German University of Technology in Oman

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German University of Technology (GU Tech)
logo
founding 2007
place Muscat
country Oman
Rector Michael Modigell
Students 1964 (SS 2017)
Employee 177 (SS 2017)
including professors 82 including lecturer in the academic preparation year
Annual budget unknown
Website Official website of GUtech

The German University of Technology in Oman ( GUtech ; Arabic الجامعة الألمانية للتكنولوجيا في عمان, DMG al-Ǧāmiʿa al-almānīya li-l-tiknūlūǧiyā fī ʿUmān ) is a private university associated with RWTH Aachen University in Muscat , Sultanate of Oman .

It was founded in 2007 with RWTH Aachen University . GUtech is the only German university on the Arabian Peninsula and the first private university in Oman whose Bachelor programs have been internationally accredited.

Development of the project

The first project ideas for establishing a private university in Muscat were concretized through the contacts and personal commitment of Michael Jansen , professor of urban history at RWTH Aachen University . This was followed by the first agreements between RWTH Aachen University and the Omani investors, which were substantiated from late summer 2006 with the elaboration of the operational aspects by a liaison office affiliated to the machine tool laboratory WZL of RWTH Aachen University and a consultant employed on the Omani side .

From 2007 onwards, a small team led by Christoph Hilgers and Barbara Stäuble dealt with the approval of the curricula, funding, new staff, as well as branding and marketing. The originally planned name "RWTH Oman", to which a number of other locations , u. a. "RWTH Lingang" in China, should follow, was dropped at the request of the North Rhine-Westphalian Minister of Science .

history

On December 27, 2006, a joint agreement between Oman Educational Services LLC (OES) was signed at RWTH Aachen University , which sealed the founding of the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech). GUtech was brought into being ad intitio , i.e. without existing structures, with the support of RWTH Aachen University.

In May 2007 the so-called "Beach Campus", consisting of two villas in Al Athaiba (Muscat), opened, and in October 2007 the first group of 60 students started their studies in the so-called "Pre-University Study Program" at GUtech recorded. In the same year, four Bachelor of Science degree programs (Applied Geosciences, Applied Information Technology, Sustainable Tourism & Regional Development and Urban Planning & Architectural Design) were approved by the Omani Ministry of Higher Education. The first admission of students to these four full-time Bachelor programs took place one year later, in October 2008. Another year later, in June 2009, all of these Bachelor programs were accredited by the accreditation agency ACQUIN (Accreditation, Certification and Quality Assurance Institute) .

In 2010, two new Bachelor of Engineering study programs were introduced (Mechanical Engineering and Process Engineering) and - due to the increasing number of enrollments - a new university building, the so-called “Airport Campus”, opened. Another Bachelor of Engineering (Environmental Engineering) was introduced in 2011, a Master of Science in Petroleum Geoscience in 2012.

In September 2012 GUtech moved to the new campus in Halban . The main building of the university has various class and seminar rooms, a large amphitheater for assemblies, various laboratories, a library, sports halls, administrative rooms as well as a cafeteria and a mini market. A History of Science Center has been built in front of the main building and has been open to the public since 2018. Several student accommodations were built right behind the main building. The Finland Oman School , which opened in December 2018, is also located on campus .

Additional classrooms, student houses, a mosque and facilities for leisure and sports activities are planned for the next construction phases.

Acting Rector was Michael Jansen until August 31, 2008. The founding rector until March 31, 2013 was Burkhard Rauhut , who had previously been rector of RWTH Aachen University. Michael Modigell has been Rector since April 1, 2013.

Affiliation to the RWTH Aachen

All private universities in Oman must have an academic affiliation with a reputable international university or college. GUtech is affiliated with the largest university for technical courses in Germany, RWTH Aachen.

This affiliation can be seen in various situations in everyday university life. So z. B. All subjects at GUtech are co-developed and supervised by professors from RWTH Aachen University. In addition, the selection of GUtech professors is incumbent on a process in which professors from both universities participate. In addition, the Rector of RWTH Aachen University is the chairman of the GUtech Board of Governors.

During their studies, some students have the opportunity to take part in excursions and specialist courses at RWTH Aachen University, use the laboratory facilities at the partner university, and get to know the country, people and culture.

Organizational structure

GUtech is privately owned by Oman Educational Services LLC, who are represented on the Board of Directors (BoD). GUtech's supervisory board is the Board of Governors (BoG). GUtech is managed by the rectorate, which in turn is chaired by the rector, Michael Modigell.

In February 2017, a total of 177 academic and administrative staff were employed at GUtech. The 82-strong academic staff consists of lecturers in the academic preparation program as well as the lecturers and professors who teach in the bachelor's and master's degree programs. The majority of the academic staff, around 70 percent, come from European universities.

GUtech has four faculties:

  • Faculty of Urban Planning and Architecture
  • Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science
  • Faculty of Business and Economics
  • Faculty of Science

Study programs

In addition to the GUtech "Foundation Program", the university offers eight bachelor programs and two master programs.

The "Foundation Program", consisting of the Core Studies Program and the Academic Studies Program , was launched to equip students with the knowledge they need for a successful Bachelor's degree. The Core Studies Program focuses as much as possible on teaching English, while the Academic Studies Program focuses on teaching various scientific and business content.

Bachelor of Science programs

  • BSc in Applied Geosciences
  • BSc in Computer Science
  • BSc in International Business & Service Management
  • BSc in Logistics
  • BSc in Urban Planning and Architectural Design

Bachelor of Engineering Programs

  • BEng in Mechanical Engineering
  • BEng in process engineering
  • BEng in Environmental Engineering

Master of Science programs

  • MSc in Applied Geosciences
  • MSc in Computer Science

The language of instruction at GUtech is English. German is taught as an additional foreign language.

International accreditation

GUtech is the first private university in the Sultanate of Oman whose Bachelor of Science study programs have been internationally accredited. This accreditation was carried out by ACQUIN (Accreditation, Certification and Quality Assurance Institute) in June 2009.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ History of Science Center at www.archdaily.com , accessed April 22, 2020
  2. ↑ Finland Oman School officially opens in Halban