10 years Kittler Student Centre

After only nine months of construction, the transformation of the former Nachrichtentechnische Bibliothek (NTB) into a learning centre with a new service concept was also successfully implemented in terms of design, while preserving the original planning of the architect Ernst Neufert from the late 1960s. The cooperation between Department V, the companies directly involved and the faculty worked so perfectly that the ambitious schedule could be kept. The number of learning spaces was almost doubled.

A classical library with study-related services

The content concept of the learning centre links classic library services with subject-related services and takes the students' perspective into account: The KSC team, for example, reflects the high internationality of the department in order to also be able to provide native-language assistance on lecture content and exam topics. The student assistants who work in the KSC team are crucial to the success of this concept and have always contributed their personal experience to the day-to-day work with a high level of motivation.

Over the past ten years, students from 18 countries have been part of the KSC team, showing that deliberate inhomogeneity and diversity can be a strength when the goals are clear. Innovative new ideas such as the lecture training for the presentation of theses came about through the open exchange of opinions.

The cooperation with the University and State Library (ULB) is also very successful. The cooperation agreement of 2011 stipulates, among other things, the permanent support of the KSC and regulates the division of labour with the library's MINT subject team.

Great appreciation from the students

Incidentally, one of the Chancellor's wishes from 2013 has come true: At the time, he urged careful handling of the KSC's furnishings because the funds for future repairs were not available. In fact, in ten years of KSC operation, there has been no damage whatsoever – neither to tables and chairs nor to the carpeting. The students are very appreciative of the learning centre and see it as their facility.

The Corona pandemic from March 2020 to February 2023 was a noticeable setback for the KSC, but even during this time, creative approaches made it possible to reopen the learning centre to students as early as summer 2020 – albeit under considerable conditions and restrictions, which were partially compensated for by new service ideas.