WHU has made every one of its forty years count. Since its inception, the school has found ways of adapting to the times and meeting the needs of both the student body and the business world. From award-winning research to the fostering of top business talent and the founding of fifteen business unicorns, the work that starts at WHU is changing the world. Today, the school is home to over fifty academic chairs and centers and to a comprehensive program portfolio designed for the next generation of thought leaders.
The conferences hosted on campus are some of the largest of their kind in Europe and pull in hundreds of high-profile figures from the fields of economics, politics, and academia, thereby helping to push the conversation forward. And many of them are entirely run by the students alone. Even after graduation, the alumni maintain strong ties to the school and uphold its core values, forming a close-knit network that stretches across varies companies, industries, and international borders.
WHU’s continued success is, in large part, the result of the vision, support, and donation of one individual. In 1993, Metro AG co-founder Professor Dr. h.c. mult. Otto Beisheim (†), whose wife Inge (†) had previously supported WHU through her own foundation, secured the school’s financial stability. In doing so, he laid solid ground for the education of thousands of promising students who contribute positively to a more sustainable world. The effects of Otto Beisheim’s decision can still be felt today. Thirty years later, the support of the Beisheim foundations continues to allow WHU the freedom it and its students need to flourish.
40 Years of WHU
In 1984, the whole of WHU fit into a single classroom. Forty years, two campuses, and thousands of successful graduates later, the school has firmly established itself as Germany’s leading academic institute for economics, management, research, and entrepreneurship.
Join us as we go back in time to retrace our footsteps and see how far we have come!
Join us as we go back in time to retrace our footsteps and see how far we have come!
We stand for visionary leadership that drives innovation and sustainability, blending first-class academics with real-world experience. Our graduates lead with integrity, contributing positively to society and the global economy.
- #1 in Germany, #16 in Europe
FT European Business School Ranking 2023 - Outstanding network of industry leaders
6,700+ In Praxi members - Excellence and relevancy in research
59 faculty members - Diverse student body
1,989 enrolled students
We believe in entrepreneurship as a driver for sustainable growth and positive change. Our graduates include founders of numerous unicorns and intrapreneurs that shape the family business and corporate world.
- Epicenter for start-ups
9% of the most successful German start-ups founded by WHU students - Outstanding support
WHU start-ups raised 8.7% of the total venture capital
volume in Germany in 2023 - #1 start-up activity in Europe
35 start-ups founded per 1000 students
We create a vibrant, multicultural learning environment that values every voice. Our community fosters global perspectives and cross-cultural collaboration, preparing graduates to lead with empathy and inclusivity.
- 33% of the total student body are international students
- 32% of the total core faculty has a non-German nationality
- WHU has more than 200 partner universities worldwide
We equip students with the knowledge and skills to drive sustainable practices. Our graduates lead with a commitment to ethical decision-making and positive societal impact.
- Method – Ethics, responsibility, and sustainability have been integral to our curricula, programs, and courses since the school was established.
- Dialogue – Facilitating and supporting dialogue on critical global social and economic responsibility issues among educators, students, businesses, governments, and other stakeholders.
- Research – Engaging in conceptual and empirical research to understand corporations' role, dynamics, and impact in creating sustainable social, environmental, and economic value.
Relive WHU’s 40-Year Journey
From humble beginnings, WHU has ventured out on a forty-year journey that has taken it from Koblenz to Vallendar and Düsseldorf—and out into the world! Join us as we celebrate this remarkable milestone!
Then & Now
Thank you from the Dean
Dear WHU Community,
These past forty years have been quite the journey.
On behalf of myself and the entire Core Leadership Team, I would like to thank each and every one of you—our students, alumni, faculty and staff members, sponsors, partners, and friends—for your steadfast dedication to WHU. Thanks to your efforts and support, we have come a long way since our founding in 1984. By upholding our shared values of integrity, ethics, and commitment, you have had a positive effect on the world of business that extends far beyond the borders of Europe.
And we’re only just getting started.
We look forward to another forty years!
Yours,
Dean Christian Andres
