Fashion School Q&A: Reutlingen University

Reutlingen University is a university of applied sciences, involved in education and research, and is located in Reutlingen, Germany. The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs in the main fields of International Business, Engineering, Information, Medical, and Natural Science and Design. FashionUnited recently spoke to Saskia Groß, Marketing & Communications Manager at Reutlingen to discuss the type of courses the college offers, the impact of Covid-19, and the future plans of the institute.

How has the transition from in-house to remote learning been for the school and students?

Considering the circumstances, the ride has been quite smooth. Before the pandemic, we didn’t have online courses on a regular basis. Sure, we had guest lecturers who joined the classroom online or digital meet-ups for international student projects with our partners, but remote learning wasn’t our daily business. With the start of the pandemic, everybody was very hands-on and dedicated to find the best possible solution for our students, which meant that we were able to implement the according to tools and switch to remote learning quite smoothly. We do have exceptions to remote learning, though. Following all necessary safety precautions and rules, we can luckily welcome small student groups at a time for courses that require practical skills and need to be taught in our outstanding laboratories on campus.

How would you describe the Reutlingen student community?

Simple as that - it’s the best. But to be more specific: our students are very dedicated, cosmopolitan, enthusiastic, and open-minded. Wherever they come from and whatever they have in mind for their personal future, they are all united by the love and passion for everything textile. We are very proud and happy about that.

What kind of courses does Reutlingen offer? What is the focus area?

We offer a wide range of both bachelor's and master's degrees and curricula in technology, management, and design. New technologies, the global economic environment, and socio-political developments all play a key role in shaping our program content, which is regularly updated and which’s the ultimate goal is always to allow the best possible education and future for our students.

What do we need to know about Reutlingen?

Well, firstly we have been there a while. To be specific, we have been educating students and initiating research and development in the textile industry for 165 years. The city of Reutlingen and the surrounding area have an extensive and rich heritage in this sector. Today, the university is known and respected throughout the global textile industry and one of IFFTI’s active members. We are ideally equipped for the future and offer not only high-end education but also an active multicultural, multilingual campus.

The campus offers easy access to study resources, accommodation, sports facilities, and shopping. It is only a short walk to classrooms and lecture halls, the library, and the cafeteria. The campus is located on the outskirts of Reutlingen (population approx. 120,000), a short drive or bus ride to the city center. Reutlingen, which is close to the city of Stuttgart, is a town known for its high quality of life, with a wide range of cultural events and leisure activities making Reutlingen an attractive place to live and study.

What are the plans for this year? Any new things coming up?

Oh, yes! There is a lot going on and planned for the future right now, but the most exciting for sure is the Texoversum! Together with our partner the Southwest Textile Association (Südwesttextil), we are building a 3,000 square meters training and innovation center on campus. It will be a Europe's-wide lighthouse for textile education and innovation. This will be inspiring for all those involved. Texoversum will bring together first-class textile education and research along the entire value-added chain. This is where we will shape the world of tomorrow.

Do you have any tips for future students who want to study at Reutlingen?

That’s easy - yes: apply and become one of us!

Image: Texoversum - © Allmann Sattler Wappner Architekten, Menges Scheffler Architekten; Jan Knippers Ingenieure.