How can I get involved?

There are easy ways to get involved and be heard. Use the following options, to share your opinion and co-create the development of KIT – with little effort.

Student Surveys

From the beginning of your studies until your graduation, you’ll be surveyed regularly on various topics about your studies and teaching:

• The Enrollment Survey for the new students in their first year

• Reoccuring Surveys on Studies and Examinations

• Graduate Survey (also known as “Alumni Survey”)

The results of the surveys are available to all relevant structures at Kit. They are directly a part of further development of the degree programs and are part of the accreditation processes.

You can find a brief summary of the results every semester on this Website, detailed results are shown (only internally via KIT-Network) on the QM SharePoint.

Course Evaluation

In the second half of each semester, all the mandatory courses are evaluated.

In the course evaluation, you answer, among other questions, 6 Main questions about the course – e.g., structural, about the workload of the course and the commitment of the teacher. The Teaching Quality Index (LQI) is calculated based on these answers. The persons responsible for teaching receive aggregated semester reports.

You can find a brief summary of the results every semester on this Website, detailed results are shown (only internally via KIT-Network) on the QM SharePoint.

Decentralized/ KIT-Departments/ Degree Programs

• Students’ Council (Fachschaft, FS)

Each degree program at KIT is assigned to at least one Students’ Council.  All members of the council are students, and are therefore usually best able to provide direct assistance with any problems regarding the degree program. Mostly, the Students’ Council organizes the orientation phase for new first semester students, as well as parties or BBQs and also offers studying aids or collections of lab protocols. A lot of student representatives in other KIT Department Councils or Commissions (e.g., KIT Department Council or Study Commission) are members of the Students’ Council, so they are close to the degree program, but also in close connection with the KIT Department.

KIT-wide

• General student committee (AStA)

The AStA is the head of the constituted student body, meaning all enrolled students. Its work is divided in different departments, which the Student Parliament (StuPa) elects, along with its work plan.

• Students’ Council Conference (FSK)

All Students’ Councils delegate members to the FSK. Here, they exchange plans and opinions, plan projects and events together and coordinate working with the AStA.

• Student Parliament (StuPa)

The StuPa is lake the Bundestag of the constituted student body at KIT. It decides all the important things concerning you as KIT students. In addition, it elects the AStA representatives, adopts the AStA’s work program, and appoints student to fill positions in KIT-wide committees and commissions that aren’t filled through elections. So, students are delegated to different commissions, e.g, KIT senate commissions, the Council of Elders, the administrative board of the Studierendenwerk Karlsruhe.

• Council of Elders (Ältestenrat, ÄRa)

The Council of Elders is the arbitration council of the constituted student body. Experienced students hold these positions, as the Council of elders inquires the interpretation and application of the VS’s bylaws and regulations, and reviews new amendments.

Academic Councils and Committees with student participation

• KIT Senate

KIT Senate issues statements on the Structural and Development Plan, confirms the members of the Executive Board, and makes decisions regarding research, teaching, academic programs and continuing education. Often, this happens in Senate Commissions (SK), in which students are always represented as well, delegated via the Student Parliament. In addition, the Senate advises the Supervisory Board (Aufsichtsrat) and the Executive Board on scientific and technical matters. The Senate meets once a month and includes four student members, elected by the entire student body and Assessors, some delegated by the AStA. The Senate Commissions are tasked by the Senate on specific topics. In all of them, students are represented. Examples of Senate Commissions are:

o SK Studies and Teaching (SK SL): Evaluates academic and teaching activities and prepares related topics and needs for the Senate.

o SK Equal Opportunity and Diversity (SK CHG): Evaluates the KIT as an inclusive environment for all students and staff, and develops ideas and topics aimed at continuous improvement.

o SK on Examination Regulations, Selection, and Admission (SK POAZ): Prepares amendments and revisions to examination regulations, selection and admission statutes for the Senate.

o There are further senate commissions, e.g., Structural and Strategic Affairs (SK STR), Ethics Commission (SK Ethik), Commission for Ensuring Good Scientific Practice (SK GWP), and the Budget Commission.

In addition to the SKs, there are other relevant commissions:

• The KIT-PLUS-Commission (KPK): As part of the internal KIT-PLUS accreditation process, KPK evaluates the degree programs to be accredited in terms of content and structure and makes recommendations to the Executive Board regarding possible measures for further development.

• Commission for distributing Quality assurance funds (Qualipakt-Kommission): KIT receives funds from the federal state of Baden-Württemberg to ensure Quality in studies and teaching. In this Commission is at least one student as a member.

Decentralized/ KIT-Departments/ Degree Programs

• KIT Department Councils (FR, FakRat): The KIT Department Council oversees the facilities of a KIT Department. It is an essential part of the creation of the Structural and Development Plan, provides input on nominations and (especially important for you) develops and reviews the academic and examination regulations with the corresponding

Study Commission (StuKo).

At least three students are members of the Council. They are elected by all students of the department.

• Study Commission (StuKo):

Appointed by the KIT Department Council, the Study Commission consists of ten members, four of them students. All questions regarding study and teaching of the corresponding degree program(s) are discussed here, so the Study Commission is an important part of the development and implementation of the study and examination plans. If you have concerns regarding your degree program, you can talk to your delegates in the Study Commission, who then will bring them up in the meetings. There are a few interdepartmental Study Commissions at KIT, just ask your Students’ Council which one is responsible for your degree program.

• Examination Commission (PA):

Sometimes composed by the members of the Study Commission, the Examination Commission is responsible for most matters related to examinations. Among other things, the Commission sets the exam schedule an is responsible for recognizing academic achievements outside the degree program (e.g., studies abroad or vocational training), as well as the extension of BAföG, extensions of deadlines or second repetitions of exams. Students are only represented in the Commission without voting rights.

• Selection Commission (AK):

Selection Commission are mandatory in degree programs with admission restrictions and all master’s degree programs (as they are always admission restricted). The Commission decides if an applicant will be accepted. Depending on the degree program, there are different selection processes in use, with the corresponding Commission involved. At least one student is a member of the Commission.

• Appointment Commission (BK):

Every new or vacant professorship is advertised and an appointment commission is formed. Members of this commission are professors, staff and students. The students should focus particularly on the candidates’ teaching skills.

KIT Division Councils:

KIT’s Divisions are organized by discipline and bring together research, teaching and innovation activities to the institutes, departments and Helmholtz programs assigned to them. Each division is headed by a division director, who is supported by a division council, that includes one student representative.