Darmstadt is located 30 km south of Frankfurt/Main and 60 km north of Heidelberg in the centre of one of Europe’s most industrious and flourishing areas. In 1997, the city’s name was officially changed to Wissenschaftsstadt Darmstadt (Darmstadt – City of Science) in appreciation of the city’s excellent reputation as the home of public and private scientific institutions, research-oriented industries and three institutions of higher education. The university offers a wide range of subjects. Close cooperation between science and the economy is an indispensable prerequisite for success. For this reason students are encouraged to learn how to put scientific ideas and principles into effect. Research projects are initiated and financed to a large extent by industrial and commercial companies. Around 18 per cent of the approximately 27,000 students are foreigners as are 24 per cent of the master students. The Technical University of Darmstadt is among the most international universities in Germany.