For the first time, KIT students are participating in the world’s largest competition in synthetic biology: iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine). Around 400 teams compete in this event every year. In clicKIT, Karoline, Friederike, and Thomas explain why they’re participating and why iGEM is much more than a traditional competition.

Defne Çelik has been awarded the 2026 DAAD Prize, honoring outstanding academic achievements and an exemplary dedication to supporting international students. When she heard the news, she was left speechless. In clicKIT, the student talks about her journey to KIT, her experiences, and her motivation to help others.

A semester abroad, new friendships, and experiences that last a lifetime: Every year, the Erasmus program enables hundreds of KIT students to venture beyond national borders. One of them is architecture student Luis Schuster. He traveled to Rome by bike for his Erasmus semester and is now sharing his experiences as a KIT Erasmus ambassador in the #OneInOneMillion campaign.

Paraplegia, depression, diabetes, visual impairment — students with health-related challenges often depend on tailored advice and support. We took a closer look at the most important support services available at KIT and spoke with both students and advisors. 

Industrial engineer Lennart Grothe crossed the finish line as the fastest KIT runner in the traditional race – and saw the event primarily as a strong team effort

Equal opportunity and acceptance are essential prerequisites for interaction on an equal footing in everyday student life. In cases where the General Equal Treatment Act is violated through discrimination, specialized contact points at KIT provide targeted advice and support. During Diversity Month in May, KIT also offers additional programs for students.

Helmholtz President Martin Keller visited KIT in March and had the opportunity to learn about ongoing research, speak with KIT’s early-career researchers and visit some of our unique infrastructure. In a common interview, he and KIT President Jan S. Hesthaven discussed upcoming priorities and KIT’s special role within the Helmholtz Association.

Display broken? “Then I’ll just program a new one!” That’s what Marco Demartino, a computer science student at KIT, thought. The reason: Since November 2025, the usual KVV digital departure displays have been missing at many stops at Karlsruhe. Instead of getting upset, Marco quickly developed his own website – and it works reliably.

The Mechatronics and Information Technology (MIT) master’s program at KIT combines mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and information technology into mechatronics. Students enjoy a great deal of freedom and can combine modules according to their own interests and preferences.

Researchers today produce more data than ever before. At the same time, AI is increasing the energy requirements of data centers. How can both be organized responsibly? Professor Achim Streit explains why good research data management and new concepts for data centers go hand in hand.

Would you still do a doctorate at 73? Hermann Merkel did, and five years later he can officially call himself “Doctor.” The former freight forwarder conducted research on e-highways at the KIT Institute for Material Handling and Logistics, often doubting himself in the process. In clicKIT, he explains what kept him going and why this period had such a profound impact on him.

Every year, students compete in the Digital Future Challenge (DFC) to develop the best solutions for a digital future. This year, two KIT teams prevailed over 87 other ideas: the AI agent system “Ankommen” helps people navigate the bureaucratic landscape, and the robot dog “Sprout” helps reduce the use of chemicals in agriculture.

What do robotics, artificial intelligence, and battery research have in common? For Noah Geiger and Konrad Dittrich, the answer is curiosity, initiative, and the courage to pursue international opportunities. Both studied at KIT, both sought to think outside the box, and both ended up at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). This was not by coincidence, but through intentional decisions.

At the end of last year, the KIT dining hall was transformed into a competition arena: Over 400 students from 70 universities in 13 countries in northwestern Europe travelled there with their more than 150 coaches to take part in Europe’s largest in-person programming competition – the Northwestern Europe Regional Contest (NWERC).

133 participants from 53 universities competing against each other: The German University Championships (DHM) in taekwondo took place at KIT on November 29, 2025. The event was organized by two KIT students, Kaize Zhou and Jessica Wolf. In clicKIT, they share what made the competition day so special.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is now embedded in nearly every aspect of text, image, and video processing. Yet we often don’t fully understand how AI arrives at its results. This understanding is crucial if we want to use AI reliably in critical areas such as energy supply. That is precisely what tenure-track professor Benjamin Schäfer at KIT is working on.