MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF THE SUPERVISORY BOARD

Dear Sir or Madam,

the unique value of an institution becomes apparent precisely when it is particularly needed. For 50 years, Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University has been a reliable partner for its cooperative partner companies in the academic training and development of specialists and managers. In times of an increasing shortage of skilled labour, DHBW’s Cooperative Partners are aware of the value of this very special university.

DHBW is needed and companies and social organisations are prepared to continue to actively invest in the education of young people in the future, to give the specialists and managers of tomorrow the best possible start to their careers and to retain them at an early stage.

With around 10,000 graduates per year, DHBW awards degrees to more Bachelor’s students than any other German university. The same applies in particular to the 4,000 or so students that graduate in the fields of engineering sciences and business information systems, in which there is such an urgent need for qualified people.

At the same time, DHBW is increasingly developing into a strategic partner for academic training beyond the traditional Bachelor’s degree programme.

For ten years, DHBW has offered a professionally integrated Master’s degree and is now continuing on the same path with a diverse, modular range of academic training courses tailored to the needs of companies and employees. The support offered at every DHBW location for reskilling and upskilling employees is an important driver, allowing our companies to make the necessary transformations.

Internationalisation remains an important field of action for DHBW and its partners. I am delighted that DHBW is working to strengthen the intercultural skills of its students, supporting its Cooperative Partners with educational offerings in their international markets, while becoming increasingly attractive for students from abroad. This has been firmly emphasised by activities such as the “studienkolleg” (a two semester preparation class for international students) at the Bad Mergentheim campus and the merger which created the European University EU4Dual.

In view of the major challenges we are facing together, I am very pleased to be able to remain on the DHBW Supervisory Board as (Co-)Chair.

Your Chair of the Supervisory Board

Dr. Stefan Wolf