View source for Karlsruhe Institute of Technology

{{Short description|Public university in Karlsruhe, Germany}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
 | native_name            = Karlsruher Institut für Technologie
 | native_name_lang       = de
 | image                  = Logo KIT.svg
 | motto                  = KIT – Die Forschungsuniversität in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft
 | mottoeng               = KIT – The Research University in the Helmholtz Association
 | established            = Fridericiana Polytechnic: {{start date and age|1825|10|07}}<br />TU Karlsruhe: 1865<br />KIT: 1 October 2009
 | type                   = [[public university|Public]]
 | academic_affiliation   = {{ubl| [[Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft|DFG]], [[Franco-German University|FGU]], [[German Universities Excellence Initiative]], [[CLUSTER]] | [[Conference of European Schools for Advanced Engineering Education and Research|CESAER]], [[European Network for Training and Research in Electrical Engineering|ENTREE]], [[TU9]], [[Transatlantic Policy Consortium|TPC]], [[European University Association|EUA]], [[EUCOR]], [[Helmholtz Association]], [[Erasmus Programme|Erasmus]]}}
 | budget                 = [[EUR]] 1.163 billion <small>(2023)</small><ref name="data and facts">{{cite web |url=https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/data.php |title=Data and Facts |language=en |website=Karlsruhe Institute of Technology |date=March 2024 |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref>
 | chairperson            = Michael Kaschke<ref name="Supervisory Board">{{cite web|url=https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/supervisory_board.php|title=KIT – KIT – Organization – Supervisory Board|author=|access-date=16 July 2021}}</ref>
 | president              = [[Jan S. Hesthaven]]<ref name="Executive Board">{{cite web|url=https://www.kit.edu/eb/index.php|title=KIT – KIT – Organization – Executive Board|author=|date=1 October 2024|access-date=25 October 2024}}</ref>
 | academic_staff         = 414 professors<br />5,409 (other academic staff) <small>(2023)</small><ref name="data and facts"/>
 | administrative_staff   = 4,211 <small>(2023)</small><ref name="data and facts"/>
 | students               = 22,816 <small>(2023)</small><ref name="data and facts"/>
 | undergrad              = 12,434 <small>(2023)</small><ref name="student statistics">{{cite web |url=https://www.kit.edu/downloads/studierendenstatistik_ws2023.pdf|title=Studierendenstatistik |language=de |website=Karlsruhe Institute of Technology |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref>
 | postgrad               = 8,042 <small>(2023)</small><ref name="student statistics"/>
 | doctoral               = 950 <small>(2023)</small><ref name="student statistics"/>
 | city                   = [[Karlsruhe]]
 | state                  = [[Baden-Württemberg]]
 | country                = Germany
 | campus                 = Urban/Suburban
 | website                = {{URL|https://www.kit.edu/english/index.php|kit.edu}}
 | coor                   = {{Coord|49|00|34|N|8|24|42|E|region:DE-BW_type:edu|display=inline,title}}
 | colors                 = {{scarf|{{cells|2|#006400}}{{cell|black}}{{cells|4|white}}{{cell|black}}{{cells|8|#006400}}{{cell|black}}{{cells|4|white}}{{cell|black}}{{cells|2|#006400}}}}
 | affiliations           = 
}}

The '''Karlsruhe Institute of Technology''' ('''KIT'''; {{langx|de|link=no|Karlsruher Institut für Technologie}}) is both a German [[public university|public]] [[research university]] in [[Karlsruhe]], [[Baden-Württemberg]], and a [[research center]] of the [[Helmholtz Association]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.service-bw.de/web/guest/organisationseinheit/-/sbw-oe/Karlsruher+Institut+fuer+Technologie+KIT-6017168-organisationseinheit-0/z-70178|title = Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) – Serviceportal Baden-Württemberg}}</ref>

KIT was created in 2009 when the '''University of Karlsruhe''' ({{lang|de|Universität Karlsruhe}}), founded in 1825 as a public research university and also known as the "Fridericiana", merged with the '''Karlsruhe Research Center''' ({{lang|de|Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe}}), which had originally been established in 1956 as a national nuclear research center ({{lang|de|Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe}}, or KfK).<ref>[[Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany)]]: {{cite web |url=http://www.bmbf.de/pub/eckpunktepapier_kit.pdf |title=Eckpunktepapier zur Gründung des Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) |language=de |access-date=25 August 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061201090315/http://www.bmbf.de/pub/eckpunktepapier_kit.pdf |archive-date=1 December 2006}}</ref> KIT is thus the first and only institution in Germany to overcome the division of the German scientific and research landscape into academic and non-academic institutions in the form of a merger of two different types of institutions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://mwk.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/service/presse/pressemitteilung/pid/kit-20-weitere-schritte-zur-vollendung-der-kit-fusion-bauer-bundesweit-einmalige-rahmenbeding |title=KIT 2.0 – Weitere Schritte zur Vollendung der KIT-Fusion / Bauer: "Bundesweit einmalige Rahmenbedingung für Forschung, Lehre und Innovation" |date=16 December 2020 }}</ref> 

KIT is a member of the [[TU9]], an incorporated society of the largest and most notable German institutes of technology.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=2021-01-26|title=Karlsruher Institut für Technologie|url=https://www.ffa-dff.org/fr/e3559/kit-karlsruher-institut-fur-technologie}}</ref> As part of the [[German Universities Excellence Initiative]] KIT was one of three universities which were awarded excellence status in 2006.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dfg.de/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/2006/pressemitteilung_nr_54/index.html |title=Erste Runde in der Exzellenzinitiative entschieden |access-date=22 July 2019}}</ref> In the following "German Excellence Strategy" KIT was awarded as one of eleven "Excellence Universities" in 2019.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dfg.de/service/presse/pressemitteilungen/2019/pressemitteilung_nr_34/index.html |title=Entscheidungen in der Exzellenzstrategie: Exzellenzkommission wählt zehn Exzellenzuniversitäten und einen Exzellenzverbund aus |access-date=20 July 2019}}</ref>

In the university part of today's KIT, science-based mechanical engineering was founded in the mid-19th century under the direction of [[Ferdinand Redtenbacher]], which influenced the foundation of other technical universities, such as [[ETH Zurich]] in 1855.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ferdinand Redtenbacher: Der Begründer des wissenschaftlichen Maschinenbaus|url=https://www.mach.kit.edu/ferdinand_redtenbacher.php|access-date=26 February 2020|publication-date=}}</ref> It established the first German faculty for [[computer science]] in 1972.<ref name="QS Graduate Employability Ranking">{{cite web |title=QS Graduate Employability Ranking |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/employability-rankings/2017 |access-date=26 February 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.umultirank.org/compare?section=comparePrefs&mode=likewithlike&name=null&trackType=compare&instutionalField=true |title=U-Multirank 2019 |access-date=14 March 2019 |archive-date=23 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623082130/https://www.umultirank.org/compare?section=comparePrefs&mode=likewithlike&instutionalField=true&name=null&trackType=compare |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.informatik.kit.edu/309_6458.php|title=Jubiläumsfeier – 40 Jahre Fakultät für Informatik |date=26 February 2020}}</ref> On 2 August 1984, the university received the first-ever German e-mail.<ref>{{cite web|title=Kurze Geschichte der ersten deutschen Internet E-Mail|url=https://www.informatik.kit.edu/7089_7098.php|access-date=26 February 2020|publication-date=}}</ref>

Professors and former students have won six [[Nobel Prize]]s and ten [[Leibniz Prize]]s, the most prestigious as well as the best-funded prize in Europe. The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology is well known for many inventors and entrepreneurs who studied or taught there, including [[Heinrich Hertz]], [[Karl Friedrich Benz]] and the founders of [[SAP SE]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/karlsruhe-institute-of-technology|title=KIT's profile at Times Higher Education Ranking|access-date=13 November 2016}}</ref>

== History ==

[[File:UniKarlsruhe.jpg|thumb|''Fridericiana'', founded in 1825]]
[[File:German Medal FRIDERICIANA 1825 1925, obverse.jpg|thumb|left|Medal FRIDERICIANA 100th Anniversary in 1925, obverse]]
[[File:German Medal FRIDERICIANA 1825 1925 Karlsruhe, reverse.jpg|thumb|left|The reverse of this medal showing the arms of [[Baden]]]]


The University of Karlsruhe was founded on 7 October 1825 by [[Grand Duke]] [[Louis I, Grand Duke of Baden|Ludwig I of Baden]] under the name  {{lang|de|Polytechnische Schule}}. It was modelled on the {{Lang|fr|[[École polytechnique]]|italic=no}} in Paris.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11012-013-9866-9 |title=European polytechnic schools in nineteenth century and Karlsruhe's exemplary case|date=2014 |doi=10.1007/s11012-013-9866-9 |last1=Capecchi |first1=Danilo |last2=Ruta |first2=Giuseppe |journal=Meccanica |volume=49 |pages=13–21 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> In its early official documents, it was still referred to as the ''Großherzogliche Badische Schule'' (in english: Grand Ducal Baden School), reflecting its institutional origins founded by the regional sovereign.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11012-013-9866-9 |title=European polytechnic schools in nineteenth century and Karlsruhe's exemplary case|date=2014 |doi=10.1007/s11012-013-9866-9 |last1=Capecchi |first1=Danilo |last2=Ruta |first2=Giuseppe |journal=Meccanica |volume=49 |pages=13–21 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The university is the oldest technical university in Germany and the fourth oldest in Europe and have traditionally focused on [[engineering]], [[natural sciences]] and [[economics]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/de/elite-unis-in-deutschland-das-karlsruher-institut-f%C3%BCr-technologie/a-4211583 |title=Karlsruher Institut für Technologie |publisher=DW |date=2010-08-13 |access-date=2024-09-09}}</ref>

In 1832, a ''Forstschule'' (school of forest sciences) was also established in response to the importance of forestry in the Baden region, particularly the [[Black Forest]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11012-013-9866-9 |title=European polytechnic schools in nineteenth century and Karlsruhe's exemplary case|date=2014 |doi=10.1007/s11012-013-9866-9 |last1=Capecchi |first1=Danilo |last2=Ruta |first2=Giuseppe |journal=Meccanica |volume=49 |pages=13–21 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The two institutions were later merged to form a single, expanded technical school.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11012-013-9866-9 |title=European polytechnic schools in nineteenth century and Karlsruhe's exemplary case|date=2014 |doi=10.1007/s11012-013-9866-9 |last1=Capecchi |first1=Danilo |last2=Ruta |first2=Giuseppe |journal=Meccanica |volume=49 |pages=13–21 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

In 1864, [[William Barton Rogers]], the founding director of the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]], remarked on the Polytechnische Schule in Karlsruhe: ''The Polytechnic Institute at Carlsruhe, which is regarded as the model school of Germany and perhaps of Europe, is nearer what it is intended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shall be than any other foreign institution.''<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ia601802.us.archive.org/24/items/communications_fermat/Wiesbeck-MUL-2014-Vol1-Jan_Feb-002.pdf |title=History – the Past is the Basis for the Future |publisher=Karlsruhe Institute of Technology |website=us.archive.org |date=2014 |access-date=2024-09-09}}</ref>

In 1865, [[Grand Duke]] [[Rulers of Baden|Friedrich I of Baden]] raised the school to the status of a {{lang|de|[[Hochschule]]}}, an institution of higher education. Since 1902 the university has also been known as the ''Fridericiana'' in his honour. In 1885, it was declared a {{lang|de|[[Technische Hochschule]]}}, or institute of technology, and in 1967, it became an {{lang|de|Universität}}, a full university, which gave it the right to award regular doctorate degrees. It had hitherto been allowed to award doctorates only in engineering, identified as {{lang|de|Dr.-Ing.}}, a right bestowed on all technical institutes in 1899.

[[File:Karlsruhe - Institute of Technology - Victoriapensionat I.jpg|thumb|right|The Victoriapensionat I]]

The University of Karlsruhe is one of the leading German institutions in [[computer science]]. A central computer laboratory was founded in 1966. The department of informatics was established three years later, along with the first regular course in informatics.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |date=1 May 2023 |title=KIT-Fakultät für Informatik {{!}} Entwicklung und Meilensteine |url=https://www.informatik.kit.edu/719.php |access-date=12 February 2023 |website=KIT |language=de}}</ref> On 2 August 1984, the university received Germany's first email. The {{lang|de|Institut für Meteorologie und Klimaforschung}} (Institute of Meteorology and Climate Research) was founded at the university in 1985.

The university also cooperated extensively with the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Karlsruhe Research Centre), and this relationship was formalised on 6 April 2006 when Professor Horst Hippler and Dr. Dieter Ertmann from the University of Karlsruhe, and Professor [[Manfred Popp]] and Assistant Jur. Sigurd Lettow from Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe signed a contract for the foundation of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The name was inspired by the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT), the leading technical university in the United States.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/forschungspolitik-elite-institut-kit-aus-partnern-wird-eine-einheit-1381301.html|title=Elite-Institut KIT: "Aus Partnern wird eine Einheit"|last=Schwägerl|first=Christian|publisher=[[Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung]]|language=de|date=22 November 2006|access-date=29 March 2018}}</ref> In February 2008, the merger of the university and the research centre to form KIT was agreed by the state of [[Baden-Württemberg]] and Germany's federal government.<ref>[[Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany)]]: {{cite web |url=http://www.bmbf.de/press/2237.php |title=BMBF: Start frei für das Karlsruhe Institute of Technology |access-date=10 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619094618/http://www.bmbf.de/press/2237.php |archive-date=19 June 2008}}</ref> The necessary state law was passed on 8 July 2009.<ref>Landtag of [[Baden-Württemberg]]: {{cite web |url=http://www.landtag-bw.de/WP14/Drucksachen/4000/14_4867_d.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=7 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090824100540/http://www.landtag-bw.de/WP14/Drucksachen/4000/14_4867_d.pdf |archive-date=24 August 2009}}</ref> KIT was formally established on 1 October 2009.

The main reason for establishing KIT was to strengthen Karlsruhe's position in the [[German Universities Excellence Initiative]], which offered elite universities grants of up to 50 million euros per annum. This aim was not achieved. While the University of Karlsruhe was chosen for the initiative in 2006/2007, KIT failed to secure a place in 2012. It did, however, attract funds from other sources. In 2008, Hans-Werner Hector, co-founder of [[SAP AG|SAP]], raised 200 million euros to support researchers at the institute. (Hector is the only founder of SAP who did not graduate from the University of Karlsruhe; he was given an honorary doctorate for his support of intellectually gifted children in 2003.)

[[File:Elektrotechnisches Institut KIT 01.jpg|thumb|right|Institute of Electric Engineering at KIT]]

== Campus ==
=== Campus Nord ===

The {{lang|de|Campus Nord}} (Campus North), the former {{lang|de|Forschungszentrum}}, was founded in 1956 as {{lang|de|Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe (KfK)}} (Karlsruhe Nuclear Research Centre). Initial activities focused on [[Forschungsreaktor 2 (FR2)]], the first nuclear reactor built by Germany. With the decline of nuclear energy activities in Germany, Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe directed its work increasingly towards alternative areas of basic and applied sciences. This change is reflected in the change of name from {{lang|de|Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe}} to {{lang|de|Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe}} with the subheading {{lang|de|Technik und Umwelt}} (technology and environment) added in 1995. This subheading was replaced by {{lang|de|in der [[Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres|Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft]]}} (in the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers) in 2002.

Campus Nord is the site of the main German national nuclear engineering research centre and the [[Institute for Transuranium Elements]]. Also at the site is a [[nanotechnology]] research centre and the neutrino experiment [[KATRIN]].

Campus Nord also hosts a 200-metre-tall guyed [[measurement tower|mast for meteorological measurements]].

== Organization and administration ==
=== Faculties ===
The university has eleven faculties:
# Faculty of [[Mathematics]]
# Faculty of [[Physics]]
# Faculty of [[Chemistry]] and [[Biology]]
# Faculty of [[Humanities]] and [[Social sciences]]
# Faculty of [[Architecture]]
# Faculty of [[Civil engineering]], [[Geology]], and [[ecological science|Ecological Sciences]]
# Faculty of [[Mechanical Engineering]]
# Faculty of [[Chemical engineering|Chemical]] and [[Process Engineering]]
# Faculty of [[Electrical engineering]] and [[Information Technology]]
# Faculty of [[Informatics]]
# Faculty of [[Economics]] and [[Management]]

=== Special Institutes and Schools ===
====  Carl Benz School of Engineering  ====
The Carl Benz School of Engineering (CBS) is the international mechanical engineering college of KIT. It is named after Carl Benz, the inventor of the automobile and a former student of the University of Karlsruhe.

Founded in 1999, CBS offers an English-taught Bachelor's program in Mechanical Engineering, designed for international students.

==== HECTOR School of Engineering and Management ====
In 2005, KIT launched a business technology school, the HECTOR School of Engineering and Management. The school offers Master of Science programmes, certificates and individual transfer qualifications in close cooperation with industry. It offers seven Master of Science programmes covering production, logistics, financial and risk management, information technology, renewable energy and mobility:
# Master of Science in Energy Engineering and Management
# Master of Science in Mobility Systems Engineering and Management
# Master of Science in Product Development Management
# Master of Science in Production and Operations Management
# Master of Science in Information Systems Engineering and Management
# Master of Science in Financial Engineering

==== Karlsruhe School of Optics & Photonics ==== 

The Karlsruhe School of Optics and Photonics (KSOP)<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Karlsruhe School of Optics & Photonics |url=https://www.ksop.kit.edu/ |access-date=12 February 2023 |website=KIT |language=en-gb}}</ref> was established in 2006 as a publicly funded project by the [[Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft]] under the [[German Universities Excellence Initiative]]. KSOP was the first graduate school at the University of Karlsruhe and covers the fields of photonic materials and devices, advanced spectroscopy, biomedical photonics, optical systems and solar energy. It is supported by several of the university's institutes and professors. It is also a partner in the EUROPHOTONICS consortium,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.europhotonics.org/wordpress/|title=Home « EuroPhotonics|website=www.europhotonics.org|language=en-US|access-date=26 December 2017}}</ref> which provides scholarship for master's<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ksop.idschools.kit.edu/erasmus_mundus_msc_program.php|title=KIT – Karlsruhe School of Optics & Photonics – Erasmus Mundus MSc Program|date=25 July 2017|website=ksop.idschools.kit.edu|language=en-gb|access-date=26 December 2017}}</ref> and PhD degrees<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ksop.idschools.kit.edu/erasmus_mundus_phd_program.php|title=KIT – Karlsruhe School of Optics & Photonics – Erasmus Mundus PhD Program|date=25 July 2017|website=ksop.idschools.kit.edu|language=en-gb|access-date=26 December 2017}}</ref> under the European Commission's prestigious [[Erasmus Mundus]] cooperation and mobility program.

==== Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis ==== 
The [[Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis]] is a research facility and is also a member of the [[Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres]]. The Institute investigates scientific and technological developments with a focus on their impacts and possible systemic and unintended effects. It produces analytical knowledge and assessments of socio-technical developments in order to provide policy and design options for decision-makers.

== Academic profile ==

=== Education ===

The university offers a great range of education options with such possibilities as cross studies and work-study programs. A ''[[studium generale]]'' (general studies) program was established in 1949, allowing students to attend lectures not directly pertaining their study field.

In the first semesters of a course, education tends to be theoretically oriented at KIT, with a high concentration on mathematics for engineering and natural science courses. It is possible to choose between practical and theoretical topics in later semesters.

Since the winter semester of 2008/2009, KIT has completed the transition from ''[[Diplom]]'' degrees to [[bachelor's degree]]s and master's degrees. Students already enrolled for a ''Diplom'' degree when the transition began were allowed to finish their studies, but new students are allowed to apply only for a bachelor's or master's degree.

Admission policies differ among the departments. While students are chosen by the quality of their school degree and their extracurricular activities for courses such as industrial engineering and management (27% of admissions in 2008),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kit.edu/lehre/downloads//KIT%20ALLGEMEIN%20Zulassungsergebnisse.pdf|title=KIT – Startseite|author=Mohr, Petra (SLE)|access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref> other departments do not preselect for their courses, including physics, informatics, and meteorology. All courses require a minimum number of passed exams, called {{lang|de|Orientierungsprüfungen}} or orientation assessments, in the first three semesters before students are allowed to complete their course. There is a substantial drop-out rate in some engineering courses due to the immense study required to meet the prerequisites.

The Zentrum für Angewandte Kulturwissenschaft und Studium Generale (Centre for Applied Culture and General Studies)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zak.uni-karlsruhe.de|title=ZAK – Startseite|first=Dennis|last=Frerichs|access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref> was founded in 1989 as a central institution to support students engaged in interdisciplinary study. Nowadays, it offers specialised qualifications in the fields of "Leadership and Entrepreneurship", "Media – Culture – Communication", "Internationalisation and Intercultural Decision-making and Responsibility", "Diversity Management", and "European Integration and Identity Studies", as well as the classical ''studium generale''. There is also the possibility of concomitant study in applied culture science.<ref>[http://www.zak.uni-karlsruhe.de/21.php Zentrum für Angewandte Kulturwissenschaft und Studium Generale: Course options] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060703121018/http://www.zak.uni-karlsruhe.de/21.php |date=3 July 2006}}.</ref>

=== Research ===

In 1979, the Interfakultatives Institut für Anwendungen der Informatik (Interfaculty Institute for Informatics Applications)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iiai.uni-karlsruhe.de/286.php |title=Universität Karlsruhe (TH) – Interfakultatives Institut für Anwendungen der Informatik – Unser Profil |access-date=12 December 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924205003/http://www.iiai.uni-karlsruhe.de/286.php |archive-date=24 September 2008}} Interfakultatives Institut für Anwendungen der Informatik</ref> was founded. It brings together research in physics, mathematics, and engineering based on computer science. Its mathematical pendant is the Institut für Wissenschaftliches Rechnen und Mathematische Modellbildung (Institute for Scientific Calculations and Mathematical Modelling).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Department of Mathematics {{!}} Research Group 3: Scientific Computing |url=https://www.math.kit.edu/ianm3/ |access-date=12 February 2023 |website=KIT |language=de}}</ref> Its aim is to enhance the exchange between mathematics and engineering in the fields of scientific calculations.

The Interfakultatives Institut für Entrepreneurship (Interfaculty Institute for Entrepreneurship)<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Institut für Entrepreneurship, Technologie-Management und Innovation |url=https://www.entechnon.kit.edu/ |access-date=12 February 2023 |website=KIT |language=de-de}}</ref> was established with SAP funding. Its teaching professors were entrepreneurs on their own. Before being shut down in 2010, a former professor of this faculty was [[Götz Werner]], founder of [[dm-drogerie markt]].

In 2001, the Centre for Functional Nanostructures (CFN)<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=EXC 172: Centrum für Funktionelle Nanostrukturen (CFN) |url=https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/32870154?context=projekt&task=showDetail&id=32870154& |access-date=12 February 2023 |website=[[German Research Foundation|DFG]] |language=de}}</ref> was established. It merges the fields within material sciences, biology, chemistry, engineering, and physics which are related to nanotechnology. CFN is one of the three Exzellenzzentren (English: Excellence Institutions) of the University of Karlsruhe. Another interdisciplinary institution is the Center for Disaster Management and Risk Reduction Technology (CEDIM).

The Karlsruhe School of Optics and Photonics (KSOP)<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Karlsruhe School of Optics & Photonics |url=https://www.ksop.kit.edu/ |access-date=12 February 2023 |website=KIT |language=en-gb}}</ref> was established in 2006 as a publicly funded project by the [[Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft]] under the [[German Universities Excellence Initiative]]. KSOP was the first graduate school at the University of Karlsruhe and covers the fields of photonic materials and devices, advanced spectroscopy, biomedical photonics, optical systems and solar energy. It is supported by several of the university's institutes and professors. It is also a partner in the EUROPHOTONICS consortium,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.europhotonics.org/wordpress/|title=Home « EuroPhotonics|website=www.europhotonics.org|language=en-US|access-date=26 December 2017}}</ref> which provides scholarship for master's<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ksop.idschools.kit.edu/erasmus_mundus_msc_program.php|title=KIT – Karlsruhe School of Optics & Photonics – Erasmus Mundus MSc Program|date=25 July 2017|website=ksop.idschools.kit.edu|language=en-gb|access-date=26 December 2017}}</ref> and PhD degrees<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ksop.idschools.kit.edu/erasmus_mundus_phd_program.php|title=KIT – Karlsruhe School of Optics & Photonics – Erasmus Mundus PhD Program|date=25 July 2017|website=ksop.idschools.kit.edu|language=en-gb|access-date=26 December 2017}}</ref> under the European Commission's prestigious [[Erasmus Mundus]] cooperation and mobility program.

The Karlsruhe Decision & Design Lab (KD²Lab) was established in 2016 and is one of the worldwide largest computer-based experimental laboratories. The laboratory offers an excellent infrastructure for conducting economic, neurological, and psychophysiological experiments, enabling researchers to study human decision-making behavior in controlled environments. The KD²Lab also facilitates interdisciplinary research into the complex interplay of cognitive and affective processes underlying human decision-making. The facility brings together researchers from a variety of fields, including economics, information systems, engineering, psychology and computer science.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://techtag.de/digitalisierung/kit-bunadi2019/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJinMRleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHoQ6wcE9uzQKFS2TBUpEaNM0Q-F6HwflmjcC_TEeMuJHdFoz9fmxLNglJjjL_aem_LCt246E385XrhVoNWDyBsQ | title=KIT gewährt spannende Einblicke bei der Bunten Nacht der Digitalisierung | date=8 October 2019 }}</ref>

In January 2019 the cluster of excellence "3D Matter made to order" (3DMM2O), affiliated with both the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the [[Heidelberg University|University of Heidelberg]] started to operate. <ref>{{cite web | url=https://3dmm2o.de/the-cluster/excellence-strategy/ | title=Excellence Strategy }}</ref> Specializing in [[two-photon polymerization]], it aims to revolutionize [[3D printing]] on micro and nanoscales. By uniting expertise across [[materials science]], engineering, and physics, the cluster seeks to develop precise and versatile fabrication techniques for various applications, from [[biotechnology]] to electronics.

KIT operates several [[Total Carbon Column Observing Network|TCCON]] stations as part of an international collaborative effort to measure greenhouse gases globally. One station is near the campus.

KIT is partner of the science project for urban and autonomous freight logistics, [[efeuCampus]] in [[Bruchsal]], which is funded by the state of [[Baden-Württemberg]] and the [[European Union]]. At the Institute for Conveying Technology and Logistics Systems (IFL), conveyor systems for intralogistics are being developed for the research project, which are used for mobile robotics and human-machine interaction. The project develops localization and navigation algorithms for an urban environment, which enable vehicles to navigate independently on the basis of laser and video data.<ref>[https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/karlsruhe/Innovationszentrum-in-Bruchsal-eroeffnet-Vollautomatische-Packetzusteller-im-Test,efeu-campus-102.html "Vollautomatische Paketzusteller im Test"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200319164603/https://www.swr.de/swraktuell/baden-wuerttemberg/karlsruhe/Innovationszentrum-in-Bruchsal-eroeffnet-Vollautomatische-Packetzusteller-im-Test,efeu-campus-102.html |date=19 March 2020}}, [[Südwestrundfunk]] (SWR), 5 July 2019 {{in lang |de}}</ref><ref>[https://efre-bw.de/wp-content/uploads/21_efeuCampus-–-eco-friendly-experimental-urbanlogistics-campus.pdf "EFRE-Programm Baden-Württemberg"]{{Dead link|date=October 2022|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}} [[Ministerium für Ländlichen Raum und Verbraucherschutz Baden-Württemberg]], retrieved March 2020 {{in lang|de}}</ref>

===Support for Entrepreneurship ===
KIT is considered one of the most important drivers of the startup scene in Germany. With the ''KIT-Gründerschmiede'', established in 2013 by students and staff, KIT operates a central platform for promoting entrepreneurial ventures. The Gründerschmiede supports students, researchers, and alumni through individual mentoring, networking events, new educational formats, and its own crowdfunding platform, ''KITcrowd''. It fosters both technology-based spin-offs from academic research and student-driven startup initiatives.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ka-news.de/wirtschaft/regional/gruender-in-der-faecherstadt-warum-start-ups-in-karlsruhe-boomen-art-2218417|language=de |title=Gründer in der Fächerstadt: Warum Start-ups in Karlsruhe boomen &#124; ka-news |date=5 May 2018 }}</ref>

Each year, more than 30 startups are launched in the KIT environment, and from 2008 to 2018, around 300 startups have been founded.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ka-news.de/wirtschaft/regional/gruender-in-der-faecherstadt-warum-start-ups-in-karlsruhe-boomen-art-2218417|language=de |title=Gründer in der Fächerstadt: Warum Start-ups in Karlsruhe boomen &#124; ka-news |date=5 May 2018 }}</ref>

Additionally, the Center for Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship  provides support in the early stages of venture development, particularly in idea generation and business model design. Another key initiative is the ''PionierGarage'', a student-run association that promotes entrepreneurship through lectures, workshops, and trips (e.g., to Silicon Valley), aiming to inspire and connect aspiring founders.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ka-news.de/wirtschaft/regional/gruender-in-der-faecherstadt-warum-start-ups-in-karlsruhe-boomen-art-2218417|language=de |title=Gründer in der Fächerstadt: Warum Start-ups in Karlsruhe boomen &#124; ka-news |date=5 May 2018 }}</ref>

KIT is closely embedded in the local startup ecosystem, which includes institutions like the CyberForum, the EXI Startup Voucher, the VC Ventures Incubator, and the “Perfekt Futur” Creative Park. The latter offers office spaces housed in repurposed shipping containers at the former municipal slaughterhouse site.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ka-news.de/wirtschaft/regional/gruender-in-der-faecherstadt-warum-start-ups-in-karlsruhe-boomen-art-2218417|language=de |title=Gründer in der Fächerstadt: Warum Start-ups in Karlsruhe boomen &#124; ka-news |date=5 May 2018 }}</ref>

=== Rankings and reputation ===
{{Infobox Germany university rankings
| QS = 102
| QS_N = 6
| QS_year = 2024
| QS_ref = <ref name="QS">{{cite web|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2024|title=QS World University Rankings 2024|access-date=10 July 2023|website=[[QS World University Rankings]]}}</ref>
| THE = =140
| THE_N = 14
| THE_year = 2024
| THE_ref = <ref name="THE">{{cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2024/world-ranking|title=World University Rankings 2024|access-date=27 September 2023|website=[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings]]|date=27 September 2023 }}</ref>
| ARWU = 301–400
| ARWU_N = 20–24
| ARWU_year = 2023
| ARWU_ref = <ref name="ARWU">{{cite web|url=https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/arwu/2023|title=2023 Academic Ranking of World Universities|website=[[Academic Ranking of World Universities]]|access-date=15 August 2023}}</ref>
}}

According to the [[QS World University Rankings]] for 2024, KIT was ranked 102nd globally and 6th in Germany.<ref name="QS"/> The [[Times Higher Education World University Rankings]] for 2024 listed KIT at a global position of 140, and 14th nationally within Germany.<ref name="THE"/> Furthermore, the [[Academic Ranking of World Universities]] (ARWU) for 2023 placed KIT in the 301–400 range worldwide, and between 20th and 24th in the country.<ref name="ARWU"/>

In the 2023 QS Subject Ranking, KIT ranks first in Germany in chemical engineering.<ref name="QSSubject">{{cite web|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/subject-rankings/2022|title=QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022|date=23 March 2023|website=[[QS World University Rankings]]}}</ref> In the 2023 THE Subject Ranking, KIT ranks within the global 100 in engineering, computer science, and the physical sciences.<ref name="THESubject">{{cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/by-subject|title=World University Rankings by subject|access-date=27 October 2022|website=[[Times Higher Education World University Rankings]]}}</ref> In the 2023 ARWU Subject Ranking, KIT ranks first in Germany in metallurgical engineering, atmospheric science, and energy science, while sharing the first place in materials science and water resources.<ref name="ARWUSubject">{{cite web|url=https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/gras/2022|title=ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects 2022|website=[[Academic Ranking of World Universities]]|access-date=2023-08-02}}</ref>

{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%; font-size: 90%"
|+ QS Subject Ranking 2023<ref name="QSSubject" />
! Subject !! Global !! National
|-
! {{Left|Arts & Humanities}}
! N/A
! N/A
|-
| Architecture and Built Environment
| data-sort-value="51–100" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;51–100}}
| data-sort-value="3–5" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;3–5}}
|-
! {{Left|Engineering and Technology}}
! data-sort-value="50" | {{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;50
! data-sort-value="2" | {{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;2
|-
| Engineering – Chemical
| data-sort-value="32" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;32}}
| data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1}}
|-
| Engineering – Civil and Structural
| data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}}
| data-sort-value="4–6" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;4–6}}
|-
| Computer Science and Information Systems
| data-sort-value="104" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;104}}
| data-sort-value="5" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;5}}
|-
| Engineering – Electrical and Electronic
| data-sort-value="57" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;57}}
| data-sort-value="4" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;4}}
|-
| Engineering – Mechanical
| data-sort-value="35" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;35}}
| data-sort-value="3" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;3}}
|-
! {{Left|Natural Sciences}}
! data-sort-value="50" | {{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;50
! data-sort-value="4" | {{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;4
|-
| Chemistry
| data-sort-value="59" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;59}}
| data-sort-value="3" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;3}}
|-
| Earth and Marine Sciences
| data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}}
| data-sort-value="7–13" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;7–13}}
|-
| Geology
| data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}}
| data-sort-value="7–13" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;7–13}}
|-
| Geophysics
| data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}}
| data-sort-value="7–13" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;7–13}}
|-
| Materials Sciences
| data-sort-value="29" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;29}}
| data-sort-value="2" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;2}}
|-
| Mathematics
| data-sort-value="143" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;143}}
| data-sort-value="9" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;9}}
|-
| Physics and Astronomy
| data-sort-value="46" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;46}}
| data-sort-value="4" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;4}}
|-
! {{Left|Social Sciences & Management}}
! N/A
! N/A
|-
| Economics and Econometrics
| data-sort-value="301–350" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;301–350}}
| data-sort-value="12–15" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;12–15}}
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%; font-size: 90%"
|+ THE Subject Ranking 2023<ref name="THESubject" />
! Subject !! Global !! National
|-
| Computer science
| data-sort-value="71" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;71}}
| data-sort-value="6" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;6}}
|-
| Engineering
| data-sort-value="64" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;64}}
| data-sort-value="4" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;4}}
|-
| Physical sciences
| data-sort-value="100" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;100}}
| data-sort-value="9" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;9}}
|-
|}
{{col-break|gap=0.5em}}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%; font-size: 90%"
|+ ARWU Subject Ranking 2022<ref name="ARWUSubject" />
! Subject !! Global !! National
|-
! colspan="3" | Natural Sciences
|-
| Mathematics
| data-sort-value="301–400" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;301–400}}
| data-sort-value="19–29" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;19–29}}
|-
| Physics
| data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}}
| data-sort-value="8" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;8}}
|-
| Chemistry
| data-sort-value="76–100" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;76–100}}
| data-sort-value="2–5" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;2–5}}
|-
| Earth Sciences
| data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}}
| data-sort-value="5–12" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;5–12}}
|-
| Ecology
| data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}}
| data-sort-value="8–13" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;8–13}}
|-
| Atmospheric Science
| data-sort-value="31" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;31}}
| data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1}}
|-
! colspan="3" | Engineering
|-
| Mechanical Engineering
| data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}}
| data-sort-value="3–5" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;3–5}}
|-
| Electrical & Electronic Engineering
| data-sort-value="301–400" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;301–400}}
| data-sort-value="8–15" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;8–15}}
|-
| Instruments Science & Technology
| data-sort-value="201–300" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;201–300}}
| data-sort-value="3–6" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;3–6}}
|-
| Computer Science & Engineering
| data-sort-value="201–300" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;201–300}}
| data-sort-value="3–10" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;3–10}}
|-
| Civil Engineering
| data-sort-value="201–300" | {{Center|{{New entry|size=16}}&nbsp;201–300}}
| data-sort-value="2–4" | {{Center|{{New entry|size=16}}&nbsp;2–4}}
|-
| Chemical Engineering
| data-sort-value="101–150" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;101–150}}
| data-sort-value="2" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;2}}
|-
| Materials Science & Engineering
| data-sort-value="76–100" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;76–100}}
| data-sort-value="1–2" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1–2}}
|-
| Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
| data-sort-value="76–100" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;76–100}}
| data-sort-value="2" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;2}}
|-
| Energy Science & Engineering
| data-sort-value="35" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;35}}
| data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1}}
|-
| Environmental Science & Engineering
| data-sort-value="76–100" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;76–100}}
| data-sort-value="2" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;2}}
|-
| Water Resources
| data-sort-value="76–100" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;76–100}}
| data-sort-value="1–3" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;1–3}}
|-
| Biotechnology
| data-sort-value="151–200" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;151–200}}
| data-sort-value="8–13" | {{Center|{{Rise|size=9}}&nbsp;8–13}}
|-
| Remote Sensing
| data-sort-value="51–75" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;51–75}}
| data-sort-value="3–4" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;3–4}}
|-
| Metallurgical Engineering
| data-sort-value="26" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;26}}
| data-sort-value="1" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;1}}
|-
! colspan="3" | Life Sciences
|-
| Agricultural Sciences
| data-sort-value="151–200" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;151–200}}
| data-sort-value="9–18" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;9–18}}
|-
! colspan="3" | Social Sciences
|-
| Economics
| data-sort-value="201–300" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;201–300}}
| data-sort-value="9–15" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;9–15}}
|-
| Management
| data-sort-value="401–500" | {{Center|{{Same position|size=9}}&nbsp;401–500}}
| data-sort-value="15–26" | {{Center|{{Fall|size=9}}&nbsp;15–26}}
|-
|}
{{col-end}}

In the ''Nature Index'' (1 May 2022 – 30 April 2023), which measures the scientific strength of different institutions on the basis of publications in 82 high-quality scientific journals, the KIT ranks second in the field of physical sciences among the universities in Germany, 7th in Europe, and 63rd worldwide.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.natureindex.com/institution-outputs/generate/Physical%20Sciences/global/academic/score|title=Nature Index – Physical Sciences World (1 May 2022 – 30 April 2023) |date=29 August 2023}}</ref> [[TU Munich]] ranks first in Germany, ranks three to five are followed by [[LMU Munich]], [[University of Hamburg]], and [[University of Mainz]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.natureindex.com/institution-outputs/generate/Physical%20Sciences/countries-Germany/academic/score|title=Nature Index – Physical Sciences Germany (1 May 2022 – 30 April 2023) |date=29 August 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Otto-Ammann-Platz 1 Karlsruhe 2.JPG|thumb|Otto Amman Place at KIT]]
According to a 2015 survey, KIT has produced the largest number of top managers among German universities, with 24 board members of the 100 largest German companies. The other places are followed by the [[University of Cologne]] (17), the [[RWTH Aachen]] (17), the [[University of Mannheim]] (13) and the LMU Munich (13).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.spiegel.de/lebenundlernen/uni/unis-und-fhs-wo-deutschlands-top-manager-studiert-haben-a-1017751.html |title=Where Germany's top managers have studied |newspaper=Der Spiegel |date=28 August 2019}}</ref> In the ranking of the German magazine [[Wirtschaftswoche]], in which decision-makers of companies are asked about their preferences, KIT regularly occupies a position among the top ten in the subjects [[electrical engineering]], [[computer science]], mechanical engineering, and [[industrial engineering]] in Germany.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.wiwo.de/my/erfolg/hochschule/hochschulranking-2023-alle-ergebnisse-zum-uni-ranking-im-ueberblick/29142354.html |title=University Ranking 2023 of Wirtschaftswoche |date=29 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wiwo.de/ranking-die-besten-unis-und-fachhochschulen2012/6482762.html |title=University Ranking 2012 of Wirtschaftswoche |date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724164216/https://www.wiwo.de/ranking-die-besten-unis-und-fachhochschulen2012/6482762.html |archive-date=24 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wiwo.de/ranking-die-besten-unis-und-fachhochschulen-2013/8046582.html |title=University Ranking 2013 of Wirtschaftswoche |date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702115721/https://www.wiwo.de/ranking-die-besten-unis-und-fachhochschulen-2013/8046582.html |archive-date=2 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wiwo.de/erfolg/hochschule/hochschulranking-2014-das-sind-deutschlands-beste-unis/10076006.html |title=University Ranking 2014 of Wirtschaftswoche |date=1 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wiwo.de/erfolg/hochschule/hochschulranking-die-top-ten-der-deutschen-universitaeten/12071228.html |title=University Ranking 2015 of Wirtschaftswoche |date=1 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wiwo.en/erfolg/hochschule/hochschulranking-2016-das-sind-deutschlands-beste-unis/14719390.html |title=University Ranking 2016 of Wirtschaftswoche |date=1 December 2017}}</ref> In the ''QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022'', which follow a similar approach as the Wirtschaftswoche ranking on a global level, KIT is ranked 46th worldwide. Thus, KIT takes first place in Germany and 10th place in Europe.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/employability-rankings/2022 |title=QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2022 |date=29 August 2023}}</ref>

In the [[CWTS Leiden Ranking]] of the year 2023, which is based exclusively on [[bibliometrics]] to measure the research output of universities, KIT is ranked 56th worldwide in the physical sciences and engineering according to the "Impact" indicator and 49th worldwide according to the "Collaboration" indicator. In Germany, KIT is ranked first ahead of [[RWTH Aachen University]] and TU Munich. Europe-wide, KIT is ranked 4th and 8th respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leidenranking.com/ranking/2023/list |title=Leiden ranking 2023 |date=29 August 2023}}</ref>

[[File:Fridericiana audimax.jpg|thumb|{{lang|de|Audimax}} lecture hall]]
In the 2023 [[Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers for World Universities]] released by the [[National Taiwan University]], KIT is ranked 4th in the fields of natural sciences and engineering in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nturanking.csti.tw/ranking/ByField|title=Field Ranking|website=nturanking.csti.tw|access-date=24 September 2019}}</ref>

In the [[Webometrics Ranking of World Universities]] for the year 2023, KIT ranks fifth among 483 listed universities and scientific institutions in Germany.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.webometrics.info/en/Europe/Germany%20|title=Webometrics Ranking of World Universities – Germany|access-date=29 August 2023}}</ref> In the ranking ''U-Multirank'' funded by the [[European Union]], KIT is ranked 5th out of 106 universities examined in Germany across all categories in 2022.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.umultirank.org/compare?section=comparePrefs&mode=likewithlike&name=null&trackType=compare&instutionalField=true |title=U-Multirank 2022 |date=29 August 2023 |access-date=27 February 2020 |archive-date=23 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623082130/https://www.umultirank.org/compare?section=comparePrefs&mode=likewithlike&instutionalField=true&name=null&trackType=compare |url-status=dead }}</ref> In the [[University Ranking by Academic Performance]] (URAP) 2017/2018, KIT is ranked first in Germany in the subjects "Chemical Sciences" (world rank: 49), "Technology" (world rank: 54), "Nanoscience & Nanomaterials" (world rank: 58), "Materials Engineering" (world rank: 48), Chemical Engineering (ranked 43), Mechanical Engineering (ranked 58), Civil Engineering (ranked 76), Environmental Engineering (ranked 98), Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences (ranked 15) and Transportation Science & Technology (ranked 123) Further top rankings are also achieved in "Physical Sciences" (rank Germany: 3; world rank: 55); "Mathematical Sciences" (rank Germany: 2; world rank: 66); "Engineering" (rank Germany: 3 (after rank 1 last year); world rank 107); "Electrical & Electronics Engineering" (rank Germany: 2; world rank: 70), "Information & Computing Sciences" (rank Germany: 2; world rank: 63), "Earth Sciences" (rank Germany: 2; world rank: 54), "Geology" (rank Germany: 5; world rank: 111), "Metallurgy Engineering" (rank Germany: 2; world rank: 34) and "Architecture" (rank Germany: 2; world rank: 71).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.urapcenter.org//2017_Fields/Field_Ranking_by_Country_2017_2018.php |title=University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP) 2017–2018: Field Based Ranking by Country |date=7 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406000707/http://www.urapcenter.org//2017_Fields/Field_Ranking_by_Country_2017_2018.php |archive-date=6 April 2019}}</ref>

KIT is a member of the [[TU9]] German Institutes of Technology e.V. As part of the [[German Universities Excellence Initiative]]  KIT was awarded an excellence status in 2006 and 2019. In the 2011 performance-ranking of scientific papers, Karlsruhe ranked first in Germany and among the top 10 universities in Europe in engineering and natural sciences.<ref name="taiwanranking.lis.ntu.edu.tw">http://taiwanranking.lis.ntu.edu.tw/Default-EN.aspx{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> In 2005, more than 20% of its students come from other nations and 0.6% of its students receive grants from the [[Studienstiftung des deutschen Volkes|German Studienstiftung]] (German National Academic Foundation).<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.zeit.de/2005/37/B-Elitestudenten2?page=all|title=Hochschule: Die Eliteschmiede|publisher= GmbH|location= Hamburg, Germany|date=8 September 2005|work=ZEIT ONLINE|access-date=21 July 2015 |last1=Spiewak |first1=Martin }}</ref>

=== Computer facilities ===

The Scientific Computing Center (SCC), formerly called Steinbuch Centre for Computing, named after [[Karl Steinbuch]], was formed in 2008 when the main computer facilities of the University of Karlsruhe merged with those at Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe. It is responsible for the university's [[Internet Protocol|IP]] connectivity and provides central services (Mail, Web, campus management) for students and employees. It supplies students with 10 fully equipped computer rooms, one professional print office and a wireless network providing access to the whole campus area. Some departments, like computer science, physics, and mathematics, run their own computer facilities as well.

The SCC operates some of the fastest computers in Germany:

* HP XC3000 (334 nodes with 8 cores each, 27.04 T[[FLOPS]])
* HP XC4000 (750 nodes with 4 cores each, 15.77 TFLOPS)
* a cluster purchased by a corporation of institutes representing different disciplines (200 nodes with 8 cores each, 17.57 T[[FLOPS]])
* the two vector parallel calculators NEC SX-8R and NEC SX-9

On 2 August 1984, Michael Rotert, a research fellow at University of Karlsruhe, received the first email ever sent to Germany, at his address ''rotert%germany@csnet-relay.csnet''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cio.de/knowledgecenter/netzwerk/893341/|title=Vor 25 Jahren: Die erste E-Mail erreicht Deutschland – cio.de|access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref>

GridKa runs the [[Rocks Cluster Distribution]] Linux distribution for supercomputers.

=== Libraries ===
The KIT Library with its two branches on Campus South and Campus North provides literature for research and study for about 25,000 students and 8000 scientists with a widespread, interdisciplinary book stock of over 2 million volumes, reports and 28,000 periodicals in print and electronic form. The emphasis of the collection lies in natural and engineering sciences.

; KIT Library South
The 24-hour library at Campus South was extended in 2006. It offers many workplaces and an area for relaxing, and is now open around the clock. The combination of a special book security system and an automated issue desk makes it possible to use the 1000 workplaces anytime, day or night. Current and contemporary literature is freely accessible in four specialised reading rooms, each providing cross-linked, modern and well-equipped study and work stations as well as printers, scanners and copy machines.

; KIT Library North
The research library at Campus North provides a large specialised book stock (especially reports and primary reports) on energy and nuclear energy. All literature is freely accessible to the user. Thirty modern workplaces, as well as printers, scanners, copy machines and cubicles for individual work are available.

; Further libraries at KIT
Additional literature is located in two specialised reading rooms for chemistry and physics, as well as in the Library of the University of Applied Sciences at the Campus at Moltkestrasse, which is administered by the KIT Library. The faculty of physics, the faculty of mathematics, the faculty of computer science, the faculty of architecture and the faculty of economics and management have their own libraries to supply students and researchers with topic-related literature.

== Notable people ==
[[File:Carl-Benz coloriert.jpg|thumb|upright|Karl Benz was granted the patent for the first automobile, which he built in 1885.]]

=== Professors ===
{{Main category|Academic staff of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology}}
* [[Karl Ferdinand Braun]] (1850–1918), who developed the [[cathode ray tube]] in 1897, which is widely used in televisions; in 1909 he received the Nobel Prize for the invention
* [[Wolfgang Gaede]] (1878–1945), who founded [[vacuum]] technology
* [[Franz Grashof]] (1826–1893), who significantly contributed to the understanding of free convection; the [[Grashof Number]] was named after him
* [[Fritz Haber]] (1868–1934), who developed the high-pressure synthesis of [[ammonia]] in 1909 and won a [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry]] in 1918
* [[Heinrich Hertz]] (1857–1894) discovered [[electromagnetism|electromagnetic waves]] in 1887, which are the basis for radio transmission, and after whom the [[SI]] unit of [[frequency]], ''[[hertz]]'' is named
* [[Karl Heun]] (1859–1929), who is known for his work on numerical integration and solutions to differential equations. He discovered the Heun method.
* [[Otto Lehmann (physicist)|Otto Lehmann]] (1855–1922), the founder of [[liquid crystal]] research
* [[Wilhelm Nusselt]] (1882–1957), the co-founder of technical [[thermodynamics]]
* [[Ferdinand Redtenbacher]] (1809–1863), founder of science-based mechanical engineering in Germany
* [[Roland Scholl]] (1865–1945), discovered [[coronene]] and contributed significantly to the field of organic chemistry in general
* [[Hermann Staudinger]] (1881–1965), who won the [[Nobel Prize in Chemistry]] in 1953 for his discoveries in the field of [[macromolecule|macromolecular]] chemistry
* [[Karl Steinbuch]] (1917–2005), a pioneer of computer science in Germany who coined the German term for the field, ''Informatik'', and made early contributions to [[machine learning]] and [[artificial neural networks]]
* [[Julius Wess]] (1934–2007), who co-invented the [[Wess–Zumino model]], the [[Wess–Zumino–Witten model]], the [[Chiral anomaly#Calculation|Wess–Zumino consistency condition]], and the [[Thirring–Wess model]], in the fields of supersymmetry, quantum field theory and conformal field theory
*[[Ulrich Lemmer]] (born 1964), a pioneer of [[organic semiconductor]]s in Germany
*[[Maurus Schifferli]] (born 1973), landscape architect

=== Alumni ===
{{Main category|Karlsruhe Institute of Technology alumni}}
* [[Johann Jakob Balmer]] (1825–1898), Swiss mathematician and mathematical physicist
* [[Karl Benz]] (1844–1929), the inventor of the [[automobile]], a graduate who also received an honorary doctorate in 1914
* [[Martin Brudermüller]] (born 1961), German businessman, CEO of [[BASF]]
* [[Franz Fehrenbach]] (born 1949), chairman of [[Robert Bosch GmbH]]
* [[Paris Fokaides]] (born 1977), Academic and researcher
* [[Robert Gerwig]] (1820–1885), civil engineer responsible for the [[Black Forest Railway (Baden)|Black Forest Railway]], the [[Gotthard Railway]], and the [[Höllentalbahn (Black Forest)|Höllental Railway]]
* [[Fritz Görnnert]] (1907–1984), German aircraft engineer and civil servant in the Reich Aviation Ministry
* [[Hans Kollhoff]] (born 1946), Postmodernist and [[New Classical architecture|New Classical]] architect
* [[Ludwig Levy]] (1854–1907), Historicist architect
* [[Sergey Padyukov]] (1922–1993), architect
* [[Wilhelm Steinkopf]] (1879–1949), University of Karlsruhe alumni and professor, co-developer of a method for the mass production of mustard gas during World War I
* [[Edward Teller]] (1908–2003), who is known as the originator of the hydrogen bomb
* [[Roland Mack]] (born 1949), co-founder of [[Europa-Park]], one of the most popular theme parks in Europe
* [[Oswald Mathias Ungers]] (1926–2007), [[Rationalism (architecture)|rationalist]] architect
* [[Fritz Noether]] (1884–1941), mathematician and brother of [[Emmy Noether]]
* [[OUBEY]] (1958–2004), visual artist
* [[Hasso Plattner]] (born 1944), [[Dietmar Hopp]] (born 1940), [[Klaus Tschira]] (1940–2015), three of five co-founders of [[SAP SE|SAP]]
* [[Stefan Quandt]] (born 1966), businessman and major [[BMW]] shareholder
* [[Franz Reuleaux]] (1829–1905), a pioneer of [[kinematics]] and rector of the [[Technische Hochschule]] in Charlottenburg (now [[Technische Universität Berlin]])
* [[Leopoldo Rother]] (1894–1978), architect who designed the campus of [[National University of Colombia]] in [[Bogotá]]
* [[Leopold Ružička]] (1887–1976), winner of the 1939 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
* [[Peter Sanders (computer scientist)|Peter Sanders]] (born 1967), computer scientist who won the [[Leibniz Prize]] in 2012
* [[Saliha Scheinhardt]] (born 1946), Turkish-German novelist
* [[Amin Shokrollahi]] (born 1964), Iranian mathematician
* [[Emil Škoda]] (1839–1900), the founder of the industrial conglomerate [[Škoda Works]]
* [[Albert Speer]] (1905–1981), [[Adolf Hitler]]'s chief architect
* [[Carsten Spohr]] (born 1966), CEO of [[Lufthansa]]
* [[Boudjemaa Talai]] (1952–2022), Algerian politician
* [[August Thyssen]] (1842–1926), industrialist who founded the steel producer [[Thyssen AG]], a predecessor of [[ThyssenKrupp]], and co-founded [[RWE]], one of the largest German electric utilities companies today
* [[Ivan Vasilyov]] (1893–1979), architect of the Bulgarian National Bank headquarters and the Ministry of Defence
* [[Herbert Wetterauer]] (born 1957), painter, sculptor, and author
* [[Rolf Wideröe]] (1902–1996), Norwegian [[accelerator physicist]]
* [[Dieter Zetsche]] (born 1953), chairman of [[Daimler AG]] and head of [[Mercedes-Benz]] Cars
* [[Tobias Lindner]] ( born 1982 ), German economist and politician
* [[Joachim Nagel]] (born 1966), economist and President of the [[Deutsche Bundesbank]]
* [[Alexander Gerst]] (born 1976), German [[European Space Agency]] astronaut
* [[Michael Waidner]] (born 1961), German [[Computer Scientist]], Director of [[Athene (research center)|ATHENE]] and {{ill|Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology|de|Fraunhofer-Institut für Sichere Informationstechnologie}}.
* [[Charles Frédéric Gerhardt]] (1816–1856) [[Chemist]] known for reforming the notation for chemical formulas and contributions in chemistry field.
* [[Fernando Carro (businessman)|Fernando Carro]] (born 1964), CEO of [[Bayer Leverkusen]].
* [[Amel Karboul]] (born 1973), Tunisian leading expert in education reform and leadership, and founding CEO of the Education Outcomes Fund, an independent [[trust fund]] hosted by the [[UNICEF]].

=== Other ===

* [[Georg von Hevesy]] (1886–1966), winner of the 1943 Nobel Prize for his key role in the development of radioactive tracers to study chemical processes such as in the metabolism of animals, worked with [[Fritz Haber]] at University of Karlsruhe without formal appointment

=== Rectors ===
<!-- Do not add Honorifics per [[MOS:HONORIFICS]] -->
* 1968 – 1983 Heinz Draheim
* 1983 – 1994 Heinz Kunle
* 1994 – 2002 [[Sigmar Wittig]]
* 2002 – 2009 [[Horst Hippler]]<ref>[http://www.uni-karlsruhe.de/info/en/rektorat.php ''Office of the President of Universität Fridericiana''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912123304/http://www.uni-karlsruhe.de/info/en/rektorat.php |date=12 September 2009}}</ref>
* 2009–2012: [[Horst Hippler]] and  [[Eberhard Umbach]]
* 2012–2013: [[Eberhard Umbach]]
* 2013–2023: [[Holger Hanselka]]<ref>{{Cite web|last=Technologie|first=Karlsruher Institut fuer|date=4 June 2022|title=KIT – Das KIT – Medien – Presseinformationen – Archiv Presseinformationen|url=https://www.kit.edu/kit/pi_2013_13455.php|access-date=12 February 2023|website=www.kit.edu|language=de-de}}</ref>
* 2023–2024: Oliver Kraft<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lehné |first=Margarete |date=2023-08-11 |title=Holger Hanselka Takes Office as President of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft |url=https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2023_059_holger-hanselka-takes-office-as-president-of-fraunhofer-gesellschaft.php |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Karlsruhe Institute of Technology}}</ref>
* since 2024: [[Jan S. Hesthaven]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Landgraf |first=Monika |date=2024-01-23 |title=Supervisory Board Elects Jan S. Hesthaven President of KIT |url=https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2024_005_supervisory-board-elects-jan-s-hesthaven-president-of-kit.php |access-date=2024-01-24 |publisher=Karlsruhe Institute of Technology |language=en-gb}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Landgraf |first=Monika |date=2024-02-19 |title=KIT Senate Confirms Election of Jan S. Hesthaven |url=https://www.kit.edu/kit/english/pi_2024_33584.php |access-date=2024-02-19 |website=Karlsruhe Institute of Technology}}</ref>

== Points of interest ==
* [[Botanischer Garten der Universität Karlsruhe]], the university's [[botanical garden]]

{{clear}}

== Notes and references ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.kit.edu/english/ Official website of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology]

{{Commons category|Karlsruhe Institute of Technology}}
{{German Excellence Universities}}
{{TU9}}
{{CESAER}}
{{Transatlantic Policy Consortium}}
{{Universities in Germany}}
{{Universities and colleges in Baden-Württemberg}}
{{EUCOR}}
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[[Category:Karlsruhe Institute of Technology| ]]
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