The focus of the project-oriented degree courses is on design. Practical relevance is created through excursions and visits to the built environment. As specialisation increases, a variety of links with other disciplines lead to cooperations with energy experts, civil engineers, art historians, urban and regional planners, landscape planners and architects, artists and other experts.

The institute is part of a high-profile international network via persons, the organisation of teaching and cooperations with leading universities and research institutions in Japan, the USA, Israel, Turkey, China and South America, as well as Milan, Paris, Madrid, Delft and many others. All degree courses include a mobility window. There is one English-language master's degree in Architecture-Typology and two dual degree programmes with an international orientation. The institute regularly hosts internationally oriented conference and lecture series.

The built environment is subject to rapid change. By 2050, more than 60 % of all people will live in cities. This process must be planned, monitored and, above all, spatially and structurally implemented. This requires considerable research and development efforts. In recent years, the Institute of Architecture has significantly contributed to this process with numerous research projects. Numerous research partnerships in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Latin America are already firmly anchored at the Institute of Architecture.