DHBW Mannheim's success story began back in 1974. The career-integrated study approach was completely new at the time. On the way to becoming a successful cooperative state university, which students and corporate partners can now count on, the unique study concept first had to establish itself in the university landscape. And it did so with great success.
On 01.10.1974, the two Berufsakademien or Universities of Cooperative Education in Mannheim and Stuttgart launch the first pilot project for higher education with integrated industry practice in Germany. With 41 students and 16 companies, the foundations are laid for the DHBW's career-integrated course of study in Mannheim.
The increasing demand for this innovative study model results in the establishment of the satellite sites in Karlsruhe and Mosbach, which are now independent locations, after only 5 years.
The numbers are rising, the career-integrated study concept is becoming more popular. The pilot project is concluded and the University of Cooperative Education is officially declared an accredited institution. Both of the academies in Mannheim and Stuttgart are now a part of the tertiary education sector under the umbrella of the Berufsakademie Baden-Württemberg.
For the first time, the number of students at BA Mannheim exceeds the 1,000 mark. Just three years later, there are already over 2,000 students!
Europe-wide recognition of University of Cooperative Education degrees is validated by a communiqué from the Federal Minister of Economics to the EU. University of cooperative education degrees and degrees from universities of applied sciences are now assessed on an equal footing.
The number of students rises to over 3,000 – the dual study programme is proving a huge success! Even outside Baden-Württemberg: with Mannheim’s help, the founding of the BA Eisenach and Gera is supported and the dual study programme is established in Thuringia. To capture the emotions that the growing alumni group associates with the university, the graduation ball ‘Social Evening with Dancing’ is transformed into the glamorous ‘Night of the Graduates’ – now the largest graduation celebration in the south-west and an unforgettable experience for more than 40,000 Mannheim graduates.
In its anniversary year, the number of students exceeds the 4,000 mark for the first time.
In accordance with the Bologna Process, the Diplom degree programmes of the University of Cooperative Education Mannheim become bachelor's degree programmes accredited by the Central Evaluation and Accreditation Agency Hannover (ZEvA).
Over 2,000 first-semester students and 2,000 corporate partners mean that a new satellite site in Wohlgelegen and the expansion of the Campus Coblitzallee are required. In addition, all courses of study are recognised as intensive courses and are now assessed with 210 ECTS points.
35 years after its foundation, the Berufsakademie Mannheim receives university status on 01.03.2009. According to the state parliament coalition agreement, the Berufsakademie Baden-Württemberg officially becomes Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University.
The DHBW is the first university in Baden-Württemberg to receive systematic accreditation and expands its range of courses to include the first career-integrated master's programmes.
TIGERs and CURE – two project teams comprising students and alumni – are launched and have enjoyed remarkable success to this day: with its autonomous electric racing car, CURE competes in international Formula Student races, whilst the TIGERs robot football team is now a six-time world champion in the Small Size League and ranks first in the world!
The online information platform DHBWebDay (now DHBW CampusTag online) is awarded the HR Excellence Award; logistics students at DHBW Mannheim win the title of ‘Best Dual University’ in the Logistics University Ranking for the eighth time; the Industrial Engineering degree programme achieves very good results in the CHE University Ranking, and *manager magazin* confirms: DHBW is one of the best universities for auditing.
As part of the EU4Dual alliance, DHBW collaborates with eight European universities. Together, they are setting new quality standards and raising the international profile of dual study programmes. This means: greater mobility and more opportunities for students and staff, joint research projects and an annual conference.
As a pioneer, DHBW Mannheim looks back on 50 years full of achievements and successful ‘firsts’: the first female DHBW professor, the first honorary professor, innovative services such as the applicant exchange and StudyUp, unique laboratories, the TechCafé, the first hydrogen filling station and much more.
Each academic year, more than 2,000 first-semester students start their career-integrated degree courses at the DHBW Mannheim, which is almost synonymous with a real-world job. Fully established in the higher education environment, the university continues to develop its teaching, research activities and study programme in a future-oriented way.
