Trier: Studying in Germany's oldest city

Trier was once the capital of western Europe, the largest city north of the Alps and rivaled even Rome and Alexandria in prosperity. But Germany's oldest city has more to offer than an impressive past. It's picturesque, has the charm of a fairy tale and is presently occupied by about 20,000 students.

Trier at a glance

 

Inhabited perhaps since as long ago as 2000 BC - and certainly since 16 BC - this small, picturesque city welcomes almost two million tourists annually. They're flooding in because Trier is a treasure trove of Roman and German, pagan and Christian history. There are low, rolling hills with vineyards in the southeast, sandstone rocks to the north, the river Mosel in between, and of course a city with splendid architecture from two millenia. Trier has a different rhythm, a rhythm of tranquility.
Although visitors are attracted by the history of Trier, Germany's oldest city isn't living in the past. The architecture of yesteryear is filled with contemporary life and culture. The amphitheater stages rock festivals; monasteries are used as government offices or hospitals; and if you're looking for a cafe or pastry shop, chances are good that the building it's in dates back to medieval times.
Trier is a venerable place on the fringes of Rhineland-Palatinate, but it's in no way off the beaten track. It's an open-minded city with a European perspective. Located in the middle of the continent, it's closer to four European capitals than it is to Berlin: Brussels, Amsterdam, Paris and the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg. At only six miles away from the city center, the latter is practically within walking distance.

Overview of the universities

 

University of Trier

One can get the wrong impression upon hearing that the university was originally founded in the year 1437. The reality is that early chapters of the University of Trier were overshadowed by financial and administrative problems, and it was neither a surprise nor a loss when the institution closed its doors in 1798. The educational boom of the 1960s put Trier back on the map, first as part of the twin university Trier/Kaiserslautern in 1970, and then as an independent institution five years later. Since then, Trier University has greatly expanded its spectrum of study and gained its reputation as a European institution.
An international orientation is one of the basic principles of the university today, and it shows in many fields. Trier offers Euro-diplomas as well as many European subjects in the fields of law, commerce and social studies. Cross-border cooperation in research and teaching has been a staple at the university, as well as courses in foreign languages. The psychology department, which works closely with the local hospitals, is not only a showpiece but also one of the largest departments in Germany.
As in many smaller universities, the personal contact is more intense in every direction: from teaching staff to students and among students themselves. The university is set up on a single campus and the individual departments are grouped together in the form of a star around the central library. Although the university building is close to the city, the campus is very green and spacious with integrated objects of art.

Trier University of Applied Sciences
The University of Applied Sciences offers programs in computer science, architecture, management, design and many other technical subjects. It values work experience and takes a market-oriented approach, maintaining close contacts to regional businesses and public institutions. Some 4,400 students study at the Trier campus and at the environmental campus in Idar-Oberstein, 30 kilometers away.