Studying at the University of Konstanz means living and learning at a campus university located in attractive surroundings, close to the banks of Lake Constance, where the university was founded in 1966 right in the heart of the triangle "created" by Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In 2007, the University of Konstanz proved that it has outstanding qualifications by competing in the Excellence Initiative and becoming the smallest and youngest University of Excellence. The Cluster of Excellence "Cultural Foundations of Integration"was already approved in October 2006. A year later, proposals on the Institutional Strategy "Model Konstanz – Towards a Culture of Creativity" and on the Graduate School in "Chemical Biology" also proved their worth in Germany's foremost science competition. More than 9,000 students are currently studying at the university on the banks of Lake Constance. The University of Konstanz has developed a large international network. The university enjoys an outstanding reputation, both at home and abroad. A closely woven network of university cooperation agreements and many exchange programmes create a presence for Konstanz on the international stage. All in all, students can choose from more than 100 degree programmes in total, ranging from mathematics and the natural sciences, to law and economics, through to politics and management, and on to arts and humanities. As a well-known and respected research university, the University of Excellence Konstanz enjoys an outstanding reputation throughout Germany as well as at international level. Konstanz has four Collaborative Research Centres, five Research Groups, three Research Centres, four Research Training Groups, five EU projects in which Konstanz has lead responsibility, plus 13 Research Initiatives. The Zukunftskolleg is the only institution of its kind in Germany in the field of promoting young scientists and researchers. The Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz-Prize has already been won five times by scientists from Konstanz. With a value of 1.55 million euros, it is Germany's highest sponsorship award. Service is "writ large" at the University of Konstanz: Its 24-hour library is open around the clock. The Career Service Office and the Mentoring Programme help students kick-start their career planning while still studying. Promoting women and families is everyday practice at the university. Konstanz holds the Basic Family-Friendly University Certificate, which aims to promote the compatibility of studying, of having a family, and of pursuing a career.
