Welcome to WHU –

Germany’s top-ranking Business School at a glance.

About WHU

Leading in international rankings –
Accredited by EQUIS, AACSB, and FIBAA.

WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management is a leading German business school with an exceptional national and international reputation. WHU offers academic programs and continuing education for executives throughout their career. Founded in 1984 on the initiative of the Koblenz Chamber of Commerce and Industry, WHU has become a model for future-oriented research and teaching in business economics. WHU means ‘Excellence in Management Education’ and pursues this goal in its three core areas of activity: academic programs, research, and knowledge transfer in general management. WHU’s graduates, research and profitable collaboration with business partners demonstrates the School’s success in achieving its mission.

WHU's core values

Our students embody the term ‘WHU Spirit’. Their intellectual, cultural, and social commitment can be seen in about 30 student clubs that impact Vallendar, Düsseldorf, Germany, and the world. WHU pays particular attention to the core brand values excellence, community, cosmopoliteness, and entrepreneurship. Our positioning "We foster Courage and Commitment" underpins these core values.

Community

Family & Trust

Rich in differences, inspire each other in a family atmosphere of mutual trust. Look to each other for support as heading towards excellence. Build lifelong bonds with your peers and Alma Mater.

Cosmopoliteness

Diversity & Internationality

Be curious about other people, cultures, and approaches. Listen to understand. Treat everybody equally, show acceptance and respect.

Entrepreneurship

Passion & Innovation

Act courageously, be responsible, think differently. Value failure and learn from it. Innovate to better our communities and foster entrepreneurial spirit in all members of the WHU community.

Excellence

Ambition & Performance

Strive for the best while reaching for ambitious goals and realizing your potential. Have courage to be an excellent leader. Commit to lifelong learning.

WHU at a Glance
2082

Students

59

Faculty members

222

Partner universities

WHU Mission Statement

At WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, we shape personalities and business by delivering excellence in research, teaching, and corporate connections. Our core values are:

  • excellence in management education by focusing on ambitious goals and performance,
  • a cosmopolitan sensibility cultivated by promoting diversity and the internationality of the school’s stakeholders – we are curious about diverse people, cultures and new ways of doing things,
  • a caring community characterized by a family atmosphere and mutual trust, and
  • our entrepreneurial spirit fostered by passion and innovation among all members of the WHU community.

Our core values underpin our positioning: Show courage and commitment always!

WHU Vision

WHU is respected as an excellent player among the top European Business Schools with thought-leading impact on four target groups:
1) researchers, 2) students, 3) managers, and 4) policymakers. 
WHU generates knowledge from independent, high-quality research and from close connections between academics and the business community.

WHU Strategy

The Excellence Strategy as of January 2015 continues to be based on WHU’s long-standing vision to be among the top European Business Schools. To achieve this vision, the School will focus on the following strategic levers:

  • Quality & sustainable growth: Further increasing the School’s size, while at the same time assuring WHU’s high-quality standards;
  • Personal and Digital Learning: Allowing continuous improvement of programs and teaching formats, and increasing efficiency in many different areas;
  • Diversity: Fostering internationalization and gender diversity in all stakeholder groups (students, faculty, staff);
  • Executive Education & MBAs: Increasing the number of students in WHU’s Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, Executive MBA, and Executive Education Programs;
  • and Entrepreneurial spirit: Fostering the entrepreneurial spirit and culture of all members of the School.

Fact Sheet

Students and Participants

BSc in International Business Administration Program: 691
BSc in Business Psychology Program: 23
Master in Management Program (MSc): 192
Master in Finance Program (MSc): 129
Master in Entrepreneurship Program (MSc): 85
Master in International Business Program (MSc): 48
Part-Time Master in Management Program (MA): 50
Full-Time MBA Program: 122
Part-Time MBA Program: 263
Global Online MBA Program: 93
Kellogg-WHU EMBA Program: 133
Doctoral students: 253

Enrolled students in total: 2,082

Participants Executive Education: 1,351
Participants European Summer Institute and European Programs: 168
Exchange students: 307

Faculty

Professors: 41
Assistant Professors: 18
Adjunct Professors: 3

Accreditations

EQUIS, AACSB, FIBAA

International Network

about 220 partner schools worldwide
more than 160 companies worldwide
about 6,200 alumni worldwide

Code of Conduct

The objective of the Code of Conduct is to capture the WHU community’s shared understanding of standards of good conduct in written form. It will help us to act in accordance with the "WHU spirit," which will foster the achievement of our goals as described in our mission statement and vision.

A working group „Code of Conduct“ commits itself to establishing the Code of Conduct in the hearts and minds of our WHU community as a key element of our daily interactions and our culture. Furthermore, it devotes itself to its continuing improvement and can comment on its interpretation. The working group recommends steps aimed at embedding the Code of Conduct within the daily life at WHU and at communicating its contents effectively, especially to new members of the WHU community. Furthermore, the working group serves as a contact point for suggestions regarding the enhancement of the Code of Conduct. It supports those WHU groups who intend to establish for themselves more specific rules, and it will help verify the consistency of these rules with the Code of Conduct. Material amendments to the Code of Conduct can only be passed after broad discussion among all WHU members and an affirmative vote in the Senate. Finally, when called upon by the WHU Administration or representatives of WHU groups, the working group can comment on the consistency of concrete situations with the Code of Conduct. The working group consists of one person representing each of the following WHU groups: the students in the pre-experience programs (BSc and MSc), the students in the post-experience programs, the post-graduates (doctoral and post-doctoral candidates), the non-academic staff, and the faculty (the full and assistant professors). The alumni can delegate a representative with no voting right. The working group shall adhere to the principle of unanimity.
 
The code of conduct applies equally to all members of our WHU community, including:

  • the students of every program, including doctoral students,
  • the academic staff members,
  • the non-academic staff members, and
  • the faculty members.
  • The code of conduct is also hoped to find acceptance with the WHU Alumni.

Standards of good behavior

We shall treat each other with respect, fairness, and tolerance.

We shall value people without regard to characteristics or attributes such as gender, skin color, religion, nationality, age, social status or other traits similar to those mentioned.

We shall champion the active integration of all, especially foreign, WHU members into our community.

We shall be aware of our social responsibilities and shall emphatically support the WHU community as well as society at large.

We shall avoid or, where applicable, resolve conflicts between personal interests and those of WHU.

We shall respect WHU resources and use them in a responsible way.

We shall carefully and diligently handle our responsibilities for others.

We shall follow prevailing law, generally-accepted ethical principles, and the applicable WHU rules and standards, as well as work towards an appropriate culture of compliance.

We shall conduct ourselves in an exemplary manner as members of the WHU community internally and externally, thereby contributing to a positive image of WHU and its acceptance in society.

We shall live an entrepreneurial culture in which personal initiative is encouraged.

We shall show moral courage.

We shall actively contribute to solving problems and alleviating grievances that we observe.

We shall communicate and cooperate openly and honestly, while dealing with information conscientiously and responsibly.

We shall be helpful and support one another with carefully, dependably, and promptly.

We shall cultivate constructive use criticism and be liberal with praise.

We shall help and promote each other in our professional and personal development.

“The Code of Conduct summarizes our common understanding of good behavior, ensures a decent and continuous dialogue and strengthens the relationship between all our stakeholders.”

Professor Lukas Löhlein, Director Code of Conduct

History

WHU was founded in 1984 at the initiative of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Koblenz. Thirty years later and WHU is one of the most renowned German business schools with an exceptional national and international reputation.
 
WHU’s success has grown from its humble beginnings in an elementary school in Koblenz and fought opposition faced by the founders against their idea of opening a private university. Today, WHU stands proud as a top German business school.

Foundation of the School

The President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Koblenz, Hanno Luwdig, its Managing Director, Karl Darscheid and European business school executive, Udo Glittenberg, established WHU as a private university to balance deficits in business education. It is thanks to their dedication and determination that WHU is considered a leading European business school.
 
Development of the basic concept

In spring 1983, initial discussions about founding a private university culminated in the basic concept for an ‘independent, international, and elite university that prepares the future leaders for the economy’. This basic concept was submitted in May 1983 to the Rhineland Palatinate Ministry of Culture by Karl Darscheid, Managing Director of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Koblenz, to demonstrate the state’s business community’s support for such an institution.

For the state to recognize the School, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry was the appropriate negotiating partner for the Ministry of Culture.  The first pre-requisite was the creation of a university body, the only type of body able to make an application for state recognition. The WHU Foundation was approved for this purpose in 1984. It is thanks to the School’s strong business contacts that a sound financial basis could be established to ensure the existence of the School in its early years.

Once the school was awarded state recognition, the first courses of study began on October 1, 1984. During its first few years, the School was based in an elementary school in Koblenz-Karthause. To enable expansion, the School began searching for alternative premises and found a suitable building in neighboring Vallendar. In August 1988 the School moved to the Marienburg in the center of the city. The School was able to successfully celebrate the inauguration of the new premises in time for the new academic year in October 1988.

Professor Dr. h.c. mult. Otto Beisheim – WHU namesake

Professor Dr. h.c. mult. Otto Beisheim sadly passed away on February 18, 2013. The WHU Foundation and School have lost a great friend and supporter.
 
Professor Dr. Beisheim, the founder of Metro and Metro AG shareholder, provided WHU with unwavering support and commitment. His generosity has allowed WHU to evolve into a prominent and reputable business school enjoyed by academics, the business world, students, alumni, and the public. After a difficult launch phase, Professor Dr. Beisheim restored WHU to solid financial ground by increasing the Foundation’s capital. Since then, WHU has taken his name as the Otto Beisheim School of Management in honor of his 50 million Deutschmark donation, which still constitutes a significant proportion of WHU’s endowment capital. 

Professor Dr. Beisheim also supported the creation and funding of two WHU chairs – the chair of Marketing and Commerce (founded in 1989) and the chair of Entrepreneurship (founded in 2000), the Otto Beisheim Chair and Prof. Otto Beisheim Endowed Chair respectively. The Professor Beisheim Foundation also partially funded a third chair for Technology and Innovation Management.
 
Professor Dr. Beisheim was interested in the excellence of teaching and research at the School, and his support was based on achievement in these areas. Alongside this commitment to WHU, Professor Dr. Beisheim generously supported other universities, schools, the arts and music, sports, and medical facilities.
 
In appreciation for his generous support, WHU named its benefactor and namesake Professor Dr. h.c. mult. Otto Beisheim an honorary senator in 2003 in celebration of his 80th birthday, the highest honor the School can bestow. In 2005, WHU conferred on him the Ring of Honour.
 
The WHU Foundation and School will hold his memory in the highest honor.

“Be assured that the namesake of your, our, university will remain committed to the purpose of this institution, with pride in what has been achieved and eagerness to face the challenges of tomorrow. I will always be the most energetic proponent of our idea of private initiative in the area of higher education and encouragement of the elite. I remain one of you.”

Professor Dr. h.c. mult. Otto Beisheim

Rankings

High quality in research and teaching –
Leading in national and international rankings.

WHU is one of the most renowned German Business Schools. This excellent standard has also been certified through leading positions in national and international rankings, for example by Financial Times, The Economist, and Wirtschaftswoche. Detailed information regarding the specific rankings are to be found in the latest ranking overview.

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Leaders at WHU

Dedicated leadership – The Core Leadership Team of WHU.

The Core Leadership Team of WHU steers the School to ensure it fulfils its duties, is constantly developed, and continues to pursue its objectives. The team consists of the following members:

Professor Christian Andres

Dean of WHU

+49 (0)261 6509 151
christian.andres(at)whu.edu

Professor Martin Jacob
Associate Dean Faculty & Research und Deputy Dean

Tel.: +49 (0)261 6509 350

 

martin.jacob(at)whu.edu

Professor Nadine Kammerlander
Associate Dean DEI & Sustainability

Tel.: +49 (0)261 6509 780

 

nadine.kammerlander(at)whu.edu

Professor Christian Hagist
Associate Dean Undergraduate Programs

Tel.: +49 (0)261 6509 255

 

christian.hagist(at)whu.edu

Professor Carl Marcus Wallenburg
Associate Dean Graduate Programs

Tel.: +49 (0)211 44709 411

 

carl.wallenburg(at)whu.edu

[Translate to English:] WHU Prof. Dr. Weigand, Stellvertretender Rektor der WHU
Professor Jürgen Weigand
Associate Dean Post-Experience Programs

Tel.: +49 (0)261 6509 270

 

juergen.weigand(at)whu.edu

Peter Christ
Head of Administration

Tel.: +49 (0)261 6509 121

 

peter.christ(at)whu.edu

Global Network

Global Partner Universities

Please note that only a selection of partner universities can be offered each semester. This depends on a variety of factors, including the number of students we receive from abroad.

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Digital@WHU

Leading the way in digital thinking

At the forefront of trends, research, and developments, WHU ensures that it consistently contributes intellectually, in methodology, and to thought leadership focused on digital themes. WHU enriches face-to-face learning with digital means and tools to offer the best learning experience for students.

Find out more

Quality Management

A shared responsibility for all stakeholders –
Quality Management at WHU.

Our claim ‘Excellence in Management Education’ focuses on high standards in study, teaching, research, and practical application. Quality management is led by key members of the School and undertaken by all stakeholder groups. We are united in the ambition to continuously improve our high standards. Our accreditations and outstanding rankings confirm our success and provide motivation to keep on striving for the best results.

Systematic quality

The quality management of our study programs means our students will experience a learning process that helps them meet the goals of the study program. Thereby, they are perfectly equipped for the challenges of the job market. This is guaranteed through the high involvement of various both internal and external stakeholders at WHU.

Learn more
Accreditations

External experts provide invaluable feedback that contributes to the continuous quality improvement at the Business School. WHU is currently accredited by EQUIS, AACSB, and FIBAA. Regular re-accreditations confirm that our Business School consistently meets or exceeds strict national and international standards.

Learn more
Strategy

QM is a shared responsibility. Its coordination and integration into the strategic process is taken care of by the central quality management unit. In direct cooperation with the dean, the strategic orientation and measures of the QM are coordinated with the overall strategy of the School.

WHU Foundation

The WHU Foundation 

Since 1984 the WHU Foundation's main purpose is to fund and support WHU. To this end, the WHU Foundation works closely with WHU’s administration.

Read more

WHU Foundation

The WHU Foundation 

Since 1984 the WHU Foundation's main purpose is to fund and support WHU. To this end, the WHU Foundation works closely with WHU’s administration.

Read more

Student Clubs

Student clubs at WHU –
Presenting a wide range of extracurricular activities.

Student life at WHU is not just about studying. In their free time, our students enthusiastically pursue a wide range of extracurricular activities, making campus an exciting place to be. Whether you love sports, the theater, music, entrepreneurship, the community, debating, or wine tasting, there is something for everyone.

Take a look at our full list of student clubs to discover just how diverse student life at WHU is.

Campus for Finance -
WHU New Year's Conference

The WHU New Year's Conference is an international finance conference that engages students, academics, corporate representatives and politicians in the discussion of contemporary topics.

www.campus-for-finance.com/nyc/

Diversity at WHU
Providing guidance and counseling

Diversity at WHU is a student-group concerned with bringing diversity- and LGBT-related topics into daily campus life. The group interacts as an intermediary to allow an exchange of personal experiences. 

www.diversity-at-whu.de 

IdeaLab!
WHU Founders' Conference

Established as Europe's premier student-led founders' conference, our annual event unites experienced founders, vcs, investors as well as ambitious students for the interactive exchange of ideas and experiences.

www.idealab.io

SensAbility
The WHU Social Enterprise Conference

Ever since 2010, our event has been a unique platform for more than 200 international students, entrepreneurs, young professionals, and investors. SensAbility aims to make social activities more entrepreneurial and entrepreneurial activities more social.

www.sensability.de

WHU Euromasters
Europe’s biggest sports event for Business Schools

We combine sports competitions, legendary theme parties and a great opportunity for getting in touch with company representatives supporting the event.

www.whu-euromasters.com

WHU Studenten Helfen e.V.
WHU Students Help

WHU Studenten Helfen e.V. intends to give something back to the community, e.g. via collecting donations at the annual charity concert and doing regular projects concerning the community in Vallendar. 

www.whu.edu/whush

Our Campus

Two campuses –
One WHU.

WHU’s goal of providing new direction to German business and management education is spread across two locations, Vallendar and Düsseldorf. Our Bachelor (BSc), Master (MSc), Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA, and Doctoral programs take place in Vallendar, while our Full-Time MBA, Part-Time MBA, and Executive Education programs are held in Düsseldorf.

Campus Tour Vallendar

Take a look at our WHU Campus Vallendar!

VISIT OUR CAMPUS TOUR

Campus Tour Düsseldorf

Take a look at our WHU Campus Düsseldorf!

VISIT OUR CAMPUS TOUR

Vallendar

WHU Campus Vallendar –
Where future meets heritage.

Vallendar is located in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. With its castles, historic towns, and towering vineyards, this section has been awarded UNESCO world heritage site status. Major cities are dotted along the banks, and Koblenz marks the meeting of the rivers Rhine and Moselle. Perfectly placed, Vallendar and its surrounding area offer plenty to see and do.

Learn more about Campus Vallendar

Düsseldorf

WHU Campus Düsseldorf –
An international hotspot.

Düsseldorf is the capital of the state North Rhine-Westphalia and is located on the banks of the river Rhine. Its 600,000 inhabitants make Düsseldorf a vibrant and international city in which to live, study, and work.

Learn more about Campus Düsseldorf

Our top-notch international faculty:

WHU on Social Media

Follow us on social media –
Keep up with our latest news and activities.