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lecture hall with a lot of students © Jürgen Huhn​/​TU Dortmund
Warm Welcome for New Students

Semester Kick-off in Stadium at Start of New Academic Year

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A stadium stand full of young people, cheerleaders in black and green costumes and silver pompoms below. © Olly Schaper​/​TU Dortmund
TU Dortmund University's first-year students’ welcome ceremony has been held in the BVB stadium since 2002.
On Monday, 7 October, and in the best tradition, TU Dortmund University welcomed its new students in the stadium of the BVB football team: Over 5,100 freshmen and freshwomen have joined the university this semester, bringing the total number of students to 29,407 (provisional figure). Two new degree programs have also started in the 2024/25 winter semester.

Professor Manfred Bayer, President of TU Dortmund University, extended a warm welcome to the students embarking on their first semester. “The most important thing is that you enjoy your studies,” he said and encouraged them to broaden their horizons by attending courses outside their own subject – for example within the new “Entrepreneurship” certificate program. Another of his recommendations: “Work together with your fellow students and network – that will definitely help you to succeed.”

Number of international students is growing

TU Dortmund University is offering two new degree programs from this winter semester onwards: The Bachelor’s program in Business InformaticsInformation Systems that, with 210 enrollments so far, has already shown to be very popular, and the meanwhile 15th English-taught Master’s program “Mechanics of Sustainable Materials and Structures” – a joint degree offered by the Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering at TU Dortmund University, the University of Trento (Italy) and the École Centrale de Nantes (France). 5,102 students (as of 9 October 9) have started their studies at TU Dortmund University in the 2024/25 winter semester, almost as many as in the previous year. This brings the current number of students at TU Dortmund University to 29,407. The proportion of international students has risen to 16 percent. These figures are still provisional, the final ones will be announced in December, as some enrollments and re-registrations are still trickling in.

At the kick-off to the semester in the stadium, Thomas Westphal, Lord Mayor of the City of Dortmund, also welcomed the new students – via a video link due to other commitments: “You’re in the right place here in Dortmund and at TU Dortmund University anyway! I wish you all the very best!” Darius Weitekamp, Deputy Chairperson of the Students’ Union General Student Committee, was delighted to welcome his new fellow students in person. In his welcome address, Thomas Treß, BVB Managing Director, remembered the victims of the continuing conflict in the Middle East, which was triggered by the attack on Israel by the terrorist organization Hamas on 7 October 7, 2023.

BVB-star Patrick Owomoyela as surprise guest

Christoph Edeler, head of University Sports at TU Dortmund University, emceed the event. The cello quartet of Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra provided the musical accompaniment with their adaptation of a Metallica song, among other pieces, and Mandla Mndebele from Dortmund Opera sang the “Toreador” aria from the opera “Carmen”. There were also some lucky winners in the audience: Burkhard Schwemin from Dortmund Student Servicesthe Studierendenwerk and surprise guest Patrick Owomoyela, a former BVB footballer, threw darts to draw three winners for vouchers donated by Dortmund Student Services. 

Free tickets for Dortmund Concert Hall were hidden under some of the seats and, as a symbolic kick-off at the start of the semester, Professor President Manfred Bayer, President of TU Dortmund University, booted a football signed by the BVB team into the crowd, which was skillfully caught by a happy winner.

Video of the 2024 first-year students’ welcome:

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