The research interests of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg focus on environment, construction, energy, material and information and communication technology. And thus BTU claims: "Shaping the Future ..."

Leading Positions in College and University Ranking

BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg was able to reach leading positions in College and University Rankings of the weekly newspaper "Die Zeit". Also in the latest ranking for the academic year 2012/13 BTU reached leading positions in the study programmes architecture, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and economic science. Very good results received mathematics and computer science - these study programmes succeeded in very good personal guidance and treatment, good IT infrastructure and research grants. Studying computer science at BTU is recommendable – the study programme was ranked in leading positions nationwide and just recently received a new datacentre, the "Rostlaube".   

BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg – modern, excellent and globally networked

BTU Cottbus Campus is modern and on a good track for even more success in the future. In June 2002 the Panta Rhei, the Research Centre for Lightweight Construction Material, opened. The new Information-, Communication- and Media Center (ICMC/IKMZ), designed by the architects Herzog & de Meuron was consigned to BTU in December 2004. The ICMC accommodates the Central Library that was awarded "Library of the Year 2006" and received the award "Germany - Land of Ideas"; this is an innovation contest by the German federal government assigned to outstanding social projects. BTU Cottbus received the honour "Germany – Land of Ideas" a few times by now – in 2008 for the Panta Rhei and in 2009 for a research project in the surface mine Welzow-Süd.   

In December 2012 BTU was again able to stand it‘s ground in the contest to receive the title "International University – Strategies for the academic success of international students" in Germany. BTU again reached an excellent second place for the very convincing guidance and support concept for international students. The Donors' Association for the Promotion of Humanities and Sciences in Germany and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) announce the contest annually. BTU received 4.000 Euro to support student grants.   

But BTU also awards several scientific and university prizes for final theses. Those are often written in cooperation with notable economic and research institutions. BTU cooperates with many institutions and universities to support young academics: more than 60 universities worldwide, Fraunhofer, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, University of Technology Munich (TU Munich) and Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), Rolls Royce Germany, Deutsche Bahn Projektbau GmbH, AIRBUS Operations GmbH, Leibniz Institute for Regional Development and Structural Planning (IRS), Research Centre for Lightweight Construction Material, Brandenburgische Forschungs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft Cottbus mbH (BFE GmbH  - Brandenburg Research and Development Society).

Historical Bits about the Location of Science

Cottbus has a scientific history. Already in 1948 there used to be a so-called Landeshochbauschule, an academy for building and construction. In 1954 the University for the Building Industry was founded and was the third of its kind in the former German Democratic Republic. Due to political occurrences and missing conformity of parties the University Cottbus was closed. Some students and academic personnel could be transferred to University of Technology in Dresden. But just a few years later, in 1969, the academic sciences returned to Cottbus. The Engineering University for the Building Industry at today’s BTU Campus was founded and established as a university true to party principles of the GDR. Until 1974 three technical colleges, two vocational schools and two polytechnic institutes merged into a centre of education. In October 1989 the Engineering University was renamed University for the Building Industry Cottbus. 

The Brandenburg University of Technology in Cottbus was founded in 1991. On July 1st, 2013, BTU merged with the University of Applied Sciences Lausitz to form the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg.