Technische Universität Dresden (TUD) is one of the top universities in Germany and Europe. Strong in research and considered excellent with respect to the range and the quality of degree programmes it offers, it is also closely interconnected with culture, business and society. As a modern university with a broad array of disciplines and with its five Schools it has a diverse scientific spectrum that only few other German universities are able to match. TUD is Saxony’s largest university with approximately 32,400 students and 8,300 employees – among them 600 professors. Since 2012, TU Dresden has been one of eleven Universities of Excellence in Germany. It was able to successfully defend this title on 19th July 2019.

The Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering at TU Dresden focuses on the challenges of the future in five main areas: new materials, advanced energy systems, sustainable nutrition, the networked industries of tomorrow and the efficient use of resources. Since 2012, the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering has been part of the School of Engineering Sciences and, as the largest faculty, an essential component of TU Dresden's elite concept. Its 13 institutes offer a unique range of subjects, from classical mechanical engineering to materials science and aerospace.

The Institute for Natural Materials Technology of the Faculty of Mechanical Science and Engineering pools expertise in the areas of extraction, processing and refinement of natural materials along the value chain, e.g. for food, biotechnological products or wood and fibre materials as part of a circular economy. The institute combines six chairs and a working group with the aim of improving the coordination of research in an increasingly complex world in order to switch from a resource-consuming to a bio-based economy.