Demographic change in European industrialized nations is characterized by a declining population and falling student numbers, particularly in STEM subjects. Almost all universities are affected by this.
It is precisely in this area that there is a severe shortage of skilled workers in industry. At the same time, many prospective students are looking for new study models that are more flexible in terms of content and time, contain innovative and individualized elements, and allow for even closer integration of teaching and research.
The restructuring of TH OWL that has now been initiated has three aims:
- To increase academic success through greater flexibility and permeability.
- To increase capacity utilization by attracting additional (international) students.
- To expand freedom through efficiency gains in the new departments.
The structural reform was launched in 2022 as an internal, participatory process and unanimously approved by the University Council in November 2024.
On Wednesday, December 4, the concept was also presented to the Senate of TH OWL. With two abstentions, the Senate unanimously decided to support the Presidium in implementing the structural reform in accordance with the concept presented.
The structural changes affect the entire university at all locations and are characterized by a fundamental reorganization of almost all departments in conjunction with a sharpening of the university's profile.
They also include the partial relocation of study programs. Current students are not affected by this structural change, as the degree programs will remain unchanged and can be completed as planned. Instead, students can look forward to more opportunities thanks to expanded and interdisciplinary offerings.
For the currently just over 600 students in Höxter, the new structure improves proximity to related disciplines in the new departments. The same applies to the approximately 2,800 students in Lemgo and the 2,300 in Detmold.
New study models and formats, especially those with an international focus, will also be developed in all departments. Thanks to a special language qualification concept and links with the regional economy, these courses are particularly geared toward attracting, qualifying, and integrating international skilled workers.
As a result of the above-mentioned reorganization, TH OWL will be divided into seven departments:
FB Design: The TH OWL is the only university in Germany to integrate all planning disciplines such as interior design, architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, and environmental planning into one department.
FB Media and Communication: Media production and other media-related courses.
FB Construction and Environment: includes civil and environmental engineering, environmental sciences, landscape architecture, and green space management, as well as a new bilingual degree program.
Health, Food, and Agriculture: In addition to the established degree programs in Life Science Technologies and Precision Farming, a new specialization in Health is being developed.
Department of Computer Science and Automation: bundles computer science offerings, strengthens digitization and automation skills, and offers the innovative bachelor's degree program Digital Management Solutions (DiMS) and the bilingual degree program General Engineering.
FB Production and Technology: Bundles existing and new courses into a bachelor's degree in production engineering, integrates them with mechanical engineering, and develops a new English-language bachelor's degree.
Department of Economics: will be supplemented by a Master's degree in Business Psychology.
These new departments will be established in 2025, with the new structure scheduled to be in place by 2026.
The optimization of the range of courses on offer serves to ensure the long-term future viability of TH OWL. All employees have unrestricted job security. The decision to close a location is not the responsibility of the university, but exclusively of the state parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia.
All employees at the Höxter site will be integrated into the new departments and will continue their work there. In Lemgo and Detmold, too, employees will be reassigned to the new structures as part of a cross-location concept. This is how TH OWL is positioning itself for the future.