Chronological History of Bielefeld University
Chronological History of Bielefeld University
9.3.1965
The Education Minister Prof. Dr. Paul Mikat asks the sociologist Prof. Dr. Helmut Schelsky (University of Münster) to make preparatory plans for setting up a university in Eastern Westphalia.
11.11.1965
The founding committee for the new university in eastern Westphalia is inaugurated in the Karl-Arnold-Haus (House of Science) in Düsseldorf.
1.3.1966
The founding committee adopts the "Structural Characteristics of the New University in Eastern Westphalia".
6.6.1966
Franz Meyers, the state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia announces to the press that the cabinet has chosen Bielefeld as the site for a new university.
24.7.1967
The founding committee passes the "Recommendations for Bielefeld University".
24.10.1967
In its 954th cabinet session, the state government decides that the recommendations passed by the founding committee on 24.7.1967 should serve as the basis for further planning in the construction of Bielefeld University.
1.6.1968
Dr. Eberhard Firnhaber is appointed Chancellor of the University.
21.6.1968
Laying of the foundation stone for the Aufbauzentrum that will enable the Faculties of Mathematics, Law, and Sociology to start research and teaching in the 1969/70 winter semester.
1.10.1968
The sociologist Dr. Niklas Luhmann is the first professor at Bielefeld University.
19.12.1968
Roofing ceremony for the Aufbauzentrum.
10.2.1969
The founding committee passes the statutes of Bielefeld University.
9.5.1969
A decision is reached on the Bielefeld University architecture competition
28.6.1969
Foundation of the Faculty of Law.
5.9.1969
Founding day of Bielefeld University, inauguration of the Senate and election of the first Rektor: Prof. Dr. Ernst-Joachim Mestmäcker.
16.9.1969
Foundation of the Faculty of Sociology.
24.10.1969
Foundation of the Faculty of Mathematics.
17.11.1969
The first students are admitted to the Aufbauzentrum in the Faculties of Mathematics, Law, and Sociology.
1.12.1969
The Aufbauzentrum is handed over to Bielefeld University.
20.2.1970
Inauguration of the Convent
5.3.1970
Election of the Rektor: Prof. Dr. Karl Peter Grotemeyer.
15.7.1971
First pillar foundations are laid on the university site.
16.10.1971
Foundation of the Faculty of Pedagogics, Philosophy, and Psychology.
16.3.1972
Roofing ceremony for the Center of Interdisciplinary Research (ZIF).
10.7.1972
Foundation of the Faculty of Physics.
1.10.1972
The Center of Interdisciplinary Research (ZIF) moves into the new building in Wellenberg, Bielefeld.
16.10.1972
Foundation of the Faculty of Linguistics and Literary Studies.
17.4.1973
Foundation of the Faculty of History.
27.11.1973
Roofing ceremony for the building of the Behavioural Biology Bielefeld
17.12.1973
Roofing ceremony for the Laborschule [laboratory school]/Oberstufenkolleg [high school college] building.
13.2.1974
Election of the Rektor: Re-election of Prof. Dr. Karl Peter Grotemeyer.
9.9.1974
Opening of the Laborschule [laboratory school] and the Oberstufenkolleg [high school college].
9.10.1974
Roofing ceremony for the main building of Bielefeld University.
28.11.1974
Foundation of the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
7.5.1975
The first construction stage of the main building is handed over to the University.
4.7.1975
Foundation of the Faculty of Chemistry.
3.9.1976
The third and final construction stage of the main building is handed over to the University.
30.11.1976
Foundation of the Faculty of Biology.
1.6.1977
Election of the Rektor: Re-election of Prof. Dr. Karl Peter Grotemeyer.
2.11.1977
Prof. Dr. Hans Rosenberg is awarded the first honorary doctorate from Bielefeld University.
16.10.1978
Study courses start in Sport.
1.3.1980
The former Faculty of Pedagogics, Philosophy, and Psychology (PPP) is restructured and the Faculties of Educational Science, of Psychology and Sports, and of History and Philosophy are established.
1.4.1980
The Bielefeld section of the Pädagogische Hochschule Westfalen-Lippe [teacher training college] is amalgamated with Bielefeld University in compliance with the State Act of Parliament on the integration of teacher training colleges with the other scientific higher education institutes in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
1.10.1980
The four departments of the Pädagogische Hochschule Westfalen-Lippe [teacher training college] are closed down and Faculty 12 is established (after 1.4.1982, Faculty of Theology, Geography, Art, and Music).
4.2.1981
Election of the Rektor: Re-election of Prof. Dr. Karl Peter Grotemeyer.
21.7.1982
Opening of the Internationales Begegnungszentrum der Wissenschaft IBZ [international guest house]
16.2.1983
Retired principal Dr. h.c. Eberhard Frh. von Medem, Prof. Dr. Ernst-Joachim Mestmäcker, Retired Minister of State Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Paul Mikat MdB, and Prof. Dr. Helmut Schlesky are appointed honorary senators by the Senate of Bielefeld University.
1.7.1983
The German Research Foundation (DFG) sets up the first Collaborative Research Centre CRC 216: Polarization and Correlation in Atomic Collision Complexes (SFB 216) at Bielefeld University.
28.11.1984
Election of the Rektor: Re-election of Prof. Dr. Karl Peter Grotemeyer.
1.7.1985
The German Research Foundation (DFG) sets up the second Collaborative Research Centre 223: Pathomechanisms of Cellular Interactions (SFB 223) at Bielefeld University.
30.10.1985
Retired District President Ernst Graumann, the former Mayor Herbert Hinnendahl, and the retired Chief Town Clerk Heinz-Robert Kuhn are appointed honorary citizens by the Senate of Bielefeld University.
1.1.1986
Establishment of the third Collaborative Research Centre CRC 227: Prevention and Intervention in Childhood and Adolescence (SFB 227) and the fourth Collaborative Research Centre CRC 177: "Sozialgeschichte des neuzeitlichen Bürgertums" [Social History of the Modern Bourgeoisie] (SFB 177).
4.2.1987
Election of the Rektor: Re-election of Prof. Dr. Karl Peter Grotemeyer.
1.7.1989
Fifth Collaborative Research Centre CRC 343: Diskrete Strukturen in der Mathematik [Discrete Structures in Mathematics] (SFB 343).
7.7.1989
Retired University Chancellor Dr. Eberhard Firnhaber, Prof. PhD Hartmut von Hentig, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Reinhart Koselleck, and Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Werner Maihofer are appointed honorary senators by the Senate of Bielefeld University.
22.8.1989
The state government appoints Karl Hermann Huvendick as Chancellor of Bielefeld University to succeed Dr. Eberhard Firnhaber who retired on 31.5.1989.
30.10.1989
Election of the Rektor: Re-election of Prof. Dr. Karl Peter Grotemeyer.
7.5.1990
Foundation of the Faculty of Technology.
8.1.1992
Election of the Rektor for the period of office from 01.10.1992: Prof. Dr. Helmut Skowronek.
23.1.1992
Prof. Dr. Thomas Zink, Faculty of Mathematics, wins the "Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Programme" of the German Research Foundation (DFG).
15.7.1992
Rektor Prof. Dr. Karl Peter Grotemeyer is appointed honorary senator by the Senate of Bielefeld University.
1.7.1993
Sixth Collaborative Research Centre CRC 360: Situated Artificial Communicators (SFB 360) - Faculty of Linguistics and Literary Studies, Faculty of Technology.
12.1.1994
Prof. Dr. Adrienne Héritier, Professor of Political Science at the Faculty of Sociology, and Prof. Dr. Hemut Willke, Professor of Planning and Decision Theory at the Faculty of Sociology, win the German Research Foundation (DFG) "Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Programme".
24.5.1994
Foundation of the Bielefeld School of Public Sciences.
28.6.1994
Prof. Dr. Erich Christian Schröder and Prof. Dr. Dietrich Storbeck are appointed honorary senators by the Senate of Bielefeld University.
1.8.1995
Foundation of the Institute for Nursing Science at Bielefeld University.
14.6.1996
Election of the Rektor for the period of office from 01.10.1996: Prof. Dr. Gert Rickheit.
3.7.1996
Prof. Dr. Niklas Luhmann is appointed honorary senator, and Retired Head Library Director Dr. Harro Heim and Gerd Seidensticker are appointed honorary citizens by the Senate of Bielefeld University.
26.7.1996
Foundation of the Alumni Association (in German) of Bielefeld University.
18.12.1996
Foundation of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence (IKG).
25.4.1997
First award of the "Karl Peter Grotemeyer Prize" endowed by the Westfälisch-Lippische Universitätsgesellschaft [University Society] for excellence and particular commitment to teaching.
1.1.1998
Seventh Bielefeld Collaborative Research Centre CRC 549: Macromolecular Processing and Signalling in the Extracellular Matrix (SFB 549) - Faculties of Biology, Chemistry, and Technology.
4.2.1998
Prof. Dr. Ute Frevert, Professor of 19th and 20th Century History at the Faculty of History and Philosophy wins the German Research Foundation (DFG) "Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Programme".
16.12.1998
Former State Premier Dr. h.c. Johannes Rau is appointed honorary senator by the Senate of Bielefeld University.
4.2.2000
The teutolab-Chemie [chemistry], the first "join in and experiment laboratory" for school children at Bielefeld University, opens at the Faculty of Chemistry. This is followed by the opening of the teutolab-Physik [physics] on 3.4.2003, the teutolab-Mathematik [mathematics] on 9.12.2005, and the teutolab-robotik [robotics] at the Research Institute for Cognition and Robotics (CoR-Lab) in cooperation with the Cluster of Excellence CITEC - Cognitive Interaction Technology on 3.6.2009.
10.2.2000
Prof. Dr. Gertrude Lübbe-Wolff, Professor of Public Law in the Faculty of Law wins the German Research Foundation (DFG) "Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Programme".
7.4.2000
Bielefeld becomes the first university in the world in environmental management that complies with the internationally recognized Norm DIN EN ISO 14001 and the European Union Eco-Management and Audit Scheme.
26.5.2000
Karen Leffers and Retired District President Walter Stich are appointed honorary citizens at the first annual reception of the University.
1.9.2000
Bielefeld University is one of the five winners of the bioinformatics initiative of the German Research Foundation (DFG), thereby receiving top-level funding in bioinformatics and genome research.
6.12.2000
Hertz 87,9 (in German), the CampusRadio for Bielefeld starts broadcasting on its own frequency.
24.1.2001
Prof. Dr. Dieter Timmermann, who was already elected to the post of Rektor by the convent of Bielefeld University on 09.06.1999, is re-elected Rektor by the Senate of Bielefeld University for the period of office from 01.04.2001 onward after the passage of the North Rhine-Westphalia University Act.
15.2.2001
Prof. Dr. Helge Ritter, Professor of Neuroinformatics at the Faculty of Technology wins the German Research Foundation (DFG) "Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Programme".
8.3.2001
Bielefeld University is selected by the Federal Ministry of Research and receives funding for the "Kompetenzzentrum Mikrobielle Genomforschung" [Microbial Genomics Competence Centre]
1.7.2001
Eighth Bielefeld Collaborative Research Centre CRC 584: The Political as Communicative Space in History (SFB 584) - Humanities and Cultural Studies.
1.8.2001
Hans-Jürgen Simm succeeds Karl Hermann Huvendick as Chancellor of Bielefeld University.
27.10.2001
The University celebrates the official inauguration of the "Universität" public tram stop on Line 4 ("Unilinie").
1.1.2002
Ninth Bielefeld Collaborative Research Centre CRC 613: Physics of Single Molecule Processes and of Molecular Recognition in Organic Systems (SFB 613) - Physics, Chemistry, Biology (in German).
19.3.2002
From Winter Semester 2002/03 onward, Bielefeld University becomes one of two test sites for two-phase teacher training in North Rhine-Westphalia.
29.5.2002
Foundation of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Epilepsy Research at Bielefeld University supported by the Society for Epilepsy Research e. V.
1.10.2002
Closure of the Faculty of Theology, Geography, Art, and Music in line with the recommendations of the Expertenrat [Board of Experts] and integration of the departments into affiliated faculties for the Winter semester 2002/03.
11.7.2003
Opening session of the new Board of Trustees of Bielefeld University composed of renowned personalities from science, public life, and the professions (Chair: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kocka, Berlin; Deputy Chair: Prof. Dr. Hans Weiler, Stanford).
21.1.2004
Prof. Dr. Hans-Ulrich Wehler is appointed honorary senator by the Senate of Bielefeld University.
22.4.2004
Opening of the Bielefeld Institute for Biophysics and Nanoscience (BINAS).
21.7.2004
The Senate re-elects Prof. Dr. Dieter Timmermann as Rektor of Bielefeld University for the period of office from October 2005 to September 2009.
19.10.2004
Laying of the foundation stone for the laboratory building of Bielefeld University.
4.12.2004
The two retired Directors of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Renate Mayntz and Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Fritz W. Scharpf, are jointly awarded the first ever Bielefelder Wissenschaftspreis [Bielefeld Science Award] in memory of Niklas Luhmann.
15.4.2005
Harrison C. White from Columbia University, New York, takes up the first 'Niklas Luhmann Guest Professorship at Bielefeld University'.
1.7.2005
Tenth Bielefeld Collaborative Research Centre CRC 701: Spectral Structures and Topological Methods in Mathematics (SFB 701).
21.12.2005
The General Manager and Treasure of the Westfälisch-Lippische Universitätsgesellschaft [University Society], Honorary Professor Dr. h.c. Helmut Steiner is appointed honorary citizen by the Senate of Bielefeld University.
14.6.2006
Bielefeld University is awarded the Hertie Foundation's "Family-friendly institute of higher education certificate".
1.7.2006
Eleventh Bielefeld Collaborative Research Centre CRC 673: Alignment in Communication (SFB 673) with the participation of linguists, information scientists, and neuroscientists from the Faculty of Linguistics and Literary Studies and the Faculty of Technology.
1.1.2007
The Hochschulfreiheitsgesetz [Freedom of Institutes of Higher Education Act], designed to strengthen the autonomy and self-reliance of institutes of higher education in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, comes into force.
28.2.2007
Inauguration of the new laboratory for the CeBiTec - Center for Biotechnology. The laboratory is the largest building project at Bielefeld University since the completion of the main University building in 1976.
13.3.2007
Prof. Dr. Bernhard Jussen, Professor for the History of the Late Middle Ages and Early Modern Times at the Faculty of History, Philosophy, and Theology wins the German Research Foundation (DFG) "Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Programme".
30.7.2007
Prof. Dr. Karl Peter Grotemeyer dies at the age of 79 years. During his 22 years as Rektor, he did more than any other person to shape the development and structure of Bielefeld University.
10.10.2007
Opening of the Research Institute for Cognition and Robotics (CoR-Lab) at Bielefeld University. This is accompanied by the signing of a research cooperation agreement between Bielefeld University and the Honda Research Institute Europe GmbH (HRI-EU). This will support postgraduate training and make Bielefeld University the first higher education institute in Europe with two humanoid robots of the new ASIMO generation as a research platform at its disposal.
19.10.2007
Bielefeld University has two successes in the Excellence Initiative of the Federal and State Governments with the Cluster of Excellence "Cognitive Interaction Technology" and the Graduate School "Bielefeld International Graduate School in History and Sociology".
2.11.2007
Bielefeld University is a site in the Land der Ideen [Land of Ideas] and is at the centre of this nationwide initiative with its research in the field of "Person-Machine Communication".
19.12.2007
The Senate passes the new constitution of Bielefeld University in accordance with the new University Law in North Rhine-Westphalia.
11.2.2008
Prof. Dr. Martin Carrier, Professor of Philosophy at the Faculty of History, Philosophy, and Theology wins the German Research Foundation (DFG) "Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Programme".
28.5.2008
Opening of the Cluster of Excellence CITEC - Cognitive Interaction Technology at Bielefeld University.
28.5.2008
The University Council, brought into being by the Hochschulfreiheitsgesetz [Freedom of Institutes of Higher Education Act] as the fourth central body of the University alongside the Rektor, the Rektorat, and the Senate, is appointed by the Ministry. The University Council at Bielefeld University has five external and five internal members.
9.7.2008
The University Council and the Senate elect Hans-Jürgen Simm as Chancellor for a further five years.
3.10.2008
Opening of the one-week Geniale festival in the University. With more than 40 events, Bielefeld University makes a major contribution to the City of Bielefeld's first Science Festival.
22.10.2008
Opening of the Bielefeld Graduate School in History and Sociology (BGHS) at Bielefeld University within the framework of the Excellence Initiative.
19.6.2009
The University Council unanimously elect Prof. Dr. Gerhard Sagerer as Rektor of the University for the period of office from 1st October 2009. The University Senate confirms his election on 8th July 2009.
21.9.2009
The state of North Rhine-Westphalia approves funding to start the modernization of the university main building and expand the university and grants an initial sum of almost 130 million Euros for the construction of a replacement building on the parking areas of the university campus.
19.10.2009
Bielefeld University is one of the six universities nationwide to win the competition on the "Excellence Initiative for Teaching", a joint programme initiated by the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft (Homepage) and the Kultusministerkonferenz [Standing Conference for the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs] (KMK).
17.11.2009
With a ceremony in the Auditorium Maximum, Bielefeld University concludes the celebrations and events to commemorate its 40th birthday. During the ceremony, the office of Rektor is handed over to Professor Dr. Gerhard Sagerer and Professor emeritus Dr. DDr. h.c. Franz-Xaver Kaufmann is appointed honorary senator of the University.
23.5.2011
Laying of foundation stone for the new replacement building (Building X) of Bielefeld University. The replacement building (with an investment of 130 million Euros) including the new University Canteen is the architectual link between the Main University Building and the new University of Applied Sciences on Campus North.
1.7.2011
The German Research Foundation (DFG) establishes Bielefeld's 12th Collaborative Research Centre "SFB 882: From Heterogeneities to Inequalities". The SFB is a joint project of Bielefeld based sociologists and scholars in educational science, health science, law and economics as well as the University Library.
13.12.2011
The Joint Science Conference (gemeinsame Wissenschaftskonferenz GWK) awards the programme „Richtig einsteigen“ (Getting Started) of Bielefeld University for its contribution to the federal and state initiative "Qualitätspakt Lehre" (teaching quality).
4.6.2012
The Bielefeld School of Education (BiSEd) is founded as a transfaculty institution of the University for the area of teacher training.
15.6.2012
The German Research Foundation (DFG) and the German Council of Science and Humanities (WR) grant funding to the CITEC (Cognitive Interaction Technology) and the graduate school BGHS (Bielefeld Graduate School in History and Sociology) for a further five years as part of the federal and state Excellence Initiative programme.
14.10.2013
At the start of the winter term 2013/14 the University had more students than it had ever had in its history with a total of 21,000 students. As the state of NRW shortened the number of school years, in this particular year there were twice as many students leaving with an "Abitur", a qualification for University.
16.10.2013
Celebration for the opening of the new research building of the Cluster of Excellence CITEC Cognitive Interaction Technology on Campus North. Its transdisciplinary central laboratory makes the building an internationally unique research facility.
27.6.2014
The grand opening of Building X, home to the Faculty of History, Philosophy and Theology, the Faculty of Sociology, other university facilities and the central refectory. It is the prerequisite for the modernization of the main university building.
4.8.2014
Dr. Stephan Becker starts his work as Chancellor of the University. He succeeds Hans-Jürgen Simm, who retired after 37 years of work at the University of Bielefeld on 27.6.2014.
31.10.2014
The North Rhine-Westphalian Academy of Science and the Arts is funding the long-term research project 'Niklas Luhmann - A Passion for Theory' by the Faculty of Sociology, Library and Archive of the University of Bielefeld and the Cologne Center for eHumanities (CCeH) with more than 5 million euros.
30.04.2015
The members of the Hochschulwahlversammlung - consisting of the Senate and the University Council - elect Rector Professor Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Sagerer with a large majority for another term of office (October 2015 to September 2019) as Rektor of the University of Bielefeld.
25.06.2015
In cooperation with Bielefeld University, Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Bielefeld Marketing, Open Air Live Music (for about 20,000 visitors) is being offered for the first time on Campus Bielefeld under the name 'Campus Festival Bielefeld'.
03.08.2015
Because of its historical and artistic significance, the Chile mural, created in 1976 on the front wall of the university's central hall, symbol of the political culture of the university, is inscribed in the monument list of the city of Bielefeld.
23.09.2015
As part of the funding program "Quality Offensive Teacher Education" of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the University with the project proposal 'BiProfessional - Sei professionell' is granted by 4.8 million euros for the next three years to tackle central desiderata in teacher education research.
14.01.2016
The five state universities in East Westphalia-Lippe - the Universities of Bielefeld and Paderborn, the Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences, the Ostwestfalen-Lippe University of Applied Sciences and the Detmold University of Music - are intensifying their cooperation by founding 'Campus OWL'.
14.10.2016
At the university's annual reception, Rector Sagerer announces the "Staff Initiative UNIplus", which will allow the university to hire 40 additional professors over the next two years.
21.11.2016
The German Research Foundation (DFG) approves the 13th Bielefeld Collaborative Research Center Collaborative Research Center 'SFB 1288: Practices of Comparing, Ordering and Changing the World', in which scholars in the fields of history, German studies, art history, Romance and English philology, philosophy, law and political science as well as economics from the Inter-American Studies.