Rice University and the Creation of International University Bremen

The day of September 20 should have been a joyous one for all—we had flown across the Atlantic to Bremen, Germany, to participate in the celebration of the birth of a new university, one midwifed into existence by Rice officials. But outside it was cold and rainy, and everyone—especially the delegation from Rice—had begun the day still somber from the shocking events of September 11. As we entered the huge tents erected for the occasion, we could hear the rain pelting the roof, but the optimism and joy on the faces of the first students and faculty and the exhilaration of the planners and staffers who had created the vision and transformed it into reality lifted the spirits and brightened the mood of everyone present. The air was filled with a sense of Pride, of accomplishment, of excitement about the future. Hope and confidence evaporated the gloom and made all of us appreciate the significance of the moment. When we left the tent after the ceremony to tour the campus, the clouds broke and the sun appeared. It seems hokey to relate, but no one could miss the symbolism or fail to see the promise of International University Bremen.

As with many other universities, the academic year was already under way—“orientation week” had begun on September 3 and classes started one week later. But International University Bremen (IUB), with an opening class of 140 students, 30 faculty, and a campus of about 80 acres, is a university unlike any other in Germany or, for that matter, all of Europe. It is unique because it is Europe’s first fully autonomous, private, residential research university that emphasizes instruction in a number of disciplines at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Thus, IUB’s goals are not only to offer a superior education to a select number of carefully chosen students but to serve as an academic model for introducing far-reaching reforms to the moribund university system of Germany and much of Europe.

What makes IUB of special interest to the Rice University community is the fact that it is modeled on Rice, from its emphasis on small classes, close faculty–student interaction, and interdisciplinary programs to its residential college system. All instruction is in English, the academic schedule is based on the semester system, and the degrees offered begin with the bachelor’s and will, in a few years, include the M.A. and the Ph.D. How did such an institution emerge in Bremen, and what has been Rice’s role it its creation?