Information for Project Supervisors at RWTH

 

What Is UROP?

UROP supports Bachelor's students who are motivated to independently complete a research project and gather practical experience in addition to their regular studies.

Students have the opportunity to gain valuable insight into research practices in their subject and neighboring fields, establish contact with RWTH scientists, and actively help boost research activities at RWTH.

The Target Group

Highly motivated, involved, and interested students at RWTH and North American universities.

  • UROP International: American and Canadian students from different, renowned universities come to Aachen for a ten-week RWTH research summer school.
  • RWTH UROP: RWTH students complete research projects at institutes and departments of RWTH Aachen University. Since 2021, this program line has included a focus on sustainability and projects in alignment with the 17 SDGs, and a new filter has been created in the database to identify such projects.

When Is UROP Scheduled to Take Place?

  • UROP International: once a year in the summer for ten weeks; calendar weeks 21 to 30.
  • RWTH UROP: not restricted to a specific time frame or subject to any deadlines, meaning projects can be completed both during the semester and during lecture-free periods and last between one and six months. Project mentors and students can individually and flexibly arrange the project's time frame.

Who Can Become a Supervisor?

Professors, researchers, postdocs, and doctoral candidates from all subject areas at RWTH Aachen and Forschungszentrum Jülich. During the project, you serve as the student's main contact person regarding all technical questions. The UROP coordinator manages all other organizational matters.

How Can You Get Involved?

  • You can easily and quickly enter your research project into our projects database with the help of our online form under Projects Database Entry for Supervisors, and we will then activate it in our database, typically within 24 hours, so that students can apply.
  • Put your project online; it is best if you clarify what you are looking for in an applicant, such as language skills or certain technical skills.
  • Choose the program component – and thus target group – your project should be listed under: RWTH UROP or UROP International. You can also have RWTH students work with international students on a project together.
  • If you wish to enter a project for RWTH UROP Sustainability, confirm this by responding "Yes" in our Lucom project database "Program Component: UROP RWTH". After you have done this, RWTH UROP Sustainability will appear as a sub-category below and you can select it.
  • Qualified students can apply to your project through the UROP coordinator at the International Office. Applications are reviewed to make sure they are complete and fulfill the requirements before they are forwarded to you. If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them. For UROP International this generally takes place the fourth week of February.
  • After reviewing the technical qualifications you decide whether you would like to accept an applicant for your project.
  • If there are multiple applicants for your project, you select the candidate who would best fit in with your team and meet your demands. You are welcome to accept more than one student for your project.
  • To successfully complete the program, students must submit a five to seven-page final report and present their project results at the UROP Colloquium. Alternatively, students can also give a presentation at the respective institute or chair instead of at the colloquium.

Why should you get involved?

  • Give outstanding students a chance to experience your research field.
  • Have highly motivated students help complete/support your projects and as potential Master's students.
  • See things from other perspectives and proactively support junior researchers.
  • Contribute to strengthening our partnerships with North American universities and add an international quality to your team and RWTH.