Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences

What Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences does

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Rhein-Waal) is a German public Fachhochschule founded in 2009, headquartered in Kleve, North Rhine-Westphalia, with a second campus in Kamp-Lintfort. It operates under the regulatory oversight of the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Research of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MIWF) and is funded primarily through state block grants, tuition, and project-specific subsidies. The institution serves approximately 7,200 students — both domestic and international — across four faculties: Society and Economics, Technology and Bionics, Life Sciences, and Communication and Environment. Its product portfolio comprises bachelor's and master's degree programs (including English-taught offerings such as International Business and Management, and Sustainable Tourism), dual study programs combining academic coursework with vocational training, and applied research services coordinated through the Centre for Research, Innovation and Transfer.

The university runs an integrated technology stack supporting academic and student services: Moodle for learning management, HISinOne for student information and application processing, Cisco Webex powering a Virtual Student Service Point, and Matomo for privacy-compliant web analytics. International student applications are processed via the uni-assist platform, while domestic applicants use the self-serve HISinOne portal. Student recruitment is distributed through a multi-channel marketing stack including website, social media (Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram), education fairs, a podcast series, and study advisory services. The pricing model is dominated by state-regulated semester fees; ancillary commercial-style revenue includes the Germany Scholarship (300 EUR/month, 50% privately funded by sponsors such as NIAG and 50% by the German federal government) and applied research grants.

Beyond degree education, the university has positioned itself as a regional applied-AI hub via two notable 2026 initiatives: the SALAMI project (Scalable Language Model Infrastructure for SME language and image recognition deployments, funded by the NRW Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection) and the KI für KMU NiederRhein consortium project supporting AI adoption among Lower Rhine SMEs. Industry partnerships span applied research collaborations with regional firms (e.g., Hermsen GmbH, joint winner of the Hochschulpreis 2026), international exchange agreements (e.g., University of Winnipeg, 2024), and a recurring entrepreneurship platform (Best Idea Cup, annual since 2013). Customer base is highly diversified across individual student-consumers, with no concentration in any single enterprise anchor.

Name

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences

Legal name

Hochschule Rhein-Waal (Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences)

Website

https://hochschule-rhein-waal.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences is a German public Fachhochschule serving ~7,200 students across two campuses (Kleve and Kamp-Lintfort) via four faculties, with a portfolio of practice-oriented degree programs, applied research, and regional SME AI initiatives.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Applied Research & Innovation Universities (EDAHAEAE)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Applied sciences programs
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Applied research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kleve

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences is a public university that delivers practice-oriented bachelor's and master's degree programmes across four faculties (Society and Economics, Technology and Bionics, Life Sciences, and Communication and Environment) at its Kleve and Kamp-Lintfort campuses, serving approximately 7,200 students. It supplements teaching with applied research and knowledge transfer to regional SMEs, dual study formats, international exchange partnerships, and student support services including the Central Study Advisory Service and the Germany Scholarship programme.

Product overview

Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Rhein-Waal) is a German public university with approximately 7,200 students across two campuses in Kleve and Kamp-Lintfort. The institution offers a portfolio of educational products organized through four faculties: Faculty of Society and Economics (offering programs in International Business, Relations, and Economics), Faculty of Technology and Bionics (Mechanical Engineering, Electronics, Bionics), Faculty of Life Sciences (Agribusiness, Bioengineering, Food Sciences, Quality/Environment/Safety), and Faculty of Communication and Environment (Design, Digital Media, Usability Engineering). Beyond degree programs, the university provides research support through its Centre for Research, Innovation and Transfer, and community AI initiatives including the SALAMI language model infrastructure and KI für KMU NiederRhein projects. Student services include the Central Study Advisory Service, examination services, and financial support through the Germany Scholarship program. The university operates with integrated technology platforms including Moodle for learning management, HISinOne for student administration, and Cisco Webex for virtual services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 156 graduates celebrated degree completion in May 2026 from two faculties
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

AI capability4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Ministerium für Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz NRW (Ministry of Agriculture and Consumer Protection North Rhine-Westphalia)minorOthers · 26 May 2026Minister Silke Gorißen visited Rhine-Waal University and handed over a funding approval (Zuwendungsbescheid) for the SALAMI project ('Scalable Language Model Infrastructure') targeting AI adoption among SMEs in the Lower Rhine region.
• Hermsen GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2026Joint project between Hermsen and the Faculty of Society and Economics to develop a digital marketing strategy and campaign. Both partners were awarded the Hochschulpreis 2026 by Wirtschaftsförderung Kreis Kleve.
• University of WinnipegminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Study abroad partnership enabling up to three University of Winnipeg students at a time to study at Rhine-Waal University with no additional fees. Courses taken at the German university count toward UWinnipeg degrees. Plans include expansion to include researchers and faculty members.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Hochschule RheinMain: Public University of Applied Sciences in Wiesbaden/Rüsselsheim (Hesse) with engineering, business, and design programmes. Similar Hochschule structure and applied-research positioning, but serves a different federal state catchment, so it is more of a structural benchmark than a direct recruiter competitor.

Direct peers

• Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg: Public Hochschule with campuses in Sankt Augustin, Rheinbach, and Hennef in NRW. Directly comparable practice-oriented model with similar scale (~9,000 students) and an explicit focus on regional business engagement; a key structural and competitive peer for Rhine-Waal within the same state system.
• Hochschule Osnabrück: Lower Saxony University of Applied Sciences with strong applied-research focus and SME engagement. Comparable practice-oriented model and faculty mix (engineering, business, agriculture/life sciences); useful benchmark for how a mid-sized German Hochschule scales applied research and dual study.
• Hochschule Niederrhein: Public University of Applied Sciences with campuses in Krefeld and Mönchengladbach, also in the Lower Rhine region of NRW. Closest geographic and structural peer: comparable practice-oriented model, similar faculty mix (economics, engineering, design), and competing for the same regional SME partnerships and domestic student catchment.
• Hochschule Hamm-Lippstadt: NRW Hochschule with campuses in Hamm and Lippstadt, similar founding era (2009) and similar scale. Direct comparator for a young Hochschule's growth trajectory and applied-research positioning; competes for similar regional industry partnerships in eastern NRW.
• FH Aachen (Aachen University of Applied Sciences): Large NRW Hochschule with engineering, business, and design faculties. Direct peer in offering practice-oriented bachelor/master programmes in NRW, with stronger research scale and a broader international footprint, making it both a competitor for students and a comparator for applied-research positioning.
• Westfälische Hochschule: NRW Hochschule with campuses in Gelsenkirchen, Recklinghausen, and Bocholt. Comparable scale and practice-oriented portfolio across engineering, business, and applied sciences; competes for similar SME partnerships and applied-research funding within NRW.
• Hochschule Düsseldorf: NRW Hochschule with faculties covering design, business, engineering, and social sciences. Comparable programme mix and practice-oriented teaching model; located in a metropolitan catchment, making it a credible alternative for prospective students in the broader NRW region.

Broad incumbents

• Technische Hochschule Köln (TH Köln): One of the largest Universities of Applied Sciences in NRW with a broad faculty portfolio and significant applied-research output. Comparable product offering across engineering, business, and applied sciences; outsized scale makes it a benchmark for what Rhine-Waal could grow into, while also being a tougher competitor for talent and grants.

Emerging players

• SRH Hochschule Heidelberg: Private, state-recognised Hochschule with practice-oriented programmes and strong industry integration. Different ownership structure (private vs. public) but a useful benchmark for how a comparable practice-anchored institution scales partnerships with regional employers and international recruitment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HSRheinWaal
• Facebookfacebook.com/hochschulerheinwaal
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/edu/rhine-waal-university-155058
• Instagraminstagram.com/hsrheinwaal
• Xx.com/hochschulerw

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences