Bright sunshine, excited faces and plenty of anticipation for what lies ahead: for 2,822 new students, a new chapter in their lives began today at OTH Regensburg. In the university’s largest lecture theatre, Prof. Dr Birgit Rösel, Vice-President for Studies and Teaching, welcomed the first-year students of the 2026/27 winter semester.
In her address, Prof. Dr Rösel emphasised the diversity that characterises the OTH Regensburg campus: people from a wide variety of countries, with diverse experiences and perspectives, come together here and learn from one another. “People from 99 nations are studying at our university. This not only enriches our campus, but also creates an environment in which openness, mutual respect and social cohesion are put into practice. For me, therefore, studying is also about encounter: getting to know different perspectives, exchanging ideas and supporting one another,” emphasised the Vice-President.
Ready for the challenges of today and tomorrow
At the same time, OTH Regensburg prepares its students for the major challenges of the present and the future. Sustainability, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, health and social cohesion are key themes in teaching and research. OTH Regensburg therefore not only imparts specialist knowledge, but also empowers its students to take on responsibility in society, business and academia.
The StudyCheck Award 2026 demonstrates just how well OTH Regensburg is received by its students. The university took first place amongst all higher education institutions in Germany in the category for those with between 5,000 and 15,000 students. 99 per cent of students would recommend OTH Regensburg to others.
Regensburg’s Mayor, Dr Helene Sigloch, could only agree. She congratulated the new students on their choice of university, stating that “OTH Regensburg is a leading institution for research and teaching”, said Dr Sigloch. With the historic old town on one side and a dynamic hub for science and business on the other, Regensburg offers students the best of both worlds, complemented by numerous events and a diverse range of dining options.
A campus full of opportunities
Judith Gabriel and Simon Stuber from the Student Union then explained how students can get involved in university life right from the start. They highlighted the diversity of student life at OTH Regensburg – from subject societies and student initiatives to clubs. Their message to first-year students was: get involved, contribute your own ideas, take on responsibility and make new friends. They particularly highlighted the Campus Friends. This community brings local and international students together, creates opportunities for interaction and makes it easier to settle into university life.
In addition, the team from the Student Lifecycle Centre presented its comprehensive range of advisory and support services. These range from orientation before and during your studies, through advice on specific life situations, to topics such as career planning and alumni networks.
Following the central welcome event, which was broadcast to other lecture theatres, the faculties welcomed their new students with their own information sessions. There, they were provided with everything they needed to know to get their studies off to a good start and had the chance to get to know their lecturers and fellow students. Whilst the majority of students are settling into their daily university life within their faculties, the first priority for the 14 participants in the beING preparatory course is to familiarise themselves with the university. This ‘taster course’ offers them the opportunity to try out various modules and prepare specifically for a future engineering degree.
