University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern

What University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern does

Hochschule Kaiserslautern (University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern) is a publicly funded German university of applied sciences (Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften) owned by the State of Rhineland-Palatinate. Founded in 1971 (operating from the Zweibrücken campus since 1994), it serves approximately 5,200 students across 109 Bachelor's, Master's, and continuing-education programmes through three campuses in Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, and Zweibrücken, plus a new study centre in Germersheim. Its five academic faculties (Applied Engineering Sciences; Applied Logistics and Polymer Sciences; Building and Design; Business Administration; Computer Science and Microsystem Technology) cover engineering, natural sciences, business, design, and informatics, including exclusive programmes such as Applied Pharmacy, Business & Law, Leather & Textile Engineering, and Physician Assistant.

The university organises its applied-research mission around four designated research priority areas: Integrated Miniaturised Systems (IMS), Sustainable Materials Products and Processes (STAMP), Interaction, Technology, Empirical Research and Application (ITERA), and Highly Efficient Technical Systems (HTS). Supporting infrastructure includes cleanroom facilities for micro/nanotechnology at Campus Zweibrücken, BIM and LeanFab laboratories, virtual labs, an OpenOLAT-based eLearning platform, and dedicated research institutes for plastics technology and sustainable building/design. The recent award of Promotionsrecht enables cooperative doctoral qualification via the Quali Pro programme, a notable milestone for a German HAW.

Revenue is sourced primarily from Land Rheinland-Pfalz public funding via the Hochschulpakt and Zielvereinbarungen, supplemented by third-party research grants (EU Horizon Europe, EFRE, DFG, industry contracts) and a nominal semester fee. Roughly 25% of students are international (from 80+ countries), recruited through an International Office, the Internationales Studienkolleg, and over 100 partner universities. Over 200 regional company partners support a dual-study (duales Studium) model that combines academic instruction with in-company training, making the institution a central node in the Westpfalz talent and applied-research ecosystem alongside the joint Gründungsbüro (with RPTU) and the Weincampus Neustadt consortium (with RPTU and DLR).

Name

University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern

Legal name

Hochschule Kaiserslautern

Website

https://hs-kl.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Hochschule Kaiserslautern is a publicly funded German University of Applied Sciences serving ~5,200 students across 109 programmes at campuses in Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens, and Zweibrücken, with applied research focused on miniaturised systems, sustainable materials, software-intensive systems, and energy-efficient engineering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Applied Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Universities with Energy, Materials & Sustainability Focus (EDAHAEAL), Technical Universities with Architecture, Built Environment & Design Engineering (EDAHAEAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Applied sciences education
• University degree programs
• Dual study programs
• Applied research services

Headquarters

HQ city

Kaiserslautern

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public higher education funding: As a publicly funded German university of applied sciences (Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften), the institution receives government funding from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and the Federal Republic of Germany for its core educational mission. Funding is channelled through the Hochschulpakt (higher education pact) and Zielvereinbarungen (target agreements).
2. Third-party research funding (Drittmittel): Research activities are substantially funded through third-party grants including EU Horizon projects, EFRE (European Regional Development Fund) projects, state research initiative funding, DFG grants, and industry-funded research contracts. Multiple research projects are listed as EFRE-funded and Horizon-funded.
3. Tuition and semester fees: Students pay nominal tuition fees with a semester contribution (Semesterbeitrag) covering student services, public transport, and administrative costs. There are no significant tuition charges for domestic and EU international students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hochschule Kaiserslautern is a public University of Applied Sciences that delivers 109 Bachelor, Master, and continuing education degree programmes across five departments (Applied Engineering, Applied Logistics and Polymer Sciences, Construction and Design, Business Administration, and Computer Science/Microsystem Engineering). It complements its academic portfolio with practice-integrated dual study programmes, English-taught international programmes with Double Degree options, and distance-learning MBAs, while conducting applied research across four priority areas (IMS, STAMP, ITERA, HTS) supported by ultramodern lab infrastructure such as a micro/nanotechnology cleanroom, BIM lab, and virtual labs.

Product overview

Hochschule Kaiserslautern (University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern) is a research-strong university of applied sciences with five academic departments (Applied Engineering Sciences, Applied Logistics and Polymer Sciences, Construction and Design, Business Administration, and Computer Science and Microsystem Engineering). The university offers a unified educational portfolio centered on over 109 study programs (Bachelor, Master, and continuing education), complemented by dual study options with over 200 regional partners and international programs with more than 100 partner universities. Supporting infrastructure includes eLearning platforms (OpenOLAT, Virtual Laboratories), MBA distance learning programs, childcare services, and research institutes including the Weincampus Neustadt, Institute for Plastics Technology Westpfalz, and Institute for Sustainable Building and Design. Four research priorities (IMS, STAMP, ITERA, HTS) drive applied research activities across the university's three campuses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Degree Programmes (Studiengänge — Bachelor, Master, Continuing Education) Over 109 Bachelor, Master, and continuing education degree programmes offered across the university's five faculties (Applied Engineering, Applied Logistics and Polymer Sciences, Construction and Design, Business Administration, and Computer Science/Microsystem Engineering), including exclusive offerings such as Applied Pharmacy, Business and Law with the Oberlandesgericht Zweibrücken, Leather and Textile Technology, and Physician Assistant.
• Dual Study Programmes (Duales Studium) Practice-integrated study programmes that combine academic study with on-the-job professional training at one of more than 200 regional partner companies, delivered in ausbildungsintegrierend, berufsbegleitend, and weiterbildend formats.
• International Programmes (English-taught degrees, exchange, Double Degree) English-taught international Bachelor and Master programmes, student exchange with over 100 partner universities, Double Degree tracks, and Erasmus+ agreements, coordinated via the International Office.
• MBA Distance Learning Programmes (Fernstudiengänge) Distance-learning MBA programmes in Innovations Management, Motorsport Management, Sport-Management, and Wine, Sustainability and Sales, plus additional online offerings such as Digital Engineering and a distance Master in Business Administration.
• Internationales Studienkolleg (Preparatory College) Preparatory college for international applicants, offering language and subject preparation culminating in the Feststellungsprüfung (university entrance qualification assessment) for admission to Bachelor programmes.
• Childcare Services (Kindertagesstätten) Campus day-care facilities at Kaiserslautern (Turnerstraße, 10 places) and at the Zweibrücken campus (in-house Kita for university members, up to 10 children aged 6 months to 3 years), supporting family-friendly studies and employment.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 first-year enrolments per winter semester (Ersteinschreibungen)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RPTU Kaiserslautern (Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität Kaiserslautern)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint operation of the Gründungsbüro (startup office) for entrepreneurship support and technology transfer. Joint Weincampus Neustadt focusing on viticulture and oenology in both teaching and research. Broader Kooperationsstrategie (cooperation strategy) between HS KL and RPTU KL. Collaborative participation in science and innovation networks.
• DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperator in the Weincampus Neustadt, a cross-institutional initiative focusing on viticulture and oenology research and teaching, alongside HS KL and another university.
• Science & Innovation Alliance Kaiserslautern e.V. (SIAK)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading network for digital transformation, future innovations, and interdisciplinary cutting-edge research in the Kaiserslautern region. The university is a founding member of this regional innovation alliance.
• Over 100 international partner universitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational exchange of students and faculty through Erasmus+ and other bilateral agreements. Double Degree programmes, integrated international semesters, and joint doctoral programmes. The International Office maintains and develops these partner relationships.
• Over 200 regional company partners for dual studycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional companies provide practical training positions for dual study (duales Studium) students. The university co-develops curriculum and training standards with these companies, creating a talent pipeline for the regional economy.
• Oberlandesgericht Zweibrücken (Regional Court Zweibrücken)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive cooperative programme 'Wirtschaft und Recht' (Business and Law) is offered in partnership with the Oberlandesgericht Zweibrücken, providing law students with direct court exposure and practical legal education.
• Weincampus Neustadt consortium partnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-university and cross-institutional consortium focused on viticulture and oenology (Wine Campus Neustadt), involving HS KL, RPTU, and DLR, providing joint Master programmes in Wine, Sustainability and Sales, and Master of Wine Engineering.
• BASF and other industrial partners (FiKoM fair, dual study)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBASF and other large industrial companies participate in dual study programmes, campus recruitment events (Firmenkontaktmesse), and collaborative research projects. Specific events include dual study information days at BASF.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hochschule RheinMain: Public HAW in Wiesbaden/Rüsselsheim with strong engineering, business, and design programmes and a comparable dual study/applied research model. Similar mid-sized HAW profile with multi-campus structure.
• Hochschule Trier: Regional Rhineland-Palatinate HAW with comparable applied sciences and dual study model. Direct peer within the same state's higher education system, sharing policy environment and employer relationships in the Westpfalz/Rhineland region.
• Hochschule München (HM): Bavaria's largest HAW with broad applied sciences portfolio across engineering, business, design, and social sciences. Comparable in programme breadth, dual study model, and applied research orientation, though with substantially larger scale.
• Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da): Large public HAW with strong engineering, design, business, and informatics faculties plus applied research focus. Closely comparable in mission, scale, and dual study orientation, with system accreditation and significant third-party research funding.
• Hochschule Offenburg: Baden-Württemberg HAW with comparable engineering, business, and informatics programmes, plus a strong international profile. Similar scale and applied research orientation, including sustainable energy and microsystems.
• Hochschule Wismar: Mecklenburg-Vorpommern HAW with applied engineering, business, and design programmes. Comparable mid-sized HAW with system accreditation and applied research focus, though serving a different regional economy.
• Berliner Hochschule für Technik (BHT): Berlin's largest HAW with broad engineering, business, and applied sciences portfolio. Comparable in programme diversity, dual study engagement, and applied research focus, though with metropolitan scale advantages.
• Hochschule Karlsruhe (HKA): Baden-Württemberg HAW with focus on engineering, computer science, business, and media. Comparable in applied sciences orientation, industry partnerships, and applied research priority areas, including mechatronics and sustainable systems.
• TH Köln (Technische Hochschule Köln): One of Germany's largest universities of applied sciences with a comparable applied-sciences, dual study, and applied research profile across engineering, business, and informatics. Directly comparable in size, programme breadth, and industry partnership model.
• FH Aachen: Large North Rhine-Westphalia HAW with strong engineering, business, and design faculties. Comparable applied sciences model with significant dual study and applied research activity, including mechatronics and microsystems technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/hochschulekl
• Facebookfacebook.com/fhkaiserslautern
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hochschule-kaiserslautern
• Instagraminstagram.com/hochschulekl
• Xx.com/Hochschule_KL

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Applied Sciences, Kaiserslautern