As engineers, we stand for key innovations and systems in the topics of energy, mobility, production, automation, human-machine interaction, information technology and medical technology that are central to our environment and society.
KIT Engineering
Facts and Figures
34 institutes, 2,500 employees, 115,000,000 EUR (2025) third-party funds acquired, 10 Start-ups (2025), 2 departments, 12 study programs, 6,528 students, including 2,770 international students, 1,162 doctoral students
Higher Education
Our degree programs have been at the forefront of German higher education for many years thanks to their combination of theory, research, innovation and practical application.
The teams led by Professor Christian Koos, Dr. Philipp Dietrich, and Dr. Matthias Lauermann have been nominated for the German Future Award by the Federal President.
At the Institute of Photonics and Quantum Electronics (IPQ) and the Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT) at KIT, the three nominees have found new ways to meet the growing demand for fast and efficient data exchange.
To achieve this, they are relying on light instead of electricity. Their new methods make it possible to efficiently test optical microchips and precisely integrate them into high-performance systems. These innovations have been brought to industrial application through the KIT spin-offs Vanguard Automation and Keystone Photonics. In this way, they contribute to faster, more scalable, and more energy-efficient data processing.
KIT press release
Two early-career researchers from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have been successful in the latest call for Starting Grants from the European Research Council (ERC): In the COOLWEAVE project, Dr. Jingyuan Xu is developing a climate-friendly cooling technology. In the DATAARK project, Dr. Maryia Rusak is investigating how a classification system for building information developed across Europe after the Second World War and influenced major architectural projects. The two five-year projects will each receive EUR 1.5 million in funding.
New Mechanism Causes Float to Rotate in a Fixed Direction Solely Through Flows at Water Surface. Directed rotational motion is widespread in nature and technology. At small scales, however, it is difficult to generate. . Researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and partners in China are now presenting a mechanism in which flows at a water surface alone can cause a floating object to rotate controllably in a single direction.Using this mechanism, they assembled ultrathin fibers into structured bundles – for example to produce low-loss high-frequency transmission lines or surgical suture. The findings were published in Science Advances. (DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aed5495)
Buildings today typically rely on separate systems to provide electricity, heating and cooling. A research team at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) has now developed a hybrid energy system that delivers all three simultaneously from the same surface by combining solar energy with the coldness of outer space. At the heart of the system is a transparent cooling layer that radiates heat into outer space as infrared radiation while allowing sunlight to pass through. The researchers successfully demonstrated the concept with a prototype under outdoor conditions and see it as a potential building block for multifunctional building envelopes. Results in Cell Reports Physical Science. (DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2026.103492)
The German federal government is relying on KIT’s expertise in the development of a fusion reactor. The federal government is establishing new research institutions for the planned construction of a fusion reactor in Germany. KIT is playing a central role in this effort: Researchers here are developing key technologies for the fuel cycle, high-performance materials, and critical reactor components. In doing so, KIT is contributing its expertise to the implementation of fusion technology and playing a key role in shaping the path from basic research to practical application.
The IEEE PELS Outstanding Achievement Award for Contributions in Power Electronics Grid Technology recognizes innovators and researchers who have made outstanding technical contributions to allow power electronics to take a managerial role in the future electronic grid. Current Honoree 2026 is Prof. Dr.-Ing. Giovanni De Carne from the KIT-Institute ITEP Real Time Systems for Energy Technologies.