Master & PhD Graduation Ceremony 2026
On the afternoon of 10 July 2026, the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Freiburg held its English-language graduation ceremony for Master's and doctoral graduates. Around 380 guests attended the event, which was hosted by Dr. Rainer Giersiepen and conducted in a formal academic setting.
The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Dr. Thomas Brox, opened the ceremony with an address recognizing the graduates' academic achievements and emphasizing the importance of research, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. As with the earlier ceremony, the Rector of the University of Freiburg, Prof. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein, conveyed her congratulations in a video message, highlighting the graduates' important role in advancing science and society.
As part of the ceremony, the Faculty of Engineering also presented its Teaching Awards. For the Summer Semester 2025, the awards were presented to Prof. Dr. Oliver Ambacher and Björn Christian, Prof. Dr. Hannah Bast, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bastian Rapp. For the Winter Semester 2025/26, the recipients were Prof. Dr. Hannah Bast, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bastian Rapp, and Dr.-Ing. Andreas Velte-Schäfer. With these awards, the Faculty recognized outstanding dedication to teaching and exceptional contributions to academic education.
One of the highlights of the afternoon was the graduate address delivered by Dan Wang, who reflected on personal experiences during their studies and emphasized the Faculty's international character as well as the diversity of academic paths represented within it.
Following the speeches, the graduates received their congratulatory folders from the Vice Deans for Academic Affairs and professors Prof. Dr. Hannah Bast, Prof. Stefan Glunz, and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Bastian Rapp. The doctoral graduates received their congratulatory folders from Dean Prof. Dr. Thomas Brox. The Faculty of Engineering warmly congratulates all graduates and wishes them every success, confidence, and inspiration for their future careers in academia, industry, and society.
Following the official ceremony, guests had the opportunity to meet and celebrate during a sparkling wine reception and informal get-together, providing time for conversations, farewells, and shared celebrations.
The ceremony was once again accompanied by the Academic Orchestra of the University of Freiburg, whose performances provided a festive and elegant musical setting. The Faculty extends its sincere thanks to the orchestra for enriching both graduation ceremonies with their outstanding musical accompaniment.
The Faculty would also like to express its heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to making these graduation ceremonies possible: From the organizers and all those involved to our guests. Special thanks go to the Dean's Office team Svenja Andresen, Isabela Buchholzer, Sabine Diringer, Ursula Epe, Eva Hein, Eva Moses, Ilka Muckle, Martina Nopper, Kerstin Steiger-Merx, Susanne Stork, and Andrea Will whose dedication and commitment ensured the successful planning and organization of these two special events.
A special thank you also goes to Hoppe Fotographie for capturing the atmosphere of the day through wonderful moments and professional portrait photography.
Above all, we congratulate our graduates. We are proud of all that you have accomplished and wish you every success and happiness in the next chapter of your journey.
The Fakultätsfest, organized by the student council and held on the same day, provided a relaxed and informal conclusion to the celebrations, allowing the festivities to continue well into the evening.
Contact:
Kerstin Steiger-Merx
Representative Marketing & PR
Faculty of Engineering
University of Freiburg
Phone: +49 761 203 8056
E-mail: steiger-merx@tf.uni-freiburg.de
Prof. Dr. Thomas Brox
Dean, Faculty of Engineering
University of Freiburg
Georges-Köhler-Allee 101
Phone: +49 761 203 8080
E-mail: dekan-tf@uni-freiburg.de