Munich: Much more than Oktoberfest

Munich, home to two of Germany’s absolute top universities, is a city full of contradictions. Vibrant and energetic but also laid back and quiet. It’s where high culture and academia coexist with the pure, raw fun of Oktoberfest. There is something for everyone here.

Munich at a glance

München Skyline, Foto:Stadt München/Sterflinger

Munich, capital of Germany’s southernmost state, lies on the Isar River north of the Bavarian Alps. Home to almost 1.3 million, Munich is Germany’s third-largest city after Berlin and Hamburg. Known for all things beer-related (including the world famous Oktoberfest), and its vast cultural and recreational offering, Munich is also a strong economic engine, with major players in the high-tech, electronics, and automotive industries based there. Among those operating out of the Bavarian capital are BMW, Siemens, Infineon Technologies, Allianz and Munich Re Group. The presence of such big hitters provides a wealth of job opportunities for young professionals in various industries. Besides Munich is the city of ideas and inventions because the German as well as the European Patent Office are situated right on the banks of the picturesque Isar River.

Overview of the universities

Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU)

LMU, Foto: LMU

With 47,000 students – 15 percent of whom are foreign – Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU) is not only Germany’s largest but also one of the leading universities. LMU, with its 700 professors, offers 150 programs of study in the humanities and natural sciences, and students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of study courses available within Germany only at LMU. Set in the chic and bustling Schwabing district, the university buildings are surrounded by a sea of cafes and bars, giving students a chance to relax, unwind and meet up with friends. Munich’s famous English Garden is also right nearby, its vast green lawn being a favorite place for students to lounge around during the warmer season.

Technische Universität München (TUM)
With the university not having one central campus, the 20,000 students (20 percent of whom are foreign) attend its courses in technical and natural science related subjects at locations throughout the city. Such a dispersal of facilities provides a great contrast in study settings; the Garching campus, to the north of the city, offers state-of-the-art science facilities nestled in a quiet rural area, while the downtown university facilities are located near the hopping city center, right next to the Museum district and not far from the LMU. With its commitment to the idea of the “entrepreneurial university”, the university invests in its students and faculty and has a number of corporate research centers, including the Central Institute of Medical Engineering (IMETUM) and the Walter Schottky Institute for nanotechnology.

Munich University of Applied Sciences
The MUAS is the largest university of applied sciences in the German Federal State of Bavaria. More than 15.000 students can choose from more than 60 degree courses. The MUAS cooperates internationally in research and maintain close contact with local and international companies.

Recreation in Munich

Englischer Garten, Foto: DAAD

One of the city’s best known and spectacular sites is the Deutsche Museum, the world’s largest museum of science and technology. Besides you should visit one of the three Pinakothek Museums. The Alte Pinakothek features European paintings spanning from the 13th to the 18th century and numbering in the thousands, while the Neue Pinakothek focuses on European art of the 18th and 19th century. Finally, the Pinakothek der Moderne is considered the most important modern art museum in Europe. Munich is also home to FC Bayern, one of Europe’s best soccer teams. Check out one of their games in the flashy new Allianz Arena, which was built for the 2006 World Cup and is mistaken by some to be a gigantic hovercraft. And don’t miss a stroll through the English Garden, Munichs green core. In summertime you can meet many locals here spending their free time in one of the many beer gardens or watching the brave Eisbach-Surfers.

Oktoberfest, Foto: DAAD

While you’re in Munich, be sure to try the traditional Bavarian breakfast of Weisswurst, Weissbier, and a pretzel. All the brew houses offer such a breakfast. Also worth a visit is the Olympic Park with the Olympic Tower, in the northern part of the city. On a clear day you can see as far as the Austrian Alps.
You can also head to a concert at one of the city’s numerous venues, hit the clubs in the trendy Kultfabrik (an old potato processing facility that is now home to more than 20 clubs, bars and discos), or visit the many seasonal festivals, like the famous Oktoberfest that is held in September each year.

Interview with Moe Oyvind from Norway

Moe Oyvind, a native of Norway, began pursuing his Masters in Technology at Munich’s Technical University with a public financing degree from the Norwegian government.

Moe Oyvind, Foto: privat

What are the benefits of Munich?
I was surprised how unexpectedly friendly the people of Munich were. They showed a lot of patience with my bad German. Another benefit of Munich is the weather. Coming from Norway, this is like heaven here for me.

Do you enjoy your life here?
The city has grown on me. I was only going to study here for one year, but I’ve stayed on, so I guess you could say I like it. Of course I won’t lie to you: my girlfriend has a bit of say in that as well.

What's your favorite hangout in Munich?
That’s an easy one: “Schwabinger 7,” a dark cellar bar with arguably the most diverse crowd you’ll find anywhere. It takes the prize hands down. It’s the atmosphere. There are a lot of hot clubs in Munich, and you can have a lot of fun at them, but there are often too many stuck-up people at some of them. The people at Schwabinger 7 are just more real and down-to-earth.