Hessen is offering a new degree course in the promising field of medical technology

After years of intense preparation on a joint bachelor’s degree course in the area of medical technology, Technische Universität Darmstadt and Goethe University Frankfurt welcomed the first students this past winter semester. In total, 280 freshmen registered - far more than expected.

During their course of study, the students will receive an academic education in medicine complemented with the skills offered by a technical university. The future graduates will not only possess expertise in engineering, but they will also leave with a profound knowledge in the medical sciences. A master’s degree course in Medical Technology will be introduced in the winter semester of 2021/2022, just in time for when the first group of students graduates. Not only large enterprises in Hessen will benefit from this new initiative: local small and medium-sized companies, in particular, will be able to adequately prepare themselves for the growing demand in the area of medical technology by hiring these new graduates.

Professor Robert Sader, academic dean of the Department of Medicine at Goethe University Frankfurt, emphasizes that this cooperation between two universities will open up an entirely new frontier for Hessen as an economic hub, and not just in terms of education: “Both universities are among the best in their fields in Germany. Combining their respective areas of expertise will generate real added value and create a multiplier effect which will certainly promote research in the area of medical technology in Hessen well into the future.” President of TU Darmstadt, Hans Jürgen Prömel, adds that these universities will take the Rhine-Main region a step ahead in this promising area. With this step, Hessen is asserting its position as an internationally attractive economic hub that is tackling the questions of tomorrow today. Demand for biomedical technologies and well-trained professionals in this area will continue to grow into the future.

“Considering that the engineering sciences from Darmstadt and medicine from Frankfurt complement one another very well, this cooperation program is sure to generate many promising research projects that each university would otherwise not be able to undertake alone,” highlights Professor Dr. Birgitta Wolff, President of Goethe University Frankfurt. “Another particularly positive aspect is that academic education also stands to benefit, especially considering the limited number of students admitted into the discipline of medicine. But, with the support of the state government, we have been able to overcome this obstacle as well.”