Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW)

Stuttgart, Germany

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About the employer

Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg - DHBW) is the first higher education institution in Germany which combines practical workplace training and academic studies and, therefore, achieves a close integration of theory and practice, both being components of the dual education. The key feature of the so-called dual study concept is that students regularly switch from their academic studies at the university to practical training by their workplace training provider, the so-called corporate partner. That means students are not only taught theoretical knowledge, but also learn to apply this knowledge in practice. With around 34.000 enrolled students, 9.000 partner companies and more than 125.000 graduates, our university counts as one of the largest higher education institutions in the Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg. The official seat of the university is in Stuttgart. The US State University System oriented organization structure of the DHBW, comprising of both central and decentralized levels is unique in Germany. Throughout its eight various locations the university offers a broad range of Bachelor´s degree programs in the fields of business, engineering, and social work. All degree programs are both nationally and internationally accredited, count as intensive study programs and are worth 210 ECTS credits. In addition, the university offers graduate degree programs with an integrated on-the-job training.

Mission & Vision

Preamble Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University emerged from the former University of Cooperative Education (Berufsakademie Baden-Württemberg - BA BW) and continues to carry on the acknowledged and highly successful model of dual education. More than 40 years ago, this model was initiated by the renowned companies Robert Bosch, Daimler-Benz and SEL. Taking into consideration its outstanding performance over the past decades, the German Federal State of Baden-Wuerttemberg has granted Berufsakademie Baden-Württemberg the legal status of a university. Now the institution is officially called Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg - DHBW). With its main official seat in Stuttgart and its eight various locations across Baden-Wuerttemberg, DHBW is the first university in Germany to integrate academic-based theoretical knowledge and work experience. We consistently and deliberately combine academic studies with applied learning in the professional world, cooperating with numerous workplace training providers (corporate partners). Students completing their degrees at the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University alternate between academic studies and on-the-job training, which gives them the opportunity to immediately apply concepts learnt in class to their workplace and vice-versa bring in new ideas from their training companies into the classroom. With this strategy, DHBW provides a route to sought-after academic qualifications while enabling students to gain extensive practical experience. This enables DHBW graduates to take on challenging tasks early in their professional pathways, helping them to launch their successful careers. DHBW welcomes participating companies and social institutions as equal partners to the university. All partners work together to continuously develop and improve the dual study concept and to achieve our mutual goals.