University History

1960 The former pedagogical academies in Rhineland-Palatinate are transformed into six teacher training colleges in total, based in Kaiserslautern, Koblenz, Landau, Neuwied, Trier and Worms.

1 October 1969 The teacher training colleges in Rhineland-Palatinate are dissolved and replaced by the Teacher Training College of Rhineland-Palatinate (EWH).

1970 The EWH is accorded the right to confer doctoral and post-doctoral degrees. Two study programs exist: a teaching degree for primary and elementary school as well as one for teaching at special needs schools. The EWH comprises the President’s Office in Mainz, the three departments at Koblenz, Landau and Worms with each department having three faculties as well as the faculty for special needs education based in Mainz. Professor Dr. Siegfried Wibbing is the appointed rector.

1971 The diploma programme in education is established and in Landau the center for Empirical Educational Research (ZepF) is founded.

1 December 1972 Professor Dr. Franz Fippinger assumes the office of President of the EWH. The Institute for Media Didactics (IfM) is founded.

Winter Semester 1976/1977 The teaching degree for secondary modern schools (Koblenz), a teaching degree for music school teachers (Koblenz), and the Diploma programme in psychology (Landau) are all launched.

Winter Semester 1978/1979 The diploma programme in computer science (Koblenz) and postgraduate programs (Koblenz and Landau) are launched. The university department in Worms is closed.

1982 The teaching degree for secondary modern schools is launched in Landau.

1 November 1984 Professor Dr. Siegfried Wibbing assumes the office of President.

1985 The Faculty of Special Needs Education is relocated to the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz.

1 November 1988 Professor Dr. Hermann Saterdag assumes the office of President.

1 October 1990 In accordance with federal state law the EWH becomes the University of Koblenz-Landau. The Faculty of Computer Science in Koblenz and the Faculty of Psychology in Landau are established. The university now consists of eight faculties in total at two sites.

1991 In Koblenz the center for Distance Learning and Continuing Education (ZFUW) is founded.

Winter Semester 1992/1993 An undergraduate teaching degree for special needs schools is launched. Following a decision from the Minister for Education, Science and Culture, the Institute for Special Needs Education at the Johannes Gutenberg-University in Mainz is relocated back to the University of Koblenz-Landau. The institute is integrated into Faculty 5: the Faculty of Education in Landau.

Winter Semester 1993/1994 Comprehensive Master’s degree programs are launched at both the Koblenz and Landau sites.

1994 In Landau the Institute for Intercultural Education is founded and run as a joint facility by the Faculty (5) of Education and the Faculty (6) of Philology.

1995 The state of Rhineland-Palatinate purchases the former military barracks in Koblenz-Metternich from central government in order to establish the new campus for the University of Koblenz.

1996 The framework plan for the expansion of the Landau campus is agreed upon between the federal state, the city of Landau and the university. The East-West-Institute (OWI) is the first affiliated institute to be founded in Koblenz. The university and the Association of the Friends of the University of Koblenz are equal stakeholders in the holding company.

1997 The conversion and extension of the former military barracks into a new university campus in Koblenz begins. In Landau the Institute for Regional Environmental Research & Education (IFU) is founded as an additional affiliated institute.

1998 In Landau three new centers are set up. The center for Research in Continuing Education and Management (WFM), together with the Agency for Vocational and Further Education (AWW) and the Frank-Loeb-Institute – a research unit for policy framing and international understanding and cooperation.

Winter Semester 1998/1999 The diploma programme in computational visualistics is launched. At the new campus in Koblenz-Metternich the first buildings are completed and subsequently occupied by the various university departments and facilities.

1999 In Koblenz phase 2 of the building project for the new university campus in Koblenz-Metternich starts, and in Landau the conversion and extension of the university library begins.

Winter Semester 1999/2000 There are 8,500 students in total enrolled at the university.

1 November 2000 Professor Dr. Josef Klein assumes the office of President of the University of Koblenz-Landau.

Winter Semester 2000/2001 The new Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in Information Management are launched.

Summer Semester 2001 The diploma programme Social Studies is launched in Landau.

Winter Semester 2001/2002 The diploma programme Life Sciences is launched in Landau.

April 2002 The new university campus in Koblenz-Metternich is inaugurated.

Summer Semester 2002 The BA English Studies and Media Management is launched.

2003 The Senate adopts a five-year development plan for the University of Koblenz-Landau. This represents a fundamental change in strategy. Previously, the aim was that both locations should develop in tandem; however the new strategy sought to allow each campus to sharpen and develop its own individual profile. Smaller institutes are amalgamated into larger academic facilities. During the summer semester the new university sites "Rote Kaserne" und "Bürgerstraße" are inaugurated in Landau.

2004 The center for Distance Learning and Continuing Education (ZFuW) in Koblenz unveils two new distance learning programs, which both lead to master’s degrees: Healthcare Management (summer semester 2004) and Energy Management (winter semester 2004/05).

February 2005 The university’s center for Teacher Training is founded.

Summer Semester 2005 The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the Koblenz campus launches the Bachelor’s degree programme in Ecological Impact Assessment.

1 October 2005 Professor Dr. Roman Heiligenthal assumes the office of President.

Winter Semester 2006/2007 The Faculty of Computer Science in Koblenz switches its entire range of programs over to the BA/MA system. Three Bachelor’s degree programs are offered (Computer Science, Computational Visualistics, Information Management) and also three Master’s degree programs (Computer Science, Computational Visualistics, Information Management and Business Information Systems).

Winter Semester 2007/2008 The Bachelor’s degree programme leading to qualified teacher status is introduced in both Koblenz and Landau. The introduction of Master’s degree programs for specific school types is planned for the winter semester of 2010/2011. The introduction of the consecutive B.Ed. / M.Ed. system takes place within the framework of the reform of teacher education and training in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Winter Semester 2008/2009 Campus Koblenz sees the introduction of the interdisciplinary Bachelor’s degree programme Cultural Studies. In Koblenz, the range of programs for prospective teachers is extended to include teaching at vocational schools and colleges. Here the university works in close cooperation with the University of Applied Sciences in Koblenz.

Summer Semester 2009 The German Research Council’s (DFG) Research Training Group “Teaching Processes and Methods” begins its work.

Winter Semester 2009/2010 Three new Bachelor’s degrees are established in Landau (Life Sciences, Psychology and Social Studies) as well as the Master’s degree programme Ecotoxicology. At the Faculty of Computer Science the Institute for Web Science and Technologies is established.

Winter Semester 2010/2011 The Master’s degree programs leading to qualified teacher status at primary school, secondary modern school, grammar school and special needs school are introduced. 2011 The Graduate School “Life Challenges” begins its work. Prof. Dr. Roman Heiligenthal is confirmed by the Senate as President of the University of Koblenz-Landau for a further six years.

Winter Semester 2011/2012 The Bachelor’s degree programs Education Science and Applied Sciences are introduced at campus Koblenz. The Master’s degree programs are also extended further with the introduction of a programme in Education and Cultural Studies. At the Landau campus a Bachelor’s degree programme in Education and the dual Master’s degree programme International Cognitive Visualization are added to supplement the existing range of courses and programs. The German Research Council (DFG) approves the setting up of the research group INTERNANO at the university, in which academics in the Life Sciences work together with colleagues from other academic institutions.

Winter Semester 2012/2013 The "Zwei-Fach-Bachelor" (Bachelor’s degree in two subjects) is introduced at both campuses. In Koblenz, the Bachelor’s degree programme Business Information Systems is launched. Five new Master’s degree programs complement the existing range of courses: in Landau the Master’s degree programs Psychology as well as Social and Media Studies, and in Koblenz E-Government, Web Science, and Ceramic Science and Engineering run jointly with the University of Applied Sciences in Koblenz. In addition, two new subjects (Computer Engineering and Nursing Science) are added to the programme leading to qualified teacher status at vocational schools and colleges. The subject Nursing Science is offered jointly with the Graduate School of Philosophy and Theology in Vallendar, near Koblenz.

2013 The Senate adopts the cross-campus part of the university’s new development guidelines (Agenda 2020). In the future the university wants to organise research in three interdisciplinary areas, namely education, people and environment. The expansion of both study and continuing education programs, the strengthening of support for young academics and the increased international orientation of all areas of the university are further developmental aims which the university is currently pursuing. In addition, the first framework aiming towards the realisation of the university’s new development guidelines entitled “Profile 3” is agreed upon. This comprises support programs designed to enhance the university’s research profile, as well as promoting young academics and increased internationalisation.

Summer Semester 2014 The Board of Governors gives its approval to the development guidelines and the “Profile 3” programme, which then begins in earnest. The Peace Academy Rhineland-Palatinate – Academy for Crisis Prevention and Civil Conflict Management is both set up and recognized by the university as a special academic facility. The center for Education, Research and Extracurricular Learning (ZentrAL) is established as one of the university’s central academic facilities.