Faculty of the University Magdeburg

Inter-Cultural association for international students (IKUS)

Magdeburg International PhD Students (MIPS)

Student organization
{{Authority control Buildings and structures in Magdeburg Educational institutions established in 1993 1993 establishments in Germany Universities and colleges in Saxony-Anhalt