Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt
Encyclopedia
The Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt is a Roman Catholic university
in Eichstätt
and Ingolstadt
, Bavaria
, Germany.
The Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (CU) is the one and only Roman Catholic university in the German-speaking world. Compared to other German universities (e.g. University of Heidelberg) it is a rather small institution (with 4800 students in summer 2005); nevertheless, it is the largest private university in Germany. The university has one campus in Eichstätt
situated in the Altmühltal
Nature Park and another campus in Ingolstadt
, one of Germany's economically most successful cities.
Martin von Schaumburg. Today's university came into existence through a fusion of Eichstätt's School of Education and the School of Philosophy and Theology in 1980. A major role in the formation of the university was played by the former archbishop of Munich-Freising, Joseph Kardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI
), who later got an honorary doctorate
from the university. Among others receiving honorary doctorates from the university are the philosopher Karl Popper
, and the former bishop of Eichstätt
Alois Brems.
Today, there is also a Collegium Orientale associated with the university for young theologians and priests from eastern European and Oriental churches who continue their post-graduate studies in Eichstätt.
In 1990, the Catholic University of Eichstätt established a faculty for economic science in Ingolstadt
. The first university in Bavaria was founded in Ingolstadt
in 1472 with the approval of the pope
. One of the most famous rectors of that university was the Jesuit Petrus Canisius
. In 1826 King Ludwig I moved the university to the capital Munich
– nowadays the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU).
(Stiftung Katholische Universität Eichstätt, Kirchliche Stiftung des Öffentlichen Rechts) set up by Bavarian Catholic bishops on the basis of a concordat
between the Holy See
and the Free State of Bavaria. The ethos of Catholic universities was defined in Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Constitution of Catholic Churches.
The small size of the CU offers ideal teaching and learning conditions, with a teacher-student ratio of 1:15 and widely recognized high standards. In a Germany-wide ranking by Der Spiegel
in 1999 the CU was amongst Germany's top universities. In subsequent years the CU received high rankings for the ideal learning environment it offers to its students. Especially, the Faculty of Business in Ingolstadt
was and continues to be one of the most competitive business schools in Germany. In 2005, the CU's journalism program was ranked among the five best media and communication programs in Germany.
The biggest differences between the CU and other German universities are its small size and almost personal relationship between teaching staff and students coupled with excellent facilities. In addition, the portion of international students from Europe and all over the world is very high compared to state universities. Russian, Spanish, French and English are thus very common languages in Eichstätt, many students being fluent in at least 2 of them.
One of the biggest changes currently affecting the CU is the shift from the old German academic system to the new European Bachelor and Master degrees based on credit points by 2010. This change should help to allow students to spend time abroad easily, and transfer their grades easily for their degrees at the CU.
In addition, more and more BA and MA integrated degrees are being offered, where the students spend only part of their time at the CU, the rest at one of the partner universities. These double or triple degrees offer a perfect possibility to experience the academic environment of more than one country, and are an increasingly popular choice for freshmen at the CU.
The university has the following faculties:
There are also two integrated institutes of Higher Education for:
There are also:
of the Bavarian Capuchin
monasteries.Bavarian Radio
: Bibliothek im Reißwolf-Bücher-Skandal an der Uni Eichstätt This is about one quarter of the 300,000 volumes of philosophy and theology donated for the purpose of being included in university library's collections. An inquest ordered by the Government of the Free State of Bavaria concluded that no valuable books had been destroyed.
, the university buildings being within walking distance (about 10 minutes) from the town center. The Faculty of Economics is located in Ingolstadt
, site of the first Bavarian university in 1472.
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
in Eichstätt
Eichstätt
Eichstätt is a town in the federal state of Bavaria, Germany, and capital of the District of Eichstätt. It is located along the Altmühl River, at , and had a population of 13,078 in 2002. It is home to the Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, the lone Catholic university in Germany. The...
and Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As at 31 March 2011, Ingolstadt had 125.407 residents...
, Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
, Germany.
The Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (CU) is the one and only Roman Catholic university in the German-speaking world. Compared to other German universities (e.g. University of Heidelberg) it is a rather small institution (with 4800 students in summer 2005); nevertheless, it is the largest private university in Germany. The university has one campus in Eichstätt
Eichstätt
Eichstätt is a town in the federal state of Bavaria, Germany, and capital of the District of Eichstätt. It is located along the Altmühl River, at , and had a population of 13,078 in 2002. It is home to the Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, the lone Catholic university in Germany. The...
situated in the Altmühltal
Altmühltal
Altmühltal is a Verwaltungsgemeinschaft in the district of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen in Bavaria in Germany. It consists of the following municipalities:*Alesheim*Dittenheim*Markt Berolzheim*Meinheim-See also:...
Nature Park and another campus in Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As at 31 March 2011, Ingolstadt had 125.407 residents...
, one of Germany's economically most successful cities.
History
The university's history dates back to a seminary for priests ("Collegium Willibaldum"), which was founded in 1564 by BishopBishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Martin von Schaumburg. Today's university came into existence through a fusion of Eichstätt's School of Education and the School of Philosophy and Theology in 1980. A major role in the formation of the university was played by the former archbishop of Munich-Freising, Joseph Kardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
), who later got an honorary doctorate
Doctorate
A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to teach in a specific field, A doctorate is an academic degree or professional degree that in most countries refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder...
from the university. Among others receiving honorary doctorates from the university are the philosopher Karl Popper
Karl Popper
Sir Karl Raimund Popper, CH FRS FBA was an Austro-British philosopher and a professor at the London School of Economics...
, and the former bishop of Eichstätt
Eichstätt
Eichstätt is a town in the federal state of Bavaria, Germany, and capital of the District of Eichstätt. It is located along the Altmühl River, at , and had a population of 13,078 in 2002. It is home to the Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, the lone Catholic university in Germany. The...
Alois Brems.
Today, there is also a Collegium Orientale associated with the university for young theologians and priests from eastern European and Oriental churches who continue their post-graduate studies in Eichstätt.
In 1990, the Catholic University of Eichstätt established a faculty for economic science in Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As at 31 March 2011, Ingolstadt had 125.407 residents...
. The first university in Bavaria was founded in Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As at 31 March 2011, Ingolstadt had 125.407 residents...
in 1472 with the approval of the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
. One of the most famous rectors of that university was the Jesuit Petrus Canisius
Petrus Canisius
Saint Petrus Canisius was an important Jesuit who fought against the spread of Protestantism in Germany, Austria, Bohemia, Moravia, , and Switzerland...
. In 1826 King Ludwig I moved the university to the capital Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
– nowadays the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU).
Catholic context
The university is largely funded by the state but is run by a self-governing public church trustTrust company
A trust company is a corporation, especially a commercial bank, organized to perform the fiduciary of trusts and agencies. It is normally owned by one of three types of structures: an independent partnership, a bank, or a law firm, each of which specializes in being a trustee of various kinds of...
(Stiftung Katholische Universität Eichstätt, Kirchliche Stiftung des Öffentlichen Rechts) set up by Bavarian Catholic bishops on the basis of a concordat
Concordat
A concordat is an agreement between the Holy See of the Catholic Church and a sovereign state on religious matters. Legally, they are international treaties. They often includes both recognition and privileges for the Catholic Church in a particular country...
between the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and the Free State of Bavaria. The ethos of Catholic universities was defined in Pope John Paul II's Apostolic Constitution of Catholic Churches.
The CU at a glance
The 8 faculties of the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt offer 40 different subjects. The CU is fully accredited by the Free State of Bavaria, and is thus equated to German state universities in all respects. For students, personal faith does not play any part in the admission process. The university library has a stock of books exceeding 1.5 million volumes, thus offering students and teaching staff immediate access to books of all areas via an electronic inventory accessible from almost anywhere.The small size of the CU offers ideal teaching and learning conditions, with a teacher-student ratio of 1:15 and widely recognized high standards. In a Germany-wide ranking by Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
in 1999 the CU was amongst Germany's top universities. In subsequent years the CU received high rankings for the ideal learning environment it offers to its students. Especially, the Faculty of Business in Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As at 31 March 2011, Ingolstadt had 125.407 residents...
was and continues to be one of the most competitive business schools in Germany. In 2005, the CU's journalism program was ranked among the five best media and communication programs in Germany.
The biggest differences between the CU and other German universities are its small size and almost personal relationship between teaching staff and students coupled with excellent facilities. In addition, the portion of international students from Europe and all over the world is very high compared to state universities. Russian, Spanish, French and English are thus very common languages in Eichstätt, many students being fluent in at least 2 of them.
One of the biggest changes currently affecting the CU is the shift from the old German academic system to the new European Bachelor and Master degrees based on credit points by 2010. This change should help to allow students to spend time abroad easily, and transfer their grades easily for their degrees at the CU.
In addition, more and more BA and MA integrated degrees are being offered, where the students spend only part of their time at the CU, the rest at one of the partner universities. These double or triple degrees offer a perfect possibility to experience the academic environment of more than one country, and are an increasingly popular choice for freshmen at the CU.
The university has the following faculties:
- Faculty of Catholic Theology
- Faculty of Philosophy and Education
- Faculty of Languages and Literatures
- Faculty of History and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Mathematics and Geography
- Faculty of Business Administration and EconomicsWFI - Ingolstadt School of ManagementThe WFI - Ingolstadt School of Management is the youngest of the eight faculties of the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt.-External links:* * * * * *...
(in Ingolstadt)
There are also two integrated institutes of Higher Education for:
- Religious Education and Church Educational Work
- Social Work
There are also:
- an Institute for Marriage and the Family in society
- an Institute for Latin American Studies
- an Institute for Central and Eastern European Studies
- a Centre for Interdisciplinary Health Sciencesl
- a language teaching centre
Library
In February 2007 it was revealed that the university library had recycled 80 tons of books and journals, of which 68.4 tons had been donated from the central library in AltöttingAltötting
Altötting is a town in Bavaria, capital of the district Altötting.This small town is famous for the Gnadenkapelle , one of the most-visited shrines in Germany. This is a tiny octagonal chapel which keeps a venerated statue of the Virgin Mary...
of the Bavarian Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
monasteries.Bavarian Radio
Bayerischer Rundfunk
Bayerischer Rundfunk [Bavarian Broadcasting] is the public broadcasting authority for the German Freistaat of Bavaria, with its main offices located in Munich. BR is a member of ARD.- Legal foundation :...
: Bibliothek im Reißwolf-Bücher-Skandal an der Uni Eichstätt This is about one quarter of the 300,000 volumes of philosophy and theology donated for the purpose of being included in university library's collections. An inquest ordered by the Government of the Free State of Bavaria concluded that no valuable books had been destroyed.
Campus
The Main Campus is situated in EichstättEichstätt
Eichstätt is a town in the federal state of Bavaria, Germany, and capital of the District of Eichstätt. It is located along the Altmühl River, at , and had a population of 13,078 in 2002. It is home to the Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, the lone Catholic university in Germany. The...
, the university buildings being within walking distance (about 10 minutes) from the town center. The Faculty of Economics is located in Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt
Ingolstadt is a city in the Free State of Bavaria, in the Federal Republic of Germany. It is located along the banks of the Danube River, in the center of Bavaria. As at 31 March 2011, Ingolstadt had 125.407 residents...
, site of the first Bavarian university in 1472.
External links
- Homepage of the Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt *
- Homepage of the Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt
- Apostolic Constitution of the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II on Catholic Universities