Universities of Applied Sciences

Universities of applied sciences offer both high-level research and career-relevant skills.

The universities of applied sciences, or Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften, as they are called in German, are important pillars of academic education in Baden-Württemberg. They provide high-level instruction with a strong practical focus. If you look for personalized teaching in small groups at a university that prepares you for a successful career, a university of applied sciences could be right for you.

Most universities of applied sciences were established fairly recently to meet a growing demand of the regional industry and public administration for highly trained young professionals. Some universities work with international partners and offer their programs in English.

Strong focus on relevant skills

The universities of applied sciences prepare you for a high-level business career. They offer more than 600 degree programs in engineering, business administration, technology, science, design or social services, to name a few. Often, they work closely with businesses and many degree programs require internships or semester/thesis projects with local businesses. This way, students gain valuable work experience during their studies and get to know potential future employers.

Technology transfer

The universities of applied sciences also perform basic research but with an eye on possible practical applications further down the road. Research projects are often conducted with industry partners from Baden-Württemberg or from abroad. If you are interested in seeing how your research is used in real life, a university of applied sciences will provide you with ample opportunities.

Degrees

You can graduate with a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a university of applied sciences in Baden-Württemberg. If you want to continue with your doctorate studies, you can do so at one of the 18 cooperative doctorate programs (internal link). You will most likely join a study group supervised by a professor from a research university.

Scientific research

In 2020, around 1000 research projects were conducted at Baden-Württemberg’s universities of applied sciences. About 3000 scientific papers were published, 105 million € in research funds were granted and 600 students were working on their doctorate degrees. Several networks such as the Baden-Württemberg Center of Applied Research (BW-CAR) support the transfer of knowledge and technologies and help ensure the high quality of research at the universities of applied sciences.