Information for incoming students

The Institute for Mining and Energy Law (IBE) signed bilateral agreements with the universities of Almería (Universidad de Almería), Bologna (Università degli Studi Bologna), Tilburg (University Tilburg), Graz (Karl-Franzens Universität Graz), Copenhagen (Kobenhavns Universitet), Krakow (Uniwersytet Jagiellonski Krakow), Madrid (Universidad Carlos III. de Madrid), Oslo (Universitetet i Oslo), Prague (Univerzita Karlova v Praze), Rome (Libera Università Internazionale degli Studi Sociali Gudio Carli) and Tilburg (Tilburg University).

Students from these universities are very welcome to join in the ERASMUS exchange programme. Here, in Bochum, the students have the opportunity to take part in energy-law courses offered by the Institute for Mining and Energy Law. Furthermore, the students can take part in law-courses (civil law, criminal law, public law and international law) offered by the Faculty of Law. All courses are offered in German language! To improve the German language, the University of Bochum offers several German language-courses for international students.

The International Relations Office is there to help you with all your enquiries about studying as a foreign student at the University of Bochum. Further information: http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/intoff/studying-in-bochum/index.html

European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)

Studying abroad can be a particularly valuable experience. It is not only the best way to learn about other countries, ideas, languages and cultures; increasingly, it is an important part of professional and academic career development. Students envisaging a study abroad will be looking not only for a study programme that is relevant to their final degree, but full academic recognition which ensures that they will not lose time in completing their degree by studying abroad. To help students make the most from their study abroad, the European Commission has developed a European Credit Transfer System, which provides a way of measuring and comparing learning achievements, and transferring them from one institution to another.

ECTS credits are a value allocated to course units to describe the student workload required to complete them. They reflect the quantity of work each course requires in relation to the total quantity of work required to complete a full year of academic study at the institution, that is, lectures, practical work, seminars, private work -- in the laboratory, library or at home -- and examinations or other assessment activities. In ECTS, 60 credits represent one year of study (in terms of workload); normally 30 credits are given for six months (a semester) and 20 credits for a term (a trimester). The credits are allocated to courses and are awarded to students who successfully complete those courses by passing the examinations or other assessments.

European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) of the Institute for Mining and Energy Law can be found here.