BENEFITS OF THE DUAL STUDIES
FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE
Students of the Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) are financially independent from the first day of their studies onwards: as an employee of the training company they will receive monthly remuneration over the entire duration of their studies, according to their training status. Social security and the right to BAföG services are included.
VARIED INTENSIVE STUDIES AND SHORT DURATION OF STUDIES
Studies at the DHBW normally have to be completed within three years. The regular switching between the theoretical and practical phases means that the term of studies proves to be varied and diverse. The intensive course of study requires motivation and efficient time management.
LECTURERS WITH UP-TO-DATE KNOW-HOW
In addition to the professors of the DHBW, lecturers from universities and universities of applied sciences, as well as qualified practitioners from the partner companies and social institutions teach content from their relevant special fields. Such variety of didactic and technical knowledge guarantees up-to-date practical relevance and scientific reference in lectures and seminars.
SMALL COURSE GROUPS
Anonymity does not exist at the DHBW: there are rarely more than 25 to 30 students in one course group ensuring intensive mentoring by professors and lecturers. These general frameworks promote the students’ motivation and contribute decisively to learning success.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
After successful accreditation of all study programmes by the “Zentrale Evaluations- und Akkreditierungsagentur” (ZeVA) in 2006, the then Berufsakademien changed their study system to integrate Bachelor programmes. This means that graduates are able to start a postgraduate course or masters programme at home or abroad. Since december 2011 the Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg obtained, after a review of its internal quality assurance system, a system accreditation. Already in 2001, the BA programmes were awarded international accreditation by the Open University Validation Service (OUVS), London.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCES AND ORIENTATION
The DHBW maintains numerous contacts to universities and universities of applied sciences abroad. Companies and universities all over the world cooperate with the DHBW Stuttgart. This means that in most programmes it is possible to spend a part of one’s study term abroad. In addition to the experience gained in the business and work life of another country, the improvement of the students’ foreign language and intercultural competences is of paramount importance.
With the foundation of the two internationally oriented programmes, Applied Computer Science (Engineering) and International Business (Business), the DHBW takes account of increasing internationalisation. In addition to technical and social competence, the above-mentioned programmes also teach language-related and intercultural knowledge. In addition, the DHBW Stuttgart offers students and graduates the opportunity to take part in exchange and grant programmes.
GUARANTEED PROSPECTS ON THE LABOUR MARKET
Immediately after completing their studies, graduates are capable of independently taking on demanding tasks in a company. They prove their special professional competence in interesting technical and executive positions. A career study of IBM Deutschland GmbH shows that about three out of four graduates with a BA degree in executive positions have been appointed executive managers before the age of 35 which is earlier than comparative groups. In the 31 to 40 age group, the wages of BA graduates were the highest, followed by university graduates. This may be interesting for female students: the proportion of females among employees with a BA degree is twice as high as among comparative groups.
