Teachers
Due to the current situation, offers that are also possible digitally have been compiled in a separate overview for secondary school senior years. Please contact us if you are interested in a particular topic: schulteam[at]thws.de
Offerings for senior school classes
Early study programme – for selected, technical degree programmes
PDF download: Important information on the early study programme
In Article 77 (7) Sentence 1 of the Bavarian Higher Education Innovation Act (BayHIG), the Bavarian Higher Education Act allows especially well-performing pupils to already start their studies before completing their university entrance qualification (German Allgemeine Hochschulreife, Fachgebundene Hochschulreife, Fachhochschulreife; or general higher education qualification, subject-specific higher education entrance qualification, or advanced technical college certificate). Possibly completed examination achievements can be accredited for later studies. Legally, the pupil keeps their status as pupil of a Gymnasium or Berufliche Oberschule; they are not enrolled at the higher education institution.
The early studies programme at THWS is aimed at motivated, high-performing advanced-level pupils of advanced level of local Gymnasien (from year 11 of G 9), and of local advanced vocational schools (FOSBOS) or vocational technical colleges.
Currently, the following degree programmes offer early studies:
at the Schweinfurt location:
Applied Mathematics, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Logistics, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Sustainable Energy Systems, Robotics, Hydrogen Technology, Business and Engineering
at the Würzburg location:
Plastics and Rubber Engineering, Computer Science, Information Security, Business Information Systems, Digital Societies
Generally, the lectures of the lower semesters are particularly advisable for early studies. That way, motivated high-performers can be promoted according to their interests.
The above-mentioned early studies programmes can be commenced with winter semester (start: 1 October). Hydrogen Technology and Mechatronics can additionally be commenced in summer semester (start: 15 March).
The following process is intended for early studies programmes:
- Applicants for early studies in Mechanical Engineering and Plastics and Rubber Engineering first need to submit a letter of motivation to the programme advisor indicated below.
- For all other programmes, the applicant must participate in an orientation interview with the competent programme advisor. This interview allows to select individual lectures according to the pupil's interests. Please arrange an appointment well in advance of the semester start on 1 October.
- Applicants must submit the "Application for Admission to Early Studies" to the Department of Student Affairs. The following signed declarations must be submitted with application:
- A signed declaration that the applicant accepts the conditions of participation.
- A declaration of consent of the legal guardians (only for minors).
- A declaration of the head of school
For information and questions on early studies, please contact the Academic Advisory Service of THWS and/or the programme advisors:
Academic Advisory Service
E-mail studienberatung[at]thws.de
Programme advisors in Schweinfurt:
Applied Mathematics Prof. Dr. Michael Bodewig
E-mail: michael.bodewig[at]thws.de
Electrical Engineering and Information Technology
Prof. Dr. Markus Mathes, e-mail: markus.mathes[at]thws.de
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Florian Mühlfeld, e-mail: florian.muehlfeld[at]thws.de
Logistics Prof. Dr. Norbert Schmidt
E-mail: norbert.schmidt[at]thws.de
Mechanical Engineering Prof. Dr. Stefanie Retka
E-mail: stefanie.retka[at]thws.de
Mechatronics Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Hirn
E-mail rainer.hirn[at]thws.de
Sustainable Energy Systems Prof. Dr. Markus Zink
E-mail markus.zink[at]thws.de
Robotics Prof. Dr. Jean Meyer
E-mail jean.meyer[at]thws.de
Hydrogen Technology Prof. Dr.-Ing. Winfried Wilke
E-mail: winfried.wilke[at]thws.de
Business and Engineering Prof. Dr. Ulrich Deutschle
E-mail: ulrich.deutschle[at]thws.de
Programme advisors in Würzburg:
Digital Societies Prof. Dr. Nicholas Müller
E-mail: nicholas.mueller[at]thws.de
Computer Science Prof. Dr. Arndt Balzer
E-mail: arndt.balzer[at]thws.de
Information Security Prof. Dr. Kristin Weber
E-mail: kristin.weber[at]thws.de
Plastics and Rubber Engineering
Prof. Dr. Marcus Schuck
E-mail: marcus.schuck@thws.de
Business Information Systems Prof. Dr. Eva Wedlich
E-mail: eva.wedlich[at]thws.de
Study ambassadors introducing their degree programmes
Students from different degree programmes and semesters visit school classes and report first-hand on their experiences at THWS as Student Ambassadors.
The Student Ambassadors present their own degree programme and therefore tell authentically about the opportunities at THWS and about student life in general. Since they have just experienced the transition from school to university, they can share their own experiences when talking to the young people. Students are more likely to have the opportunity to talk to the pupils "at eye level".
The university's Academic Advisor accompanies the Student Ambassadors on request and supplements the school visits with general information about studying, other degree programmes and admission.
Please contact us if you wish us to send a Student Ambassador to your school.
Contact
School liaison team
Monika Hahn
Phone +49 931 3511-8265
E-mail schulteam[at]thws.de
Schools visiting THWS or THWS coming to your school
School visits by the Academic Advisory Service
Upon request, our Academic Advisor will visit schools in THWS catchment area to provide information about the courses on offer and important topics related to studying, and to answer questions about studying.
If requested, the Academic Advisor can also be accompanied by Student Ambassadors or professorial mentors.
Visiting THWS
At the request of schools in our region, THWS offers pupils to visit the university and see for themselves how the day of a student looks like, and what university facilities like laboratories, PC pools, libraries, media libraries or the Media Centre (HMZ) have to offer.
Your contact for school visits and THWS visits
Academic Advisory Service
Phone +49 931 3511-6180
E-mail studienberatung[at]thws.de
Proposed topics for project and scientific seminars at secondary schools
As an external partner, THWS supports regional secondary schools in the organisation of so-called P and W seminars (project and scientific seminars). Cooperation with BOS/FOS seminars is also possible and highly appreciated.
Project ideas for P seminars are intended to give pupils an insight into the degree programmes at THWS and the associated occupational fields. In the context of so-called “W seminars”, THWS is involved in teaching how scientific work is carried out. It supports the planning and conception of individual seminar papers, and the theoretical and experimental implementation. We also offer various informational events for the phase of study and career orientation (“BuS”) during a project seminar. Furthermore, we will also support you in organising and realising the seminars.
Contact partner: Claudia Wegmann, E-mail claudia.wegmann[at]thws.de
Project seminars:
English as Leading Subject
Project idea: Intercultural collaboration at the example of India
Contact person: Claudia Wegmann (Department of Public Affairs and Communications)
Goal: Simulation of a project in an event-planning agency: Organisation, preparation and realisation of an event for a group of Indian exchange students (about 45 persons) who visits THWS every year from the mid of March until the end of August for studying in the context of an intercultural MBA programme. The official event found in the students’ schedule takes place at the end of June/in early July during the school semester 11/2.
Possible workflow: Project-related contents 11/1 and 11/2: Intercultural training modules, regional & cultural studies about India, evaluation etc. 12/1: Event follow-up (evaluation), exchange of experiences among pupils regarding intercultural collaboration and event organisation.
Scope: Several meetings, e. g. for a briefing from the customer (THWS), interim presentations, etc. More details to be communicated.
Subjects: German, religious education, ethics, social studies, economics and law, STEM subjects
Project idea: How to improve the acceptance of technical projects by the public?
Contact: Prof. Dr. Markus Zink (Faculty of Electrical Engineering)
Goal: Creating a catalogue of measures
Possible workflow: The background is the energy transition, where many technical solutions require the acceptance of the population. The problems are compiled using the example of the energy transition, and individual topics are elaborated in small groups. The seminar is accompanied by visits at THWS, focussing on the topics: Introduction to the problem, report and discussion on interim results, presentation and discussion of results before of professors and possibly VDE representatives (Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies).
Scope: approx. 3 afternoons at THWS; More details to be communicated.Project idea: Social Media Behaviour: Code of behaviour for pupils and students when using online social media
Contact: Prof. Dr. Karsten Huffstadt (Faculty of Computer Science and Business Information Systems)
Goal: Team-oriented and cooperative work on a guideline for using online social media. This guideline is then made available to the school/university for further communication. The guideline can be written in any form.
Possible workflow: With the help of lecturers, THWS students, and employees, the pupils will first describe and analyse relevant social networks on the internet. A catalogue of criteria for potential dangers is to be compiled. With the help of interviews and research, behavioural guidelines will then be derived, which in turn will be summarised in a general code and finally presented.
Scope: 3 to 4 afternoons at THWS, details upon consultation.Project idea: Practical Competence Test for STEM Degree Programmes (“PraKoMINT”)
Contact: Prof. Dr. Winfried Wilke, Prof. Dr. Udo Müller (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)
Goal: Development and implementation of a practice-oriented competence test for pupils interested in STEM subjects at the example of Mechanical Engineering
Possible workflow: As many prospective students require more study information before deciding for a programme, and they are often inexperienced and lack orientation, a competence test for prospective students is to be presented, developed on the basis of interviews, research, competence developments and practical tests of measures. This is to support the start of studies & the initial study phase. By means of this test, prospective students should be able to assess their general aptitude for higher educational studies, as well their required professional competencies.
Scope: 4 to 6 afternoons at THWS, details upon consultation.
Subjects: Economics, STEM, tech-oriented subjects
Project idea: Flow of material in logistics – From the process to technical and IT implementation
Contact: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peik Bremer (Faculty of Business and Engineering)
Goal: Step-by-step implementation of a logistics business process into technical and information technical processes by means of a practical case study
Possible workflow: What are the logistical business processes of a library? How can these processes be supported by storage and conveyance engineering? How is the material flow in the library represented in computer systems? Starting with a specific case study (of the Logistics Library at THWS Campus “Konrad Geiger” in Schweinfurt), pupils will develop concepts to find answers to the questions above. The solutions and findings will be presented in meetings at THWS and at the Logistics Laboratory they can compare them to the actual implementation.
Scope: Four meetings: (1) Kick-off and scoping, (2) Business processes, (3) Storage & Materials handling equipment, and (4) Representation in IT.
STEM subjects
Project idea: Computed Tomography for Industrial Applications
Contact: Jürgen Schwittek and Boris Bittner (Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences and Humanities, Schweinfurt)
Goal: Creating your own CT scans
Possible workflow: (1) Radiation protection, (2) physical and mathematical foundations of tomography for pupils, (3) practical training with an industrial computer tomograph
Scope: 4 to 6 afternoons at THWS, details upon consultation.Project idea: 3D scans and 3D printing
Contact: Jürgen Schwittek and Boris Bittner (Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences and Humanities, Schweinfurt)
Goal: Printing a 3D prototype
Possible workflow: (1) Basics of CAD software and of 3D printing, (2) practical training with the measuring arm, equipped with a laser scanner, (3) practical training with the 3D printer, (4) scanning your own objects and creating a print-out.
Scope: 4 to 6 afternoons at THWS, details upon consultation.
Project idea: Development of a 4-Bit Adder
Contact: Prof. Dr. Heinz Endres (Faculty of Electrical Engineering)
Goal: Complete development of a working 4-Bit Adder with binary display. Possible workflow: (1) In preparation, pupils autonomously familiarise with digital circuits, (2) Design and simulation of an adding circuit by means of a CAD software at THWS, following detailed instructions, (3) Building an adding circuit on the breadboard, (4) Building and soldering on a circuit board.
Scope: 2 to 4 afternoons at THWS, details upon consultation.Project idea: Development of a Kettcar with hybrid drive
Contact: Prof. Dr. Hans Kohlmeier, Prof. Dr. Udo Müller (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)
Goal: Building a Kettcar with hybrid drive
Possible workflow: In focus is the development of a Kettcar with hybrid drive (using muscular power and an electric motor), comparable to a pedelec bike, from the bottom up First, based on market analysis, it is checked which types of Kettcars are already available, and for which purposes they are built. Then, the intended purpose is defined and the concept development is carried out. The development phase includes the Kettcar drive, chassis, and body. Here, it needs to be considered that especially the drive is built of standard components used in the pedelec industry. For the Kettcar body, an attractive and technically implementable design is to be proposed. Parallel to the technical development, a marketing strategy for advertising the product is to be developed. The project is supervised by and the responsibility of the respective school. THWS supports schools in the realisation of this project.
Scope: Upon consultation
Project idea: Manufacturing, assembly, and testing of the characteristics of a Stirling engine
Contact: Prof. Dr. Hans Kohlmeier, Prof. Dr. Udo Müller (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)
Goal: Building a Stirling engine
Possible workflow: Main part of the project is the manufacturing and assembly of a Stirling engine based on a known design. First, the thermodynamic fundamentals are to be explained, various designs are analysed and reviewed to select a proposed structure of the motor. For the actual construction, drawings, bills of material, smaller calculations etc. must be created, and individual parts need to be manufactured. Once the engine is complete, several tests are to be carried out to determine its operating behaviour in an experimental way. The project is supervised by and the responsibility of the respective school. THWS supports schools in the realisation of this project.
Scope: Upon consultation
Project idea: Development of Iron Production in the History of Humankind
Contact: Prof. Dr. Jörg Spielfeld (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)
Goal: Building a smelting oven
Possible workflow: Combination of experimental archaeology and technological history, iron as sustainable material, the economy of scrap iron, the chemical process of iron production, metallurgy, chemistry. Demonstration of the product in a final presentation before VDI members (VDI – Association of German Engineers), Material Research Group, Schweinfurt (possible attendees: THWS professors, senior employees of FAG, SKF, teachers, pupils)
Scope: Block courses, approx. 15 hours, possibly accompanied by student assistants/tutors
Project idea: Sustainable materials – Packaging alternatives
Contact: Prof. Dr. Jörg Spielfeld, Prof. Dr. Christoph Bunsen (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)
Goal: Plastic substitutes, e. g. the ecologically correct bag for crisps
Scope: Block courses, approx. 15 hours, possibly accompanied by student assistants/tutors
Project idea: Advanced Bionic Materials
Contact: Prof. Dr. Jörg Spielfeld (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)
Goal: Building a rope/rod to let pupils tow a car manually; Building a swing/rocking chair from bionic materials, etc.; Pupils may communicate their ideas at the beginning of the seminar regarding a product to be created.
Possible workflow: Search of literature on bionics & bionic materials (THWS Library): Short presentations on functional principles of the materials, and transfer to technology, artificial materials, forming of project teams who are concerned with various areas of the project: Functional principles, development of the product, fields of application and marketing, development of the material, search for sponsors, market analysis and product marketing, presentation of the results before teachers, THWS professors and the VDI (Association of German Engineers) Schweinfurt
Scope: Block courses, approx. 15 hours, possibly accompanied by student assistants/tutors
Project idea: Building a scale
Contact: Prof. Dr. Winfried Wilke (Faculty of Mechanical Engineering)
Goal: Construction of a personal or analysis scale for school
Contents: Areas of product design, electronics, software, mechanics etc., incl. writing a user manual.
Scope: Block courses, approx. 15 hours, possibly accompanied by student assistants/tutors
Science seminars:
STEM subjects
Project idea: 3D Laser Scans and Computed Tomography
Contact: Jürgen Schwittek and Boris Bittner (Faculty of Applied Natural Sciences and Humanities, Schweinfurt)
Goal: Elaboration of mathematical and physical fundamentals & their application to practice.
Workflow: The seminar is accompanied by several activities at THWS: Introduction to the topic – Coaching – Company visit at a CT manufacturer (Carl Zeiss or Wenzel) – Presentation & discussion of results.Project idea: The Electric Field
Contact: Prof. Dr. Markus Zink (Faculty of Electrical Engineering)
Workflow: Initial research on the topic, collection of fundamentals, possibly forming of smaller groups with specialised topics to work on.
Transfer of what has been learned to practical application. The seminar is accompanied by several lectures at THWS: Introduction to the topic – Possibly: Presentations on the current project status – A visit at the High-Voltage Laboratory, a demonstration & discussion – Presentation and discussion of the results with Professors and VDE representatives (Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies)
Guided tours through the University’s Media Centre (HMZ)
The Media Centre (HMZ) offers services and support in the field of media, e. g. for audio-visual productions, university projects, lectures and final theses, to students and lecturers of all faculties. Similar to the Library and the IT Service Centre (ITSC), it is a central facility at THWS.
The Media Centre is equipped with professional, state-of-the-art technology for all areas of media production. As well as lending out cameras and movie cameras, sound and events equipment, as well as computer accessories, HMZ also offers modern rooms and studios for photo shootings as well as film and television productions.
A large radio broadcasting section with sound-insulated recording booths enables professional audio and radio productions to be made. When visiting THWS, school classes who are interested are cordially invited to a guided tour through the Media Centre (HMZ).
Your e-mail contact for finding an appointment: schulteam[at]thws.de
Offerings for secondary school grades 8 to 9
School visits about the topic "lightweight engineering and energy" in cooperation with the IJF (Initiative of Young Researchers)
School visits on the topic "lightweight engineering"
Lightweight engineering is currently not a topic in school subjects. The Initiative of Young Researchers e. V. (IJF) and THWS is aiming to change that and are offering the "Lightweight Engineering" school visit to supplement the curriculum of pupils in the 9th grade.
Students of THWS visit secondary schools and provide an overview of lightweight engineering over the course of four school hours. The school visit shall show the potential, the technical, economic, and ecological meaning of this key technology, and which job opportunities this field offers. A central aspect is research-based and practice-oriented learning. The youngsters receive age-appropriate, already processed information and are allowed to experiment themselves, which conveys that this topic can indeed be a lot of fun. Various learning stages give pupils the opportunity to get a grasp of the key elements of lightweight engineering. Here, material testing, cost-benefit calculations, the materials used or the production of fibre composite materials play a major role. In addition, pupils will gain suggestions for choosing their future profession and an overview of training professions.
The school visits are tailored especially for the 9th school year. However, younger and older pupils (8th to 10th grade) may also participate in the programme, if communicated beforehand.
Your contact for school visits with the IJF
School liaison team
Monika Hahn
Phone +49 931 3511-8265
E-mail schulteam[at]thws.de