Maastricht University School of Business and Economics (SBE)

What Maastricht University School of Business and Economics (SBE) does

Maastricht University School of Business and Economics (SBE) is one of six faculties of Maastricht University, a public research university founded in 1976 in Maastricht, Netherlands. SBE delivers Problem-Based Learning (PBL)-led undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and executive-education programmes in business, economics, and management, alongside the university's central research, mobility, and partnership functions at the school level. The faculty participates in Maastricht University's broader technology platform, which includes the Research Information Portal (CRIS), the cross-disciplinary Data Science @UM initiative, the Open Science Framework (Barcelona Declaration, FAIR principles), and an institutional AI & Education policy covering generative AI and learning analytics. SBE's distribution is primarily on-campus at Maastricht and Venlo, with extension into Brussels via the UM Brussels Hub for EU affairs and part-time PhD cohorts.

Maastricht University — the parent entity providing all disclosed financials — operates on a multi-stream public-revenue model. 2024 total revenue was €633 million, up from €590 million in 2023. Primary government funding from the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science totalled €383 million; contract revenue (EU projects, industry partnerships) reached €131 million; third-party funding totalled €76 million; and indirect government funding contributed €31 million, with regulated tuition fees providing the remainder. The university enrolled 23,324 students in 2024 (up from 22,976 in 2023), of which 61% were international, representing 134 nationalities. SBE's go-to-market combines event-driven recruitment (Open Days, Bachelor and Master Experience Days, TeenzCollege), direct-to-consumer enrollment through the application portal, and channel-partner exchange agreements with European and global universities. Its international positioning and YUFE/WUN/YERUN/EASSH memberships reinforce a research-integrated, European-anchored brand targeting both Dutch and global prospective students.

Name

Maastricht University School of Business and Economics (SBE)

Legal name

University of Maastricht

Website

https://maastrichtuniversity.nl

Company type

Public

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Maastricht University School of Business and Economics (SBE), founded in 1976, is a faculty of a Dutch public university delivering Problem-Based Learning-led bachelor's, master's, PhD, and executive-education programmes in business and economics to a predominantly international student body.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Business and Economics

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (61143), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Management Research Institutes & Doctoral (PhD/DBA) Programs (EDAHAHAO)

Keywords

• Business education programs
• Higher education services
• Problem-based learning
• Executive education programs
• Research degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Maastricht

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary government funding from Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science - €383 million in 2024
2. Tuition Fees: Student tuition fees regulated by Dutch government, with additional fees for specific programmes and international students
3. Contract Revenue: Research contracts with external parties including EU projects, industry partnerships - €131 million in 2024
4. Third Party Funding: Funding from foundations, charities, and other non-governmental sources - €76 million in 2024
5. Indirect Government Funding: Indirect funding through various government schemes - €31 million in 2024

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Maastricht University School of Business and Economics (SBE) delivers Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD degree programmes in business and economics, along with executive education for professionals. Teaching is delivered through the university's distinctive Problem-Based Learning (PBL) methodology, in which small groups of students work collaboratively on real-world business cases under tutor guidance. The school serves both individual degree-seeking students and corporate clients via business partnership and executive education offerings.

Product overview

Maastricht University School of Business and Economics (SBE) operates as a faculty within Maastricht University, offering a portfolio of educational products and services. The core offerings consist of undergraduate (Bachelor's) and graduate (Master's) programmes in business and economics, a PhD research programme, and executive education for professionals. SBE's educational approach is built on Problem-Based Learning (PBL), a distinctive methodology where students work in small groups on real-world business cases. The portfolio also includes business partnership programmes for corporate collaboration, academic partnership programmes for international exchange, and ancillary services such as the SBE Podcast. The products function as interconnected educational pathways, with Bachelor's programmes feeding into Master's and potentially PhD tracks, while executive education and partnership programmes provide professional development and industry connections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SBE Bachelor's Programmes Undergraduate business and economics degree programmes offered by SBE for prospective students, delivered via Problem-Based Learning in small interactive groups. The university offered 26 bachelor's programmes in 2024.
• SBE Master's Programmes Graduate-level business and economics programmes for students seeking advanced academic and professional qualifications. The university offered 100 master's programmes in 2024.
• SBE PhD Programme Doctoral research programme for prospective PhD candidates at the School of Business and Economics, with 415 PhD degrees awarded across the university in 2024.
• SBE Executive Education Professional development and continuing education programmes designed for business professionals and corporate partners seeking advanced business training and credentials.

Quantifiable outcome

• 61% international students from 134 nationalities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Worldwide University Network (WUN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal higher education and research network of 25 universities across 6 continents. WUN membership adds global dimension to UM collaborations, focuses on global development challenges, enhances UM visibility, supports external research funding acquisition, and creates mobility opportunities for researchers.
• Young European Research Universities (YERUN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of Europe's young universities fostering collaboration in research, education, and societal impact. UM co-founded YERUN which shares values of high-impact research and internationalization. Offers opportunities for research mobility, open science, and sustainability cooperation.
• Young Universities for the Future of Europe (YUFE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUM coordinates the YUFE alliance of 10 young universities and 2 non-academic partners. YUFE aims to establish a truly European University with shared dedication to European spirit and competitive, innovative, united Europe. Offers students European curriculum, language learning, mobility, career development, and community service opportunities.
• European Alliance for Social Sciences and Humanities (EASSH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest advocacy and science policy organization for social sciences and humanities in Europe. EASSH leverages members' expertise to influence European policy. Working groups bring SSH research into public debate and strengthen European research cooperation. Includes over 70 member organizations representing more than 100,000 researchers.
• Exchange programme partner universitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilateral exchange agreements with universities across Europe and worldwide enabling student mobility at bachelor's and master's levels. Each of UM's six faculties collaborates with partners for student exchanges.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• INSEAD: Top global business school with MBA, executive education, and PhD programmes. Broad incumbent peer; comparable executive-education and master's offering but at a much larger global scale and premium price point than SBE.
• ESADE Business School: Established European business school with bachelor's, MBA, and executive programmes and a strong international profile. Comparable to SBE in international positioning and executive education, though broader portfolio and larger brand.

Direct peers

• TIAS School for Business and Society: Executive business school linked to Tilburg University, focused on management development and corporate programmes. Comparable to SBE's executive education and business-partnerships portfolio.
• Nyenrode Business University: Private Dutch business university offering bachelor's, master's, MBA, and executive programmes. Comparable business-education focus and corporate-talent pipeline, although smaller and private rather than public.
• Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University: Premier Dutch business school at Erasmus University, offering bachelor's, master's, PhD, and executive education in business and economics. Direct Dutch peer to SBE with overlapping target students, international positioning, and research-intensive profile.
• Amsterdam Business School, University of Amsterdam: Business school at the University of Amsterdam offering bachelor's, master's, and executive programmes in business and economics. Comparable Dutch peer with similar international student mix and research-driven offering.
• Copenhagen Business School: Large Northern European business school offering bachelor's, master's, and PhD programmes in business and economics. Closely comparable to SBE on public-university setting, PBL-adjacent pedagogy, and international enrollment.
• Tilburg School of Economics and Management (TiU): Tilburg University's school for economics, management, and business. Direct Dutch peer with comparable research intensity, master's portfolio, and PhD pipeline in business and economics.
• School of Business and Economics, VU Amsterdam: Faculty of Business and Economics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, with bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programmes. Closely comparable to SBE in scope, Dutch public-university setting, and international classroom model.
• WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management: German private business school with bachelor's, master's, MBA, and executive programmes. Comparable continental-European business-education portfolio, though private and smaller than SBE's parent institution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/maastrichtu.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/maastrichtuniversity
• Facebookfacebook.com/maastricht.university
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maastricht-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/maastrichtuniversity
• TikToktiktok.com/@maastrichtuniversity

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 Maastricht University School of Business and Economics (SBE)