Editorial
» The private University of Applied Sciences with a German entrepreneurial DNA.«
Education with an impact. That’s what it says on the cover. And that’s what the Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences stands for since 1848. As a private institution of higher learning it is our goal to accompany profession-oriented people as a training partner throughout their lives by challenging and supporting them academically. It is our mission helping them to realize their individual dreams of achievement. We are teaching them expertise, practical skills and values they need in life. We are guided by an education tradition established by our founder, a great teacher, researcher and entrepreneur at the same time. The name Fresenius has always stood for teaching with a practical orientation closely linked to applied research, for international orientation and for encouragement of entrepreneurship. This Viewbook gives you an idea of who we are, where we come from, what drives us – and, most importantly, what makes us special today. The Hochschule Fresenius is a private University of Applied Sciences with a German entrepreneurial DNA. It is not a business venture, but acts like one. It takes risks. It dares to innovate. It contributes added value for both the economy and our society. It encourages young people, such as Mery Reif, Sebastian Teschler and Jan Senderek, to start businesses on their own. You will enjoy these alumni stories on the following pages. You will see too how we encourage new ideas and how we foster individual careers and that we promote social responsibility with an award for students with a strong societal commitment. We are dedicated to develop good citizens and highly educated professionals.That is our task. For almost 170 years now. And in the future. Find out more about us!
Botho von Portatius President of the Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences
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creating Innovation since 1848
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The working world is becoming digital, the demands on specialists are increasing and employees want to study beside their job. The Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences wants to shape this development and push initiatives in the fields of teaching and research: to create new degree courses and experiment with new study formats – in the lecture hall, in the workshop and online. It is nothing less than rethink learning.
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creating Innovation
Rethink learning Cologne Cathedral in millions of pixels – one of the 3D-Mind & Media course projects.
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Rethink learning
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Photo: 3DOM
You have to come up with the idea first: scanning the Cologne Cathedral and turning it into a three- dimensional model. Of course, it‘s not possible to put the second- tallest church building in Germany under a scanner, but you can scan it inside and out using a high- resolution portable laser-scanner. The laser beam is able to capture a million pixels per second. The 3D modelling is done later on a computer. “You could then print the cathedral out section by section using a 3D printer, glue it together and maybe erect it in Düsseldorf”, says Chris Wickenden. The spectacular “3DOM” practical project was set off by the academic Dean of the new 3D-Mind & Media degree course, a course unique in Germany, and is being carried out in collaboration with Douglas Pritchard of the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Twenty two students are involved in the project.
The degree course is one of the many innovative study programs offered by the Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences. It combines a hands-on/ creative approach with a business and scientific education in the field of media. “The performance of a private university can be seen first and foremost in its ability to detect changes and developments in various industry sectors and to create appropriate educational offerings for the resultant training needs”, says Professor Tobias Engelsleben, Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Economics & Media. And that‘s not all: “The university itself must act as a driving force for change processes in the job market through practice-oriented research and teaching.” It‘s with this in mind that a whole host of future-oriented, and in many cases unique degree courses have been developed; over a third of the courses being offered in the winter term of 2015/16, such as Biomedical Science and Analysis, Sustainable Marketing & Leadership and Osteopathy, have only been introduced in the past four years. All set new trends when it comes to teaching, research and practical application and all are geared to the needs of both the economy and society.
» T he performance of a private university can be seen first and foremost in its ability to detect changes and developments in various industry sectors and to create appropriate educational offerings for the resultant training needs.« Prof. Dr. Tobias Engelsleben Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Economics & Media
faculty has been pioneering the academisation of the healthcare professions since its establishment. «
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The Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences was quick to respond to the changing requirements in the healthcare industry and in 1998 became the first university in Germany to introduce a Bachelor’s degree course in physio therapy. The course was initially run in cooperation with the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. Following the German legislature introducing a model clause allowing the trialling of foundational degree courses in the field of healthcare in 2010, the university has been offering its own degree programs for the therapeutic professions. In addition to this, there are proactively developed subjects, such as Physician Assistance - a new discipline that sits between medicine and nursing. “Our faculty has been pioneering the academisation of the healthcare professions since its establishment”, says Professor Marie-Louise Klotz of the Faculty of Health & Social Affairs. “The University was quick to transfer recommendations of the Science Council and as a result was able to attract new target audiences for degree courses”, adds Professor Achim Jockwig, Vice President and Dean of the faculty. It’s possible to transit from a vocational training or continuing education course to a degree course as well as, in some subjects, combine vocational training with a degree.
The Business Academy, for instance, prepares those without university entrance qualifications for a degree course. Later on, and with an excellent Master’s degree, they could switch to the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, with which the university maintains close academic ties. The study system spans from college to PhD level. That’s lifelong learning! The university also offers innovative study courses for those who wish to earn extra academic qualifications beside their job or family. The Hochschule Fresenius has developed a completely new web-based learning model for these students: a degree course that’s mobile, flexible and customized. Clearly structured in course units, delivered via a digital learning platform, supplemented by a course magazine with interactive elements and supported by coaching and personal supervision. Learn whenever, wherever and however you want, at your own pace and with a system of continuous achievement monitoring. In this way, digitalisation opens up a whole new learning environment, with a vibrant learning community that exchanges ideas both online and at on-campus seminars. The online degree courses are bundled in the new fifth faculty, “online plus”. These and all other educational offerings are nothing less than rethink learning – with innovative content and formats.
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Photo: 3DOM
Prof. Dr. Marie-Louise Klotz Member of the Management Board, Faculty of Health & Social Affairs
creating Innovation
Rethink learning Chris W ickenden (l.) and his colleague Douglas Pritchard (r.) digitized the Cologne Cathedral using a portable laser-scanner.
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living Tradition since 1848
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The Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences has a tradition of education going back nearly 170 years. Its founder, Carl Remigius Fresenius, combined entrepreneurial activities with applied research and the qualification of excellent students. We live these values till today.
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Born in 1943, Ludwig Fresenius is the great-great-grandson of Carl Remigius Fresenius. He is Honorary President and shareholder of the Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences. He welcomes every new student personally with the words: “That which bears the name Fresenius, must contain Fresenius too.� Ludwig Fresenius is an entrepreneur; he has founded many companies over the course of his life, some of which have been highly successful. He was Managing Director of and sole shareholder in the chemistry school and later the Hochschule Fresenius. He spent decades building up the Fresenius Institute to be the market leader among the non-medical analytical laboratories in Germany, and later sold it. Ludwig Fresenius now lives in Switzerland and the United States.
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Photo: Daniel Welschenbach
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The Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences bears your name. It can be found on double-decker buses in Berlin, on bicycle stands in Cologne and on benches in Hamburg. What do you think when you see this? I‘m thrilled and proud, of course. When I‘m in Cologne, I still sometimes go to the MediaPark in the evening and take a look at the university. One day my grandson accompanied me. I pointed upwards at one of the towers and said: “Look, there‘s grandpa‘s name!” You pretty much spent your childhood at the chemistry school in Wiesbaden. What did that feel like? As a child, I sometimes felt the name Fresenius was rather a burden. You‘d prefer to find your own direction in life rather than have things predetermined for you. But my father just set me following in his footsteps, and in 1963 enrolled me to study chemistry at the Technical University in Berlin. But I don‘t have a natural affinity for chemistry; never have had. I really wanted to breed sheep in New Zealand. You nevertheless did take over running the former chemistry school and successfully guided it through difficult times ... Well, with the name comes a certain obligation. You feel emotionally responsible. And I‘ve seen that the Fresenius name can make a lot happen: Without the name, I‘m sure I wouldn‘t have been able to get the money from the banks for the new institute building and to renovate the school. At the end of the day, I‘ve always wanted to be defined by my achievements - not by who I am.
living Tradition Working out of a chemical laboratory, your great-great-grandfather, Carl Remigius, set new standards in teaching and research, and you‘ve made it into one of the largest private universities in Germany. What connects the two of you? I think we‘re eerily similar. If he were sitting here beside me now, he could be my brother. We‘re both enthusiastic about what we do and have an entrepreneurial way of thinking. Carl Remigius was no nerd, no ivory-tower scientist; he offered training with a practical application. Parts of the German chemical industry were founded by a generation of scientists that attended his school. How important is this tradition for the Hochschule Fresenius today? We‘ve been around for almost 170 years. You don‘t survive that long by offering bullshit. But you have to be careful not to get stuck in a rut. We have an eye to our past, but we don‘t cling to it. To this day, I find change tremendously exciting. Change means new opportunities. Education is alive, enduring, dynamic. Our roots are in the field of chemistry, but we wouldn‘t have been able to grow on that basis alone. I think it‘s important to be diversified. You need to have fingers in many pies. We need to be excellent in many terms of diversity.
What does the Hochschule Fresenius stand for? We‘re a brand, and a brand is a promise. We need to keep that promise. We give an unconditional quality guarantee, a performance promise. We‘re not some Mickey Mouse operation. I‘ve always believed in two things in my life: land and brand. We offer just that. And practical experience, lots of practical experience. The students ought to be successful with what we imbue them with. If we achieve that, we‘ve done our job well. Where do you see the university in 10 years‘ time? Our goal is to become even more networked – at different levels, in different formats, digitally and internationally. My vision is a Network-University with locations around the world. And we have to provide education in all formats, on campus and online, independent from time and location. For people to survive, they have to continue learning throughout their lives. You dropped out of your Chemistry degree shortly before graduating. If you were to retake your degree, what subject would you choose? If I could start again from scratch, I‘d like to study geology or high voltage electrics and then toil for ten years in the mines of the Australian outback. And then buy myself a farm or a ranch. At least I managed to achieve the latter, though in America and not Australia.
» C arl Remigius would have been reasonably satisfied with what we’ve made out of the opportunities presented to us.« Ludwig Fresenius Honorar y President
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Facing the future Carl Remigius Fresenius founds the “Chemical Laboratory” in Wiesbaden, Germany. The training of chemists begins
1884 Establishment of a bacteriological department in collaboration with Ferdinand Hüppe from the Robert Koch laboratory
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The university’s history dates back to 1848, the year of the March Revolution in Germany. Germany is a country on the move and the chemistry professor Carl Remigius Fresenius, a student of Justus von Liebig, decides to found a chemistry laboratory in Wiesbaden. He intends to train the skilled workers he needs himself. Fresenius is a
The laboratory technician, a vocational training established by Fresenius, is officially accredited
The private laboratory school becomes the accredited Fresenius Chemistry School
1971 1995 1931 1965 1908
1862
1848
The training of pharmacists begins. Fresenius publishes the first scientific journal of analytical chemistry (today: “Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry”)
Official accreditation as a privately owned University of Applied Sciences with the new Chemical Engineering degree course
1962
The Chemistry School becomes a School of Engineering
The university relocates from Wiesbaden to Idstein
Women are accepted for training for the first time
scientist, entrepreneur and service provider. Right from the outset, the combination of teaching, research and practical experience is important to him – values that characterise the university that bears his name till today. Fresenius develops new methods of analysis, and as early as the 19th century, analyses the spring waters of his home region. In 1873 he writes, “The institute shall only be deemed to have met its purpose if it succeeds in not only equipping young students with sound knowledge, but in awakening their desire and love for science and passion for research”. He succeeds in doing this: Fresenius taught many prominent chemists at the lab school, including sons of the Merck and Heraeus families whose entrepreneurial spirit he encouraged. He attracts students from all over the world.
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His first teaching assistant is Emil Erlenmeyer, the inventor of the eponymous flask, who later in Munich has three future Nobel Prize winners working for him as interns. Carl Remigius Fresenius expands his laboratory to include a pharmaceutical and a bacteriological department. His sons, grandson and eventually his great-grandchildren, Wilhelm and Birgit Fresenius, continue his legacy. It is they who evolve the private laboratory school first into the accredited Fresenius School of Chemistry that later becomes the School of Engineering and then in 1971 the University of Applied Sciences. The Hochschule Fresenius is thus the oldest non-religious private university in Germany – and the family is still involved.
living Tradition Introduction of the first part-time degree courses in occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech therapy
1998
2005
Opening of the Hamburg and Munich campuses
1996
An international degree course Bachelor of Engineering, (FH) European/ International studies is offered for the first time
2012 2010
2008
2003
Opening of the Frankfurt am Main and Düsseldorf study centres
Institutional accreditation by the Science Council
Founding of the Cologne campus with the Faculty of Economics & Media
Carl Remigius Fresenius’s greatgreat-grandson, Ludwig Fresenius, is Honorary President and principal shareholder in Cognos AG, the company which owns the university. This continuity ensures credibility and dependability. In keeping with the tradition of its founder, the university stands for teaching that is always at the cutting edge of science, orien ted to the needs of society and the business world together with relevant applied research. It stands for innovation and sustainability, for entrepreneurial thinking and action, for internationality and advancement through education. “A private university must always be especially innovative”, says current President,
2013 Integration of the AMD Academy for Fashion & Design as the fourth faculty, “Design”, in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg and Munich. Opening of the Business Academy and International Business School (INTEBUS) in Cologne
Botho von Portatius. “That’s part of our mission statement.” The university has grown steadily over the past few years by offering new degree courses and attractive locations: The original faculty of Chemistry & Biology was supplemented by two additional faculties in 1998: the faculties of Economics & Media and Health & Social Affairs. In 2013, the Academy of Fashion & Design was integrated into the university to become the fourth faculty, “Design”. 2016 sees the launch of the fifth faculty, “onlineplus”; an interdisciplinary faculty offering online
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Opening of the study centre in New York City in cooperation with Berkeley College
2016
Renaming as the Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences
2014
Establishment of the Faculties of Economics & Media and Health & Social Affairs. Introduction of the only degree course in physiotherapy in Germany in cooperation with the Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands)
Opening of study centres in Berlin and Banská Bystrica, Slovakia
2015 The Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences receives system accreditation.
Establishment of the fifth Faculty, onlineplus, for part-time online degree courses
part-time degree courses. The aim is to enable as many young people as possible to get a practice-oriented education with a sound academic basis. What began back in May of 1848 with just five chemistry students is now a university with around 10,000 students and offering 68 degree courses. What started in Wiesbaden has now spread throughout Germany and has even reached as far as New York City. What would Carl Remigius Fresenius say? “He would have been reasonably satisfied with what we’ve made out of the opportunities presented to us”, says his great-greatgrandson, Ludwig Fresenius.
gaining Insights since 1848
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For us, research means: Investigating issues that affect the economy and society. Whether it involves plastic waste in rivers, visual cultures, online dating or mobility for the elderly – our professors always reflect the current state of science while focusing on the needs of people and economy. Numerous research institutes and collaborative doctoral programs attest to the effectiveness of our approach.
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RESEARCH FOR THE PEOPLE The tiniest of plastic particles are separated from sediment in the lab and examined under the microscope.
RESEARCH FOR THE PEOPLE Sascha Klein works at the “Institute for Analytical Research“ and does his doctoral thesis on plastic waste in rivers. Here we can see him taking samples from the Rhine.
gaining Insights
RESEARCH FOR THE PEOPLE Never enter the lab without a lab coat on. And there‘s still a chalkboard for leaving important messages.
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Research for the People
Photos: Georg Knoll
A sunny morning in Biebrich on the Rhine. The water sparkles in the light, people wave from a tourist boat. Only the yellow toilet seat lying between the stones on the shore spoils the idyllic scene. And that’s not the only thing. Next to it there’s a backpack, and a few metres away a sandal, plastic bottles, plastic bags and shards of glass. These are all things that people have thrown into the Rhine, and the river has washed it all back up again at their feet. Sascha Klein ignores the rubbish – his interest lies in the ground, where the refuse has mixed in with the sand, water and rocks. The young researcher takes a spoon and scoops the brown sedim ent into a container he brought with him. Later in the laboratory, he’ll use a newly developed method to separate the smallest plastic particles, so-called microplastics, and analyze them. Sascha Klein’s doctorate is on the pollutants these particles give off and the impact they have on the environment. “Research, especially at a University of Applied Sciences, should always be relevant to social and economic needs”, says the President of the Hochschule Fresenius, Botho von Portatius.
The analysis of organic compounds in water is one of the main focuses of the “Institute for Analytical Research” at the Hochschule Fresenius in Idstein, and the field in which Klein works together with Professor Thomas Knepper, the Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry & Biology and Vice President of the University. Knepper and his team have conducted numerous research projects over the past few years. They have analyzed how fluorine-containing chemicals, such as impregnating agents for outdoor clothing, pollute the water on behalf of the German Federal Environment Agency. “Half of our Master’s gra duates go on to get their PhD”, says Thomas Knepper proudly. And do so at prestigious universities – that’s by no means a given for graduates of Universities of Applied Sciences in Germany. The Science Council specifically praised the “exceptional research work” carried out at the Hochschule Fresenius in the initial accreditation in 2010. Since then, the university has expanded its research programme still further. Professors at the Faculty of Design, for instance, are investigating “visual cultures”, addressing questions such as: How do social media affect our
perception of images? When you take a selfie using a smartphone, it’s no longer about the image per se, but to whom you send it. The research project, which has its own series of publications and symposia, considers itself to be a forum, “for reflecting on visual phenomena and awakening peoples joy in visual design”, says Ekkehart Baumgartner, Vice President of the Faculty of Design. The “Institute for complex Health Research” at the Faculty of Health & Social Affairs has been awarded a number of prizes for its work on sport and training with chronic diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. It is currently conducting a research project in partnership with a major transport company on mobility in old age. How elderly people can travel more safely by bus – an issue that concerns both people and economy. Just like the plastic waste in the Rhine. As Carl Remigius Fresenius once said: “Research thoroughly, speak the truth, write succinctly, teach clearly.” That’s what we do.
» Half of our Master‘s graduates go on to get their PhD.«
Prof. Dr. Thomas Knepper Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Chemistry & Biology
ensuring Quality since 1848
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Quality is an essential for a private university. High-quality teaching, organisation and supervision are required for students to successfully complete their degree. This is why we have an extensive system of quality management and recently even received system accreditation – a distinction kept by only a very few universities in the country.
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Enabling students to succeed in learning
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The Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences has grown rapidly over the past few years, with the number of students and degree courses on offer tripling within just five years. In order to ensure that the quality remains equally high in all subjects and at all locations, there need to be clearly defined and structured processes in place. It‘s for this reason that in 2005 the university introduced a total quality management system (QMS) in the administrative and academic areas. The objectives and processes are aligned with the mission statement of the university. The quality of the degree course, teaching, research and management is continuously monitored, controlled, reviewed and, where necessary, adjusted based a variety of metrics and processes. The processes are complex and extensive, but ultimately necessary in order to ensure and improve quality on a continuous basis. “A teaching and research institution such as a university must be especially willing to adapt, including with regard to their own processes”, says Managing Director Hermann Kögler, who played a leading role in the system accreditation process. The university successfully passed the external audit of its quality assurance system in
»The lecturer looks great too!« *
* Quotes from course evaluations
» S uper teacher, great subject, good working atmosphere, respectful approach. I‘ve rarely been so keen to attend a lecture!« * early 2015 and is now authorised to introduce new degree courses without them being subjected to the usual program accreditation procedure. A university-internal, but independent commission, “Quality Management for Study & Teaching (QMSL)”, checks the course profile, feasibility of study, admission criteria, examination requirements, facilities and equal opportunity of all planned and existing courses. In addition to this, regular evaluations are carried out by the students who rate their lectures each term. A satisfaction survey is also performed each year and freshmen are asked, usually six weeks into the course, about how they are getting on. Students who are paying tuition and fee quite rightly expect ideal studying conditions. To this end, there are suggestion boxes on all campuses and feedback can also be submitted online. Student-faculty meetings are held once a term during which the elected course spokespersons meet with the deans of studies. This gives the students an opportunity to make suggestions, express wishes and voice any criticism they have. On student prompting, a tutoring program was introduced; now tutorials in mathematics and statistics are held each term in the run up to the examination period.
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ensuring Quality A sophisticated system of monitoring using key performance indicators means staff are always aware of how many applicants there are for each course, how many students are keeping to the standard study period and even which students are falling behind with respect to examination results. These students are then addressed personally by their academic program director and offered assistance. The actual values of the performance indicators are continually checked against the target values. Remedial measures are quickly taken in the event of discrepancies; maybe the workload in a particular subject needs to be reduced, sometimes a lecturer may need to alter his style of delivery. The important message to the students: We’ll take care of it. The result: The students rate the university favourably in all evaluation categories. A good indicator of teaching quality is how easy it is to get a job afterwards. All graduates are queried as to how long it took for them
to find a job, how many applications did they have to send out and in which industry they work. The answers can be used to draw conclusions about the practical relevance of the degree courses for the current job market. The alumni are actively incorporated into the quality development process later too. They can use their work experience to make suggestions for improving the teaching. “It’s about continually monitoring our strengths and weaknesses” says Brankica Assenmacher, Head of Quality Management. “We probably don’t get everything perfect all the time, but we recognise our weaknesses in good time and find a resolution.”
»All subjects were prepared using relevant current examples. We were encouraged to form our own opinion and to discuss things. Great!« *
»We probably don‘t get everything perfect all the time, but we recognise our weaknesses in good time and find a resolution.«
Brankica Assenmacher Head of Quality Management
acquiring Skills since 1848
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The time spent at university is a special time in one‘s life. It‘s where the foundations are laid for a successful career and a strong character. As a private university, we‘re able to provide high quality teaching with a pronounced practical orientation together with individual support. Project work, work placements and cooperation with over 500 partners make it easy for graduates to find excellent jobs in the market. On the following pages you will find a couple of success stories.
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Mery Reif
Spatial design / Founder and Managing Director of the design label LOVA
» What I learned at university, I‘m now doing for real.« 28
P h o to : M e r y R e i f / LOVA
acquiring Skills
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“Studying at the AMD was perfect for me to develop my creativity. In contrast to interior design, spatial design involves thinking holistically. It’s not just about a room looking nice. What does “nice” mean anyway? For me, the overall concept must be harmonious; the colours, the furniture, the lighting, the logo. Like in the restaurant “Meat IN bun” that I designed in Munich. When someone asks me: What did you study? I reply: Take a look at that. I really can say: What I learned at university, I’m now doing for real. I learned how to develop concepts and what colours to use. It still helps me in my job today. Our teachers got us thinking commercially by introducing us to other companies. I never wanted to study under professors who just stand in front of a blackboard lecturing and have no idea about the real world. The degree course was very practice oriented. I did two work placements, one of them with the renowned lighting designer Ingo Maurer. That gave me very valuable experience. I always knew I’d set up my own business. I’m an entrepreneurial type. After graduating in 2011, I created my own brand, LOVA. I design products and spaces, and preferably both together. The room has to be able to tell a story, then I’m happy.“
Mery Reif designs rooms and products, such as this shelf, under the brand name LOVA.
Jan Senderek
Media Management / Founder of the start-up LOOM that he sold to Dropbox
»You may not necessarily need a degree to start your own company, but the business knowledge you acquire does help a lot.«
Jan Senderek always knew that he wanted to found his own company, even before he started his studies. While studying Media Management at the Hochschule Fresenius in Cologne, he started to become interested in start-ups, and through work placements and part-time jobs in media and marketing companies, he got to know the entrepreneur scene. “During this time, I did a lot of reading about starting businesses and discussed the idea in great depth with my friends”, says Senderek. The passion was there,
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Senderek checks the numbers – it’s a good offer. In 2014, Jan Senderek and his two partners sell their company to the Internet giant. By placing their signatures, the three entrepreneurs become millionaires. They now work at Dropbox in San Francisco. “You may not necessarily need a degree to start your own company”, he says in retrospect, “but the business knowledge you acquire does help a lot – if for no other reason, so that you don’t get short changed during negotiations.”
Photos: Moritz Stückler
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but he still hadn’t come up with the right business concept. So, he decided to continue studying for the time being. In London, he enrolled for a Master’s in Technology Entrepreneurship. He and two friends enter an app into an entrepreneurs’ competition and end up winning a prize. And they don’t look back. The team develops the idea further and manages to raise $1.5 million seed capital. Jan Senderek and his friends move to Silicon Valley, where in 2013 the LOOM app is born. It allows photos to be archived and synchronised between several devices. Senderek is primarily responsible for the design and the economic aspects of the start-up were he can use the knowledge gained from his studies: “My favourite subjects were media law and economics. I liked the fact that both were taught with a heavy focus on media companies, and that’s helped me a lot”, he says. At the end of 2013, the photo service Dropbox becomes aware of the German entrepreneurs and eventually makes them a takeover offer.
acquiring Skills
JAN SENDEREK is a high-tech millionaire. He lives in San Francisco and works for Dropbox.
acquiring Skills
MAIKE LANGINI is doing her doctorate on the role of proteins in the pathogenesis of brain tumours in children.
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Maike Langini
Bio- and Pharmaceutical Analysis / PhD student
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Photo: Georg Knoll
From a lab worker to a doctoral candidate: Maike Langini has travelled a long road to get as far as she has. But she’s never lost sight of what she enjoys doing most – chemistry. The native Luxembourger is currently doing her PhD in the field of proteomics at the Molecular Proteomics Laboratory of the University Hospital Dusseldorf. This technology should help cast light on the role played by proteins in the pathogenesis of brain tumours in children. But it all started with a vocational training course to be a chemical laboratory worker. Following that, Maike Langini trained to be a che mical technician at the Hochschule Fresenius. She quickly realised that in practice she would need a degree if she wanted to work independently.
She opted for the International Bachelor’s in Applied Chemistry. The university credited her vocational training towards the degree course so that she was able to join in the 5th term. “This transition was perfect for me”, she says. Maike Langini was particularly fascinated by the measurement and analysis of substances. She did a work placement at King’s College in London in the mass spectrometry department and during her term abroad at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique in Paris, she analysed prions that are responsible for causing Creutzfeldt– Jakob disease, amongst others. While there, her interest in biology grew and Maike Langini decided that after getting her Bachelor’s, she would do a Master’s in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Analysis. This she completed in the summer of 2015 at the top of her class. “Studying at the Hochschule Fresenius has strengthen my character and given me an introduction to the world of research. My achievements here have given me more confidence and I can better deal with new situations now. In particular my trips abroad have given me a wider perspective on the world.”
» S tudying at the Hochschule Fresenius has strengthen my character and given me an introduction to the world of research.«
Sebastian Teschler
“Right from the outset, I saw studying for a degree at the Hochschule Fresenius as a stepping stone for my further development. I wanted a career. That’s why I did a part-time Master’s degree right after getting my Bachelor’s in physiotherapy, followed by a PhD in theo retical medicine at Duisburg-Essen University. I went into business for myself in 2010, opening a therapy centre specifically for lung diseases. There’s nothing else like it in Germany. The inspiration for this came from my course tutor at university – he specialised in respiratory disea ses. I wrote my Bachelor thesis on pulmonary medicine and developed a treatment concept from it.
Working conceptually – I learned that from day one at the Hochschule Fresenius, and I still need it in my working life now. You don’t just learn about various therapies as you do in vocational training courses, you learn to evaluate them too and understand scientific publications. Doing a degree causes you to be more open-minded and to think out of the box. We were very closely supervised during our degree course and the performance expectations were high. A great deal of emphasis was placed on how to interact with patients and how to conduct a conversation – things I kind of smirked at back then. Today, I know that they are essential.”
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P h o t o s : S u k y u n Ya n g & I n s o o k J u , 2 0 1 2 , V G B i l d - K u n s t , B o n n , 2 0 1 5
r
» Working conceptually – I learned that from day one at the Hochschule Fresenius, and I still need it in my working life now.«
Physiotherapy / Managing Director of a rehabilitation clinic for lung diseases
acquiring Skills
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In his rehabilitation clinic, Sebastian Teschler works with patients who have lung diseases.
embracing Diversity since 1848
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At the Hochschule Fresenius, we live diversity in many subjects and formats, in many places, with many different students – and everyone benefits from it.
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For many decades, the only subjects that were possible to study at the Hochschule Fresenius were those that its founder, Carl Remigius Fresenius, had taught at his laboratory school in Wiesbaden, Germany back in 1848: namely the natural sciences. Recent years have seen the addition of subjects in the fields of health, economics, media, psychology, design and fashion. Today, the Hochschule Fresenius – University of Applied Sciences offers 68 different degree courses – a unique extent of disciplines and course formats in five faculties at ten locations in three countries. These range from undergraduate Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s programs and part-time online degree courses up to PhDs in cooperation with partner universities. From Applied Psychology to Business Chemistry. From Hamburg to Munich, from Idstein to New York City. No other private university in Germany offers a comparable variety of courses. When the Hochschule Fresenius was accredited by the Science Council for the first time in 2010, the expert panel praised the “unusual range of subjects” on offer.
Examples include the combination degree courses run by the Faculty of Economics & Media, whereby students can choose from at present 26 specialisations after a common foundation year. Or the degree course in osteopathy that was instituted by the Hochschule Fresenius in 2013 as the first in Germany. Or the eight-term Bachelor’s degree course in Applied Chemistry that is still unique in Germany to this day and includes a compulsory work placement abroad. But as different as the fields of study and faculties may be, they all represent teaching and research with a strong focus on practical application. The steady expansion and new developments has meant that the Hochschule Fresenius has not only grown in size, but further raised its profile too. In 2013, the previously independent AMD Academy of Fashion & Design was integrated into the university to become the fourth faculty. Now “onelineplus” is being added as the fifth faculty. This is where interdisciplinary web-based degree courses will be developed and made available, primarily for those in employment. “Having five faculties means there are exceptional opportunities for cooperation when it comes to teaching and research”, says Professor Alexandra Luig, Dean of the Faculty of Design. Synergies and interdisciplinary courses, such as Biosciences or Health & Management, emerge from the various faculties. “We don’t want a monoculture”, says University President Botho von
Portatius, “we want to embrace the diversity. Each faculty has its own identity, but something new emerges when they get together”. The same goes for the students. Anyone walking across the campus in Hamburg, Cologne or Idstein will meet students who can read balance sheets, loosen muscles or analyze water samples. In the lecture hall, the straight-As school leaver may be sitting next to someone with a vocational training seeking advancement through education, the student grant recipient sitting next to the industrialist’s daughter. Grades are not the only thing that counts to be accepted for a degree course; social skills, motivation and creativity are important too – criteria that are noted during the selection process. Those who perform especially well may be awarded a scholarship. Those who need assistance receive support. With its diverse range of courses, the Hochschule Fresenius is also seeking to appeal to people who have previously not been able to study. Perhaps because they’re employed or they want to improve their academic qualifications in professions, such as physiotherapy, in which for a long time there was no degree course available. This is how a diversity of people, subjects, formats and locations comes about. If they wish, Students can study at a different campus each term and in a different teaching format, without losing time or credit points. In this way, the Hochschule Fresenius fulfills a promise of the Bologna reform.
» H aving five faculties means there are exceptional opportunities for cooperation when it comes to teaching and research.«
Prof. Dr. Alexandra Luig Dean of the Faculty of Design
Photos: Hochschule Fresenius
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Experience the Variety
embracing Diversity
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EXPERIENCE THE VARIETY Loosening muscles, reading balance sheets, analyzing samples, pinning out cloth – students can qualify for their desired career with a choice of 68 degree courses.
embracing Diversity
Health Speech Therapy Bio- and Osteopathy Tourism, Physician Assistance Media and Applied Psychology Sustainable Marketing Corporate Social Work Manual Therapy Naturopathy & Sports Management Interdisciplinary Digital Management Leadership and Management in Osteopathy Business Administration Applied Chemistry Transport Strategy and Business Psychology Design and Fashion and Product Health and Nursing Care International Biosciences – Applied Biology for Energy Management Fashion Design 40
Psychology Spatial Design Economics and Health Care Management Pharmaceutical Analysis Logistics and Retail Audit & Tax Hotel- and Event Management Physiotherapy Corporate Communication Communication Management Sign Language Interpreting & Leadership 3D-Mind & Media Finance & Controlling Occupational Therapy Business Psychology Fashion Journalism Complementary Medicine Therapy in Paediatrics Business Law Brand and Communication Design Healthcare and Welfare Fashion and Design Management Management in Creative Industries Management Business Chemistry Industrial Chemistry Innovation Management Management Health & Management Pharmaeconomics & Health Economics Medicine and Pharmacy Bachelor‘s degree programs Master‘s degree programs
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crossing Borders since 1848
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Science is international, science knows no borders – neither in mind nor geographically. A semester overseas is a genuine experience, it exposes the students to a different culture and language, opening up new horizons and fostering personal development. Every student should have the opportunity to go abroad. The Hochschule Fresenius has included terms in New York and Shanghai into its degree courses and promotes international cooperation.
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Opening up new Horizons Immerse yourself in American culture – students of the Faculty of Economics & Media in front of the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City.
crossing Borders
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crossing Borders
Opening up new Horizons As part of an exchange program, five students from Hongik University in Seoul studying Spatial Design for a term in Hamburg.
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Opening up new Horizons
Photo: Dörthe Hagenguth
Dominik Bonenberger wants to be a global citizen. It’s for this reason that he chose the International Business Management degree at the Hochschule Fresenius. Lectures entirely in English, small study groups, two terms abroad included – one in Shanghai and one in New York: “It will prepare me perfectly for a career in the global world.” When Dominik Bonenberger doesn’t attend a marketing lecture at Berkeley College, he’s racing through Manhattan on his road bike – always wearing a helmet, of course. Learning how to survive the traffic in a megacity like New York is another important intercultural experience. “In a globalised world, foreign experience is not just nice to have; it’s a must-have”, says Professor Marcus Pradel, Vice President for University Development and International Business Development, “that’s why we do everything we can to enable our students to spend at least one term abroad”. Stays in New York or Shanghai without loss of time can be integrated into all Bachelor’s degrees offered by the Faculty of Economics & Media. This means that the students can attend foreign courses and get full credit for them in their degree course. To this end, the university has arranged learning agreements with Berkeley College in New York City and Shanghai University.
Over 200 students are currently taking advantage of this opportunity, and it’s set to be even more. Our own study centre in New York will provide students with local support and establish additional partnerships with both other American universities and companies. A stay abroad is enriching in many ways: International collaboration enables teachers to learn about and discuss the latest scientific findings around the world. For students, a semester overseas is a genuine experience, it exposes them to a different culture and language, opening up new horizons and fostering personal development. A symposium in Mumbai, a work placement in Sydney, a term in Vancouver – everything is possible. The Hochschule Fresenius offers various international mobility options. It supports students and faculty with international services, such as scholarships, intercultural preparation seminars and language courses, including in Chinese and Arabic. In the Faculty of Health & Social Affairs, many students take the opportunity to spend a part of their placement periods abroad. In the eight-term Bachelor’s degree course in Applied Chemistry, a term abroad is even compulsory. “Internationalisation is playing an increasingly important role for us – whether it concerns study courses, research or placements abroad”, says Marcus Pradel. “We also want to attract more foreign students and expand our current activities in the United States, in China and Europe still further.” To this end, there will even more degree courses offered in English in the future.
The university maintains a global network of partner universities; the Faculty of Chemistry & Biology alone has over 100 international cooperation partners. The chemists set their sights beyond Germany’s borders early on; as far back as the 19th century, Carl Remigius Fresenius’ chemical laboratory was attracting students from all over Europe and even the United States. Today, the Faculty’s scientists are involved in many international research projects. As an example, a part-time Master’s course in Pharmaceutical Analytics is currently being developed at the Helwan University in Egypt with the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). The Faculty of Design already has exchange programs with universities in Asia. Starting in 2016, there will be a German-Chinese double degree course in Fashion Design specifically for students of the Beijing Normal University in Zhuhai. Students from the Hongik University in Seoul come to Hamburg to study Spatial Design for a term. And German students are going to Korea to study in return. “This kind of student exchange is of great benefit to both parties. The encounters with different cultural perspectives and creative methods leads to exciting discussions in the courses”, says Professor Stephan Exsternbrink, Academic Dean of of Spatial Design, who has himself worked as an architect in Seoul and organised the collaboration. “We’re constantly being challenged to question things we’ve previously taken for granted.”
» In a globalised world, foreign experience is not just nice to have; it’s a must-have.«
Prof. Dr. Marcus Pradel Vice President for University Development and International Business Development
What we stand for
10,758 Students in the winter term of 2014/2015
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degree courses are being offered by the university in the winter term 2015/16.
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270
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scholarships were awarded by the university in 2014/15, including 39 “Deutschland-Stipendien�, supported by the German government.
percent of the students in the Faculty of Economics & Media successfully complete their studies. The university-wide dropout rates lie between 2 and 7 percent. At state-run universities an average of 28 percent of students quit without graduation.
3.6
5
percent of the students in the Faculty of Chemistry & Biology took advantage of the overseas opportunity provided in the course during winter term 2014/15.
million euros, the Hochschule Fresenius secured in third-party funding and grants for research projects in 2015.
partners in business, science and politics.
percent of the graduates in the Faculty of Health & Social Affairs find a job within six months, 71 percent of them in permanent employment. Half of them only had to write a single application.
percent of the students in the Faculty of Chemistry & Biology are female.
percent of the students complete their studies in the standard period of study.
people have graduated from the university, 1,610 of them are active in the Alumni Network. (as of October 2015)
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locations within Germany and abroad.
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faculties make up the university.
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60 11,552 48
Celebrating
Photos: Hochschule Fresenius
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Celebrating There‘s a life apart from studying: students at the summer party, at a fashion show, at the FreseCup football match, at graduation ceremonies and at a get-together in New York City.
A strong team
» The staff at the Hochschule Fresenius is very especially. I appreciate an enormous amount of cooperation and support. Working as a team and solving problems together is of great value.« Prof. Dr. Birgit Schulte-Frei Academic Dean of Physiotherapy at the Faculty of Health & Social Affairs
» Teaching and research about health is an elementary part of our university – that’s where we come from, and that’s what we see as the future. We want to promote initiatives that drive development in the healthcare sector.« Prof. Dr. Achim Jockwig Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Health & Social Affairs
» Fashion is not just clothing – and design is not just a product: Innovations for people and markets emerge from Creativity. With our degree courses we want to have an impact on the development.« Prof. Dr. Ekkehart Baumgartner Vice President of the Faculty of Design
» The Hochschule Fresenius combines tradition with a genuine passion for teaching and research. We‘re proud to provide students with an environment that enables them to prepare optimally for professional life and develop their own character and capability.« Prof. Dr. Wera Aretz Academic Dean of Business Psychology at the Faculty of Economics & Media
» The difference lies in the quality of the degree courses: We offer many opportunities to specialise and to give things a try in practice. The atmosphere on campus is very conducive to learning. We don‘t just promise to support the students – we actually do it.« Prof. Dr. Uta Lieberum Vice Dean of the Faculty of Economics & Media
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