Thai-Lai Pham with Juliane Winkelmann.
Thai-Lai Pham with Juliane Winkelmann.
Alumnus Thai-Lai Pham exemplifies TUM’s international appeal. He is the president of the first official TUM Alumni Chapter in Singapore. 

Since 2025, TUM Alumnus and international top manager Dr. Thai-Lai Pham has been President of the TUM Alumni Chapter Singapore, contributing to the promotion of education and networking. The picture shows him together with Prof. Dr. Juliane Winkelmann, Vice President for International Alliances and Alumni at TUM, at the opening ceremony for the world's first chapter in Singapore (picture: TUM).

TUM Alumni around the world

TUM is international: 41 percent of students currently come from abroad. Exchange between cultures and mutual learning from one another is a top priority at our university. This is how we develop ideas and launch innovations. Many alumni are active outside of Germany and are shaping the world of tomorrow around the globe with their experiences and ideas.

Specialist for Development Cooperation Francisco Obreque

„I learnt interdisciplinary work at TUM”

TUM Alumnus Francisco Obreque feels at home in many countries. Born in Chile, today he works as a specialist for rural development at the World Bank and travels a lot for work. With technical expertise and loans from the World Bank, he helps rural communities in over 20 countries to improve livelihoods and professionalize their work. During his doctorate at TUM, he learnt to work in an interdisciplinary way and to engage with different cultures.

Top Manager and Chapter President Thai-Lai Pham

“The spirit of excellence still accompanies me today.”

As CEO of Siemens ASEAN and president of the first official TUM Alumni Chapter in Singapore, Thai-Lai Pham combines academic excellence with global innovative strength.

Honoring Seven TUM Research Alumni

TUM Ambassadors 2025

On November 30, 2025, TUM President Prof. Thomas F. Hofmann presented seven TUM Research Alumni with the TUM Ambassador certificate of honor in front of around 2,000 guests at the annual TUM Advent concert in the Isarphilharmonie in Munich.

TUM Ambassador Shobhana Narasimhan

„We share the common language of science”

TUM Ambassador Shobhana Narasimhan has dedicated her life to science and equality in science. She is passionate about researching materials on the nanometer scale and is committed to equality between genders, nationalities, religions and castes.

TUM Ambassador Jonathan C. Onyekwelu

„TUM is my second home”

Dr. Jonathan C. Onyekwelu has been researching sustainable forest management for more than three decades. The tropical tree species, Gmelina arborea, has been a particular focus of his career – from the laboratories in Weihenstephan to reforestation projects in Nigeria. In 2025, Jonathan Onyekwelu will be honored as a TUM Ambassador.

Civil Engineer Ulrike Dackermann

“I had a lot of fun as a TUM student”

After graduating from TUM, Dr. Ulrike Dackermann registered as the 10,000th member of the TUM Alumni Network and then traveled all over the world. She is now a lecturer at the University of South Wales - the best university in Australia for civil engineering. She is still in contact with her former fellow students today, regardless of national borders.

The Women at the Helm of EPFL

"Science is Highly International"

Studies in Barcelona, a doctorate from the École Polytechnique near Paris, postdoc at CalTech and Habilitation at the TUM Walter Schottky Institute: Anna Fontcuberta i Morral has seen the world in the course of her career. The physicist has been president of the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) since January 2025.

TUM Ambassador Professor Muriel Médard (Picture: Lillie Paquette)

TUM Ambassadors

Our ambassadors in science

The TUM Ambassadors are renowned international guest scientists who feel a special connection to TUM – like Professor Muriel Medard. She is regarded worldwide as a pioneer in network coding. With original algorithms, the MIT professor of electrical engineering solved a fundamental problem in current decoding practice. She developed a chip that can decode any code.

Successful around the World 

Picture: Smart Dharma.

Insights from Mumbai

TUM Alumna Snehat Munhol is driving the development of a sustainable future.

Picture: Hannes Geipel.

Insights from Brussels

TUM Alumna Diana Schneider introduces design thinking to German companies.

Shape your global career

TUM provides comprehensive support for your international career start:

  • Job research in German foreign labor markets
  • Preparation of application documents for Germany and abroad
  • Contacting TUM Alumni with international experience
  • International internships

Picture: rakicevic-nenad-pexels.com

TUM Alumni Himanshu Panandikar in the podcast studio (Picture: Daniel Fürg).

A career in Germany

TUM Alumnus Himanshu Panandikar talks in the podcast about how he managed to enter the German job market after his studies and what he particularly appreciates about his German colleagues.

Picture: #tumcommunityfriday on Instagram

Join us for TUM Community Friday!

Every Friday, we post your greetings to the international TUM family under the hashtag #tumcommunityfriday on the TUM Community Instagram channel. We look forward to your contribution!

 

TUM Career Guide: Online now!

Now the book is available digitally – with everything you need to know for a successful application and career start. 

Content on topics such as analyzing strengths and weaknesses, finding jobs, drafting a resume and cover letter, mastering interviews, and much more is also still available as a hard copy. Get your university’s official application guide at the Alumni & Career office, Richard-Wagner-Straße 3, 4th floor (Mon – Fri, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

 

Cover TUM Magazine Issue 02/25

TUM Magazine

Groundbreaking research, innovative start-up ideas, inspiring alumnae and alumni – all this is offered by the new TUM Magazine.

Accompany researchers in their search for solutions for climate-resilient water management. Meet inspiring alumnae such as the new president of the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne, Anna Fontcuberta i Morral. Or find out more about the seven Clusters of Excellence at our university – find these and other exciting topics in the second issue of our TUM Magazine.

Look forward to many more exciting topics!

KontakTUM Archive

The KontakTUM Magazine was published twice a year for 20 years until 2023 in both German and English and was available in digital and print formats. Spanning around 70 pages, the alumni magazine focused on various key themes – always highlighting the individual life journeys and achievements of TUM alumni.

Impressions from the TUM family

Silver jubilees at the the anniversary celebrations 2022. (Picture: Magdalena Jooss/TUM).

Graduation ceremony 25 and 50 years

The film about the TUM jubilee celebrations in the summer of 2022

Contact

Picture: Magdalena Jooss / TUM

Dr. Verena Schmöller

Kommunikation

+49 89 289 22692

verena.schmoeller@tum.de

Alumni & Career Team

Picture: Uli Benz/TUM

Contact
Newsletter for TUM-Alumni

New, inspiring alumni stories and current event information specially selected for you by the editorial team: with the “TUM Updates” newsletter you will always stay informed.

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