Stepping Stone to Engineering

Choosing to study engineering is a pivotal decision for anyone's career path—just as crucial is selecting the right university. The University of Bayreuth provides future engineers with a solid, practical education while standing out for its interdisciplinary research approaches, state-of-the-art facilities, and close industry collaboration. But what makes studying engineering here truly unique? In this interview with Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stephan Tremmel, we delve deeper into the strengths of the engineering programmes in Bayreuth.

UBTaktuell: Why should one study engineering at the University of Bayreuth?

Our well-structured undergraduate programmes in engineering are designed for generalists and are largely interdisciplinary in nature. They offer an excellent overview of the fascinating diversity of engineering, enabling prospective and first-year students to keep their options open without committing to a specific field from the start. This also applies to our interdisciplinary degree programmes, which bridge two fields and are aimed at those who wish to work at the intersection of these fields in their future careers, for instance, between technology and business.

Our programmes are academically rigorous and open the door to pursuing a doctorate in engineering, while also maintaining a strong practical orientation. They prepare students equally well for careers in academia, industry, or the public sector. Furthermore, I’d like to highlight the campus’s compact layout and the excellent student-to-staff ratio, particularly within the Faculty of Engineering.

Our master's programmes focus on specialisation. Alongside “classic” fields such as Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, or Electrical and Information Systems Engineering, we also offer programmes addressing contemporary societal issues—for example, Energy Engineering, Environmental and Resource Technology, and Battery Technology. What’s particularly notable is that our Faculty of Engineering is highly research-oriented. Students are introduced to research early on, giving them the opportunity to shape the engineering methods, tools, and processes of the future.

What specialisations are available in the programmes, and how interdisciplinary are they?

All of our undergraduate programmes begin with a solid foundation in engineering principles. In our central degree programme, Engineering Science, students can choose a specialisation later on, selecting from fields such as Product Development and Production, Automotive and Mechatronics, Energy Engineering, or Biotechnology and Chemical Process Engineering. These specialisations can then be further developed and deepened in the corresponding master’s programmes.

All of our other undergraduate programmes have an interdisciplinary focus. For instance, Materials Science and Engineering bridges the gap to Applied Chemistry, while Electrical and Information Systems Engineering connects engineering with computer science. The Environmental and Resource Technology programme combines environmental and process engineering with resource technology and geosciences. Finally, Business Administration and Engineering is tailored for those aspiring to careers at the interface of technology and economics. These interdisciplinary bachelor’s programmes also allow for further specialisation during master’s studies, offering students a wealth of elective options.

Among our master’s programmes, I’d like to highlight two that are especially interdisciplinary: Sports Technology, which sits at the intersection of sports and engineering, and the entirely new English-taught programme Digitalization & Sustainability in Materials Science & Engineering, which combines materials science, digitalisation, and sustainability.

I must also mention the Battery Technology programme, which targets specialists in innovative energy storage technologies for vehicles, buildings, and grids.

Do the programmes address current research trends?

The faculty closely monitors trends in engineering and swiftly integrates them into its curriculum. Sustainable products and processes are one such trend, as are digitalisation and artificial intelligence. These trends are reflected in our established master’s programmes, such as Materials Science and Engineering or Mechanical Engineering. Additionally, the new master’s programme Digitalization & Sustainability in Materials Science & Engineering explicitly incorporates these trends and is particularly appealing to international students due to its fully English-taught curriculum.

How closely is the faculty connected to industry?

The Faculty of Engineering maintains a wide array of strong and extensive industry partnerships. These range from knowledge and technology transfer collaborations with small and medium-sized enterprises in the region to joint industrial research projects within associations and state- or nationwide research initiatives. Additionally, we engage in contract research, where academic chairs work directly with companies—often large corporations—on the processes and products of the future.

What career opportunities are available for graduates of the faculty?

Our graduates are highly sought-after specialists and leaders with excellent prospects for exciting roles and career paths. They conduct research on new materials, processes, and products. They develop, design, calculate, and simulate technical systems, including machines, vehicles, apparatus, and devices of all kinds. They plan production processes and design efficient manufacturing and assembly workflows. They oversee the commissioning of systems and networks, ensure their smooth operation, and manage their recycling at the end of their lifecycle.

Our graduates primarily work in manufacturing industries, whether in small and medium-sized enterprises or large corporations, as well as in engineering consultancies, testing and certification bodies, research institutions, and public service.