Humboldt Haus, the International Center of RWTH Aachen

  Andreas Hermann  

History

The Humboldt Haus and the adjacent “Red House” belong to a complex of buildings built as a Carmelite Convent in 1660. The convent was dissolved in 1802 by the French, and the two buildings are the only remains of the convent having survived World War II. The remnants of the former welfare institution bear witness to the existence of the Carmelite Convent and thus are an important part of the history of the City of Aachen.

In 1958, the buildings were rebuilt to house the “Alexander von Humboldt Haus” of RWTH Aachen University, which was conceived as a meeting place for international students. In 2006, after a period of extensive renovation work, the House re-opened its doors on December 4, 2006, and is a lively meeting point for German and international students.

 

Structure

The Humboldt Haus is managed by the Central University Administration (ZHV), which is supported by the advisory board of the Humboldt Haus.

The advisory board consists of the following members:

1. a member of the Foreigners' Representation (AV)
2. a member of the Intercultural Centre of Aachen Students (INCAS)
3. a member of the Students' Union (AStA)
4. a representative of the International Office (Dept. 2.0)
5. a representative of the Office for International Student and Researcher Services (Dept. 2.0)
6. a representative of the Press and Public Relations Office (Dept. 3.0)

The advisory board supports the coordinator of the Humboldt Haus and provides advice on the house’s activities. The meetings of the board are open to the public; times and dates of board meetings are announced in the nternational Office calendar.

The Humboldt Haus is open on a daily basis, and its facilities include two differently sized seminar rooms, an office for the INCAS (Intercultural Centre of Students in Aachen) as well as an office for international student organisations (TraV).