Ulm University and its bonds with the German University in Cairo:
Ulm University was founded in 1967 as the youngest university in Baden-Wuerttemberg. It has kept evolving dynamically ever since. Its trademarks today are an attractive and future-oriented course catalogue, high-quality academic education, international diversity, interdisciplinarity and cutting-edge innovative research. More than 10,000 students are enrolled across four faculties with top-level education and support. Its faculties Engineering, Computer Sciences and Psychology, Mathematics and Economics, Medicine and Natural Sciences offer in total over 60 study programs in German and English. According to THE Ranking, the University of Ulm is among the ten percent best universities worldwide!
The close ties between Ulm University and the German University in Cairo were established almost 30 years ago when the founder of the GUC, Prof. Dr. Dr. Ashraf Mansour, did his doctorate and his habilitation in Ulm. It happened right here that his idea was born to found a university in Cairo according to the Humboldtian model of higher education; and soon after he had developed this vision, Ashraf Mansour found the first supporters in Ulm for his German University in Cairo. In the following years, the cooperation has grown, and so did the German University in Cairo which has now even overtaken Ulm University in terms of enrolled students.
Your local contact: The GUC German Office:
The GUC German Office, located in the International Office of the University of Ulm, is your first and constant contact during your stay in Ulm.
After their arrival in Ulm, all GUCians and other international students get the chance to participate in a Welcome Day organized by the International Office of Ulm University. They spend a whole day together on campus, attend an intercultural workshop, get to know each other and the International Office and GUC German Office team and explore the campus during a scavenger hunt. In addition, a city tour and a library tour are offered, all students are invited to participate in monthly meetings of the international students and to get enrolled in a tailor-made German course offered by the language center of Ulm University.
The participants and organizers during the Welcome Day for the international students in April 2022 (International Office)
Living in Ulm: Housing
The GUC students in Ulm do not have to worry about housing. This is not a given at all, as the housing market is currently very tight in Germany. GUCians can get accommodated in the GUC dorm which is located right in the center of Ulm.
Extra funding: also available in 2023
To cover additional costs of our GUCians’ stay at Ulm University, this year’s students were entitled to apply for a Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM scholarship, a more than 20 year old funding program of the Baden-Württemberg Foundation with over 20,000 alumni so far. At Ulm University, these scholarships are exclusively available for exchange students from selected partner universities. Usually, 9 scholarship holders make a chance to receive a monthly scholarship rate of 850 Euros for up to three months – less if there are more applicants.
GUC students will again have the opportunity to apply for one of these scholarships in 2023. Details about the application process will be sent out to those GUCians who have received a confirmation from a supervisor at Ulm University for a Bachelor project.
Thanks to this scholarship and the financial independence which came with it, our GUCians of the batch of 2022 were able to focus on these two things while they were in Ulm: their bachelor theses, which all of them completed extremely successfully, and travelling around Europe.
It is extremely impressive to see how many places our group managed to visit in 2022. They traveled around Germany, but also to Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, France, Hungary, Italy, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands.
Ulm's excellent location in the heart of Europe was certainly a big advantage: From here one can reach the Alps in two hours and Munich in a little bit more than one hour by train; one can be in Paris in four and in Brussels in five and a half hours, also by train; and you can take the plane from Stuttgart, Memmingen or Munich and get to Rome in one and a half, Madrid in just under three and Barcelona in less than two hours.
The German Southwest
band of regions with the highest economic power in Germany stretches from the French border to Mannheim, Stuttgart, Ulm and Munich; it is home to many companies that are world market leaders in their industries. People from many countries have found well-paid and secure jobs here.
Although the cities of Ulm/Neu-Ulm have only 200,000 inhabitants, they are among the cities with the highest growth potential in Germany and also offer a wide range of leisure activities. The region has varied landscapes with lots of forest, mountains and lakes and is ideal for mountain biking, climbing and hiking. The museums show art from the Ice Age, which was created 40,000 years ago.
Ulm Minster, Burg Hohenzollern, Ulm Christmas Market, Fischerstechen, Logo Ulm University, Posaunenfestival (Pixabay) and Sunset in the Bavarian Allgäu Alps 130km from Ulm (private)
Other opportunities to study, work and do research in Ulm:
Beside the bachelor thesis stays at Ulm University, there are also other possibilities to spend a part of your studies in Ulm.
Language course:
GUCians can receive a DAAD scholarship to take part in a language course at Ulm University during their bachelor studies. The language course usually takes four weeks and comprises approximately 66 teaching units as well as a cultural program including excursions. The content covers a wide range of topics from everyday life that the participants can apply directly during their stay.
Master theses, PhDs and research stays:
Master students from the GUC have the opportunity to write their final thesis for up to six months at Ulm University and can receive funding by a DAAD scholarship. Along with PhD students from the GUC, they can also take part in a bilateral research project and can spend up to three months doing research in Ulm. GUC students pursuing their PhD are also eligible for a DAAD scholarship for a research stay at Ulm University between six and 24 months.
Master program:
The master program “Communication and Information Technology” at Ulm University offers a fast-track program for GUC students with a Communication and Electronics major. Students can apply for the masters in fall in their 9th semester at the GUC. If admitted, they start their master program in Ulm in the summer semester and take specific courses that can be transferred back to the curriculum of the 10th semester at the GUC. They then graduate from their GUC IET bachelor program right before starting their 2nd semester in Ulm. The fast track saves one semester of study time.
Beside the fast-track program, GUC graduates from IET and MET (Media Engineering and Technology Major) can also apply for the CIT Master in Ulm. The study program starts in the summer semester.
Some voices and impressions:
Students:
“Ulm is a relatively small city, but full of surprises and activities to do and delights to explore.”
„I enjoyed a lot that I could take two German courses at Ulm University during the semester.”
“I have to say my favorite part was making friends with people from different nationalities and conversing with them and learning about different cultures and discussing our similarities and differences in workshops organized by the University.”
“The Baden-Württemberg stipendium that really makes me focus a lot on my studies.”
“I really enjoyed a lot the intercultural meetings with Erasmus students and the connections I have made with them.”
“I really enjoyed the travels we did – we were able to discover huge parts of Europe.”
“Working here opened my eyes on a different work culture and attitude.”
“Lastly our experience would not have been the same without Anna and Michaela helping us and always being here for us.”
Ulm Supervisors:
“The GUC students were well prepared for their bachelor thesis in terms of content, so that they were able to start their projects immediately.”
“In addition to ambition and determination, the students were characterized by their constant desire to learn about new topics and content and to study them in depth.”
“All students completed their projects very successfully and some already presented their work at international conferences, a typical starting point for a successful career in research.”
GUC German Office:
“Dear GUCians of the cohort of 2022: it was a real pleasure to welcome you here in Ulm, to get to know you, to learn from you and to accompany you during your stay here in Ulm! I wish you all the best for your future life and look forward to celebrating your graduation with you next year!
This was my first cohort of students that I had the pleasure to welcome in Ulm after the Corona break and I was deeply impressed by your professionalism, but also by your openness and friendliness.
This is a warm invitation to you, dear future students, to apply for a bachelor thesis stay or any other kind of stay at Ulm University!”
Links:
The Homepage of the International Office/ GUC cooperation: https://www.guc.uni-ulm.de/en/
The Homepage of Ulm University: https://www.uni-ulm.de/en/
The Homepage of the International Office of Ulm University:https://www.uni-ulm.de/en/io/
|