The Distance and Independent Studies Center (DISC) turns 30 this year. The foundations were laid in 1992 with the introduction of the two distance learning programmes Adult Education and Medical Physics and Technology. Today, DISC at the TU Kaiserslautern (TUK) offers a total of 27 part-time Master's programmes as well as certificate programmes and courses. Meanwhile, not only the number of study programmes has increased significantly – in the winter semester 20/21, DISC recorded the highest total number of students so far with 4,400 students, and in the winter semester 21/22, the distance learning student ratio at TUK reached an all-time high of over 30 %. DISC can now report more than 17,000 graduates from Germany and all over the world.

In addition to the conception and implementation of postgraduate distance learning programmes with the departments of TUK and other cooperation partners, the Distance and Independent Studies Center performs cross-sectional tasks in the area of higher education didactics through the Center for Self-directed Learning and the eTeaching Service Center, so that DISC's portfolio is complemented with various offers and services for both the distance learning students and the on-campus students and lecturers of TUK.

Currently, over 70 employees and about 45 student assistants work at DISC. In addition, members from the departments and external lecturers are involved in the study programmes. 

More information on the anniversary can be found in the UNISPECTRUM (only available in German).

Photo by Marina Barcelos on Unsplash