Steinbeis University: Molding Students Into Future-Ready Industry Professionals Through Its ‘Reinventing University’ Concept
By Prof. Dr Mario Vaupel, CEO
Ranked among the top five countries for higher education globally, Germany is home to 13 of the world’s top 250 universities today. Owing to top-notch education system, low tuition fees, numerous scholarship schemes, affordable yet high-quality life, and access to diverse career options post completing studies, the country is also among the most sought-after destinations for students across both technical as well as management streams. As per Grand View Research, the German higher education revenue which stood at $30.63 billion in 2023 is expected to amount to $61.33 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 10.4 percent during the forecast period. Further, the country also attracted around 469,485 international students during the 2023-24 academic year.
While such encouraging market conditions have prompted the presence of a plethora of B-schools across Germany in recent times, one institution that has strongly emerged as a standout entity through its unique teaching methodologies and diverse portfolio of courses being offered is Steinbeis University. Established in 1998, the university operates on the principles of Ferdinand von Steinbeis, who was the founder of dual education system in Germany that has been a main success factor for the country’s economic growth. Today, Steinbeis University is well-renowned across the higher education community for its ability to provide students with theoretical knowledge as well as practical, hands-on experience so that they’re able to excel in their careers in the future.
Diverse Courses to Choose From
As one of the leading higher education institution in Germany today, Steinbeis University offers courses mainly across three levels, namely Bachelor's, Master’s, and Executive Education. While it offers two BA degree courses i.e. Management & Innovation and Innovation, Technology & Digitalization, at the master’s level, the institution offers MBA, M.Sc and MA courses with a wide range of specializations. Additionally, Steinbeis University also offers executive education programs such as an MBA in Creative Leadership and a Diploma of Advanced Studies. Going a step further, it also operates an online university through which it offers a large variety of courses such as MSc Business Management, MBA, MA, Certificate of Advanced Studies, and Diploma in Advanced Studies.
MBA has been the primary forte of the university wherein it offers courses under niche, futuristic subjects such as Business Administration, Digital Innovation & Business Transformation, Data Analytics & AI, Business & Organizational Psychology, Sustainable Management, Digital Marketing, HR & Change Management, and Management & Innovation. Owing to such a broad spectrum of courses being offered, Steinbeis University has strongly cemented its position as one of the hot favorites for students’ higher education aspirations.
“For more than 150 years, the name Steinbeis has stood for German pioneering spirit. Our study programs are deeply rooted in this rich heritage and combine it with innovative, practical teaching. We follow an innovative dual educational approach, where we not only combine traditional academic learning with practical business experience, but also develop future-oriented educational courses that are designed to prepare students for successful careers in their chosen fields”, says Prof. Dr Mario Vaupel, CEO, Steinbeis University.
We not only have faculty members who are experts in their respective fields, but also ensure that they also have practical experience working in those areas
‘Reinventing University’ – The Key Differentiator
Equipping students with the hands-on practical knowledge to effectively handle real-world scenarios across various industries has been the core ideology of Steinbeis University. Thus, the university has developed and adopted an approach named ‘Reinventing University’ into its teaching methodology. As part of this unique teaching pedagogy, every student has an individual transfer project for the entire duration of the course which will help them apply their theoretical knowledge into practice. Additionally, students are also made to work on an innovation project which involves participating in practical multimedia simulations where they can apply their academic knowledge into practice. Currently, Steinbeis University has a network of 950+ industry partners from different verticals across Germany and other countries to help its students work on their projects.
“Our students are not only provided with AI-based career coaching & support right from their first day of the course, but also receive all the relevant learning materials online via our AI-integrated LMS. Further, we not only have faculty members who are experts in their respective fields, but also ensure that they also have practical experience working in those areas so that they're able to educate students with theoretical knowledge as well as ways to put it into practice”, Prof. Dr Mario Vaupel further adds.
Exploring Beyond Horizons
Going forward, Steinbeis University plans to further develop and expand its ‘Reinventing University’ concept into a high-end AI-based digital learning solution that will cater to all study programs. Further, to stay aligned with the changing industry demands, it will also be launching a new course in Green Supply Chain Management in July and another degree program for AI & Engineering for Medical Applications which will commence from October this year. While the former will provide students with the practical knowledge of the rapidly evolving medtech sector, the latter will equip students with the necessary capabilities that businesses will require to transform their supply chains.
“To promote sustainable learning among our students, the application of this unique concept will include AI-based learning support, individual transfer projects, innovation projects in study groups, learning through simulations, and individual career planning along with job offers. Most importantly, we'll also be including workshops on complementary study topics such as Content Management, Transfer, Purpose, Metaverse, and Sustainability as well, thus enabling our students to be future-ready”, concludes Prof. Dr Mario Vaupel.