Greeting from Thomas Ebersberger, Mayor of the City of Bayreuth
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Fifty years of the University of Bayreuth – what a remarkable milestone for our city! The University of Bayreuth, Bavaria’s seventh state university at the time, commenced its first winter semester in 1975/76 with just 632 students and three faculties. A decade later, the student population had grown to 4,834. By the 2005/06 winter semester, 9,487 students were enrolled, and today, the university boasts approximately 12,000 students per semester.
Over the past decades, what began as three natural science-focused departments has expanded into seven faculties, the most recent being the Faculty of Life Sciences: Food, Nutrition and Health in Kulmbach, which began teaching in the 2020/21 winter semester.
Another major milestone in the university’s recent history is the Medical Campus Upper Franconia (MCO). This initiative was solidified through a cooperation agreement signed on 1 December 2021 between Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, the University of Bayreuth, and various healthcare institutions in Upper Franconia, as well as the student unions of Erlangen/Nuremberg and Bayreuth.
The MCO brings significant benefits—to the university and its students, to Bayreuth as a centre for healthcare, and to the city's residents. For the university and students, it offers expanded teaching and learning opportunities. For Bayreuth’s hospitals, it presents a strategy to address the shortage of medical professionals. And for the citizens, it ensures the continued availability of top-tier medical care.
The University of Bayreuth’s 50-year journey is also a reflection of the city's evolution as a university town. The steady growth in student numbers over the decades has made Bayreuth more dynamic, youthful, and internationally vibrant. The city and "its" university have grown together, sharing a vision of progress, innovation, and a future-oriented approach.
A shining example of this collaborative spirit is the planned Regional Innovation Centre (RIZ). This initiative will create a supportive environment for young entrepreneurs looking to establish their businesses after graduation. The RIZ will not only provide optimal conditions for start-ups but will also help retain highly qualified professionals in the Bayreuth region, further strengthening the local economy.
The University and the City of Bayreuth have ambitious plans for the future. Rest assured that the university, from which all of our current mayors have graduated, can always count on the unwavering support of the city of Bayreuth.
I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the University of Bayreuth on its 50th anniversary, a milestone that underscores its national and international reputation for excellence. I wish the university continued success, innovative growth, and generations of fulfilled students in the years to come.
Thomas Ebersberger
Mayor of the City of Bayreuth