The Dean of the Faculty, Professor Thomas Burg, hosted the programme, which lasted around two hours. In his welcoming address, he paid tribute to the graduates’ achievements and thanked them for the trust they had placed in TU Darmstadt and the Faculty by choosing to study there.

Speaking on behalf of the Executive Board, Professor Peter Pelz, Vice-President for Digitalisation, Sustainability and Infrastructure, welcomed the guests. He reminded the graduates that TU Darmstadt, as their alma mater, would remain a part of their lives even after they had graduated. At the same time, he emphasised the importance of the people who had guided and supported them throughout their studies.

At the heart of his address was the call: “Make it happen.” This phrase, he said, describes not only the work of engineers but also their responsibility towards society. Technical solutions must work, but at the same time they must be sustainable, resource-efficient and geared towards people’s well-being. With particular regard to the future convergence of artificial intelligence and engineering, Pelz called on the graduates to play an active and responsible role in shaping technological progress.

Dean Thomas Burg then looked back on the history of the department. What began back then with issues relating to electric lighting, energy supply, measurement technology and drive technology has, over the decades, developed into a broad and interdisciplinary field. Today, the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology brings together numerous fields of research and application and offers a diverse range of degree programmes to around 2,000 students.

A particularly special part of the programme was the presentation of the Best Student Awards. Each semester, the department presents these awards to recognise outstanding academic achievement. The Best Student Award for the Bachelor’s programme went to Felix Mads Uli Pietrek. Florian Gerhard Freidinger was honoured in the Master’s programme.

In his speech that followed, Florian Freidinger congratulated all graduates on successfully completing their degrees. He spoke about starting his own studies in autumn 2019 and shared personal insights into his time at TU Darmstadt. He reflected on the experiences, challenges and encounters that shape a student’s time at university, whilst also highlighting the sense of community amongst the students.

Further honours were presented by the Friends of TU Darmstadt Association. Professor Holger Maune began by outlining the work of the association, which, amongst other things, funds Germany Scholarships, promotes networking within the university and facilitates new initiatives in research and teaching. Helena Mehler and Jonathan Strobl were awarded the Friends of TU Darmstadt Prize for their outstanding Master’s theses.

The highlight of the ceremony was the roll call of the graduates. One by one, they were invited onto the stage to celebrate their successful graduation together with the department and their families, and to have this special moment captured in photographs.

The graduation ceremony marked not only the successful completion of their studies, but also the start of a new chapter in their lives. At the reception that followed, the graduates rounded off the event in a festive atmosphere together with their families, friends and members of the department.