About us
The Department of Mechanical Engineering is part of KIT's Area 3 "Mechanical and Electrical Engineering" together with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, four Helmholtz programs, and eight institutes of the large-scale research area. The department consists of more than 20 institutes with about 1,000 employees, including about 40 professors, 460 scientific employees, and 200 employees in administration and technology. In addition, there are several hundred tutors and scientific assistants.
Heat-resistant, radiation-resistant and industrially producible - this is how the proverbial "first wall" of future fusion power plants should withstand the extreme conditions inside the reactor. KIT researchers are developing new materials and production processes together with partners from science and industry under the coordination of the laser fusion company Focused Energy. The BMFTR is funding the joint project with around 11 million euros.
Are you interested in studying mechanical engineering? Have you always wanted to know what mechatronics engineers and information technicians do? If materials science and materials engineering sound exciting, stop by our information stand in the Audimax, attend a taster lecture or visit a research institute. Here you can find our program
Further information and the complete KIT program
On November 26, 2025 from 1pm to 4pm, the annual International Fair of the KIT Department of Mechanical Engineering and the KIT Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology will take place in the Audimax foyer. Both the department's own programs and general exchange and internship opportunities will be presented. You can talk directly to the program managers at their information stands or during the presentations in the seminar room and exchange ideas with former outgoing and current guest students. Further information
[...]"Mechanical and plant engineering plays a key role in all prioritized technologies and research fields. With around 190,000 engineers, the sector will make its contribution to the success of the ambitious High-Tech Agenda as the most important engineering employer in Germany," says Hartmut Rauen, Deputy Managing Director of the VDMA.
Complete press release of the VDMA
Damp meadows, steep slopes and loose soils often pose a challenge for agricultural vehicles. Together with an industrial partner, researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed a new drive system that safely drives off-road vehicles through difficult terrain. It replaces conventional differentials with individually controllable gears on each wheel. This makes it possible to master terrain that was previously impassable.
Reducing the consumption of fossil fuels - a new material could contribute to this in aircraft engines and gas turbines in the future. A team at KIT has developed a refractory metal alloy with a novel combination of chromium, molybdenum and silicon that is malleable at room temperature, stable at a melting temperature of around 2,000 degrees Celsius even at high temperatures and at the same time resistant to oxidation. DOI 10.1038/s41586-025-09516-8 Press release
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