First Graduates of GUtech in Oman
A celebration for the first graduates of the German University of Technology in Oman, GUtech for short, recently took place: 30 students successfully finished their Bachelor of Science. In addition to RWTH Aachen Rector Ernst Schmachtenberg, high-level guests also participated in the farewell in Muscat, such as the German ambassador in Oman, Hans-Christian Freiherr von Reibnitz and the DAAD General Secretary Dr. Dorothea Rüland.
GUtech was founded in December 2006 in collaboration with RWTH Aachen and financed by private Omani investors. Professor Dr. Burkhard Rauhut, former rector of RWTH Aachen, assumed the role of rector at GUtech in 2008. During the celebration, he recognized: " We started with 60 students. 650 students are currently enrolled. It is our task to enable you to adapt yourself the ever changing needs of your future profession. Nowadays finding facts is easy but transferring them into knowledge to make use of it is hard work. To be successful in your careers, you will need knowledge, imagination, and passion for your work."
RWTH Aachen Rector Schmachtenberg also bid the graduates farewell: "You will be responsible for the future of technology. I am convinved we can overcome many challenges with engineering, which is a tool to give us health, prosperity, and a better world."
Dr. Rüland from the DAAD recognized the involvement of the Aachen university: "I would like to congratulate GUtech for its achievements. RWTH Aachen has implemented an up-to-date quality system that has become a role-model for other universities abroad."
Graduates reported about their binational experiences: "At GUtech we learned punctuality from the Germans and the Germans learned to say in shah' allah. We were pioneers of the university. We spent long hours working and achieving our goals abd we fell in love with our majors. We learned how to question instead of receiving only answers. And in addition to our education we received an education in life.
RWTH Aachen and GUtech promote the cultural and academic exchange between Germany and Oman through joint workships, field-trips, conferences, and summer internships. 30 students from the Sultanate recently attended a workshop at the RWTH Aachen Chair of Urban and Regional Planning. The workshop was funded by the DAAD and GUtech.