Architecture & Planning - Dessau-Roßlau, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
DIA has a unique academic as well as geographic position: To study in the famous Bauhaus City Dessau, 120 km (80mls) south of Berlin, is a challenge to any architecture student. In addition, Dessau is embedded in a triangle of old historic German Cities like Halle, Leipzig and Wittenberg. DIA started its activities ten years after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1999 with 10 students. It has by now expanded to about 200 students from more than 30 countries. The Dessau International Architecture Graduate School is conducting a Master Course in Architecture at Graduate Level which is taught entirely in English. After two years these studies lead to an internationally accredited Master of Arts Degree. Today DIA has the most successful English-taught Master of Architecture Course in Germany. Its students win the highest number of scholarship awards from the German Academic Exchange Program DAAD. Some of its students have won prizes in coveted Architecture competitions like FEIDAD or the German DAAD Prize.As a School of Architecture, DIA took part in the 2006, 2008 and 2010 Beijing Architecture Biennale for young talents as the only participant from Germany.As basis for this success, I see the successful integration of such a large international student body at the famous Gropius Bauhaus location, in the multitude of academic options offered in the course, as well as the strong emphasis in teaching both theory in balance with digital media and their intelligent architectonic and technical handling.To study at DIA is certainly an exciting and academically challenging experience for any student that is looking for a second education at Master level.