The Technical University Nurnberg Georg Simon Ohm was established on August 1, 1971, its major academic disciplines include engineering, business administration, social studies and design.

The inititative of focusing on engineering was born in one of the oldest polytechnics in Europe, the "Municipal Polytechnic Institute" which was founded in 1823 by Johannes Scharrer, Nuremberg´s mayor and patron of the German railroad system.

On August 4, 1983 the polytechnic in Nuremberg was officially renamed "Georg-Simon-Ohm-Fachhochschule Nürnberg" by decree of the Bavarian state parliament. Thus the traditional name for the largest institution had been reinitiated, honoring the renowned physicist, Georg Simon Ohm, who had lectured at the original institute and had been its director from 1839 to 1849.

Nuremberg is a medieval town characterized by its architecture and the magnificent 950-year-old Imperial Castle, the symbol of Nuremberg. Today, Nuremberg is a city with a turbulent history, vibrant present and bright future. The second largest city in the Free State of Bavaria, known as the city of human rights, it has an international population of around 500,000 inhabitants with the metropolitan region home to 3.5 million inhabitants.

In addition to numerous museums and exhibitions, culture flourishes everywhere in Nuremberg with open-air concerts, opera, theatre and numerous cultural programs. The city is also an economic powerhouse and the headquarters for many big businesses.

The Greek Omega in the logo of the university represents the largest discovery of Georg Simon Ohm - the law of electrical resistance.