Berlin School of Economics and Law

What Berlin School of Economics and Law does

Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin (HWR Berlin), publicly branded as the Berlin School of Economics and Law, is a German state university (staatliche Hochschule) established in 2009 through the merger of the Fachhochschule für Wirtschaft (FHW) and the Verwaltungsfachhochschule (VFH), and owned and administered by the Land Berlin under President Prof. Dr. Jens Hermsdorf. It serves approximately 12,000 students across 57 practice-oriented degree programs organized into five departments: Business and Economics (FB 1), Cooperative Studies (FB 2), Public Administration (FB 3), Legal Studies (FB 4), and Police and Security Management (FB 5), plus the Berlin Professional School (BPS) for continuing and executive education. Operations are split between two Berlin campuses — Schöneberg (Badensche Straße 52) and Lichtenberg (Alt-Friedrichsfelde 60) — and a Startup Incubator Berlin located within CIC Berlin on Lohmühlenstraße.

Core technology consists of conventional higher-education platforms rather than differentiated proprietary IP: Moodle as the learning management system, a custom-built S.A.M. (Study Administration Management) campus management platform for enrollment and academic administration, and Matomo for first-party web analytics. The institution has no public API, no proprietary AI products, and no patents. Adjacent offerings include the Institut für Nachhaltigkeit (INa) for sustainability research, a Nachhaltigkeitszertifikat (Sustainability Certificate) launched in Winter Semester 2023/24, the Startup Incubator Berlin, and fee-based MBA and executive programs through the Berlin Professional School.

The business model is anchored on Land Berlin state appropriations as the dominant funding source. Tuition is not charged for standard degree programs, with students paying only a per-semester fee covering administrative services and a public-transport semester ticket. Incremental commercial revenue is generated through the Berlin Professional School's fee-based continuing education, executive education, and double-degree MBA programs (notably with Porto Business School). The dual-study model, deployed through 700+ company partners, monetizes practical training placements across business and administration sectors. Customer segments are four distinct personas — undergraduate, graduate, dual-study, and working-professional students — distributed across both a horizontal segmentation of degree levels and a vertical depth in dual-study specialization. No external shareholders, equity investors, or funding rounds exist; all restructuring and leadership changes (e.g., the new INa tri-leadership team) occur within a public-sector governance framework.

Name

Berlin School of Economics and Law

Legal name

Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin

Website

https://hwr-berlin.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Berlin School of Economics and Law (HWR Berlin) is a public state university serving ~12,000 students across 57 degree programs in business, law, public administration, and security management, funded by the Land Berlin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berlin

HQ country

Germany

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. Public Higher Education Funding: As a state university (Hochschule) under the State of Berlin, the institution receives government funding for educational operations. Students pay a semester fee but no tuition for standard degree programs. Revenue supports teaching, research operations, and infrastructure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

HWR Berlin is a public state university delivering higher education through 57 degree programs across five departments (Business and Economics, Cooperative Studies, Public Administration, Legal Studies, and Police and Security Management), plus continuing education via the Berlin Professional School. The institution supplements academic programs with the Startup Incubator Berlin, the Institute for Sustainability (INa), and a Sustainability Certificate, serving approximately 12,000 students through tuition-free degree programs and fee-based executive education.

Product overview

HWR Berlin (Berlin School of Economics and Law) operates as a public university with a multi-brand portfolio of educational services. The core offering consists of 57 academic degree programs across five departments, supplemented by the Berlin Professional School for continuing education and executive programs. Supporting infrastructure includes the S.A.M. campus management platform, Moodle-based e-learning services, and the Startup Incubator Berlin for entrepreneurship support. The Institute for Sustainability (INa) serves as a dedicated research institute offering sustainability-focused academic programs, forums, and an annual sustainability prize.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Berlin Professional School (BPS): The continuing education and professional development division of HWR Berlin offering MBA, Master, and certificate programs.
• Startup Incubator Berlin
• Institut für Nachhaltigkeit (INa)

Products and services

• HWR Berlin Academic Degree Programs Tuition-free Bachelor's and Master's degree programs across five departments: Business and Economics, Cooperative Studies (dual study), Public Administration, Legal Studies, and Police and Security Management. Targets high school and Bachelor's graduates seeking practice-oriented higher education.
• Berlin Professional School (BPS) Fee-based continuing education and executive development division offering MBA programs (including the Berlin Part-Time MBA with double-degree option from Porto Business School), professional master's degrees, certificate programs, and executive courses for working professionals.
• Dual Study Programs Cooperative degree programs that combine academic coursework at HWR Berlin with paid practical training at one of 700+ partner companies, integrating theory with on-the-job experience across multiple industries.
• Startup Incubator Berlin Business incubation program located at CIC Berlin offering coaching, consultancy services, workshops, events, and access to the Berliner Startup Stipendium funding program for student and alumni startup teams.
• Institut für Nachhaltigkeit (INa) Research and Programs Research and transfer institute focusing on sustainability research, sustainable finance, circular economy, and corporate sustainability; offers the INa Nachhaltigkeitsforum theme nights and the annual INa Nachhaltigkeitspreis for outstanding student theses.
• Nachhaltigkeitszertifikat (Sustainability Certificate) Optional certificate for Bachelor's students requiring 16 credit points across sustainability coursework, civil engagement, academic or practical specialization, and individual reflection, documented through the dedicated 'Zertifikat Nachhaltigkeit' Moodle course.

Quantifiable outcome

• 57 innovative and practice-oriented degree programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration3 records

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Fintech student exchange program with 39 students visiting HWR Berlin focusing on financial innovation, regulation, and company visits.
• Porto Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership expanded to offer double degree for Berlin Part-Time MBA students, enabling international qualification through Portuguese institution.
• UAS7-Netzwerk (UAS7 Alliance)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational alliance of universities of applied sciences for joint programs, student exchange, and collaborative initiatives. HWR Berlin is a member along with other German UAS institutions.
• DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational agency promoting international academic exchange through scholarships, programs, and partnerships. HWR Berlin participates in DAAD-funded exchange and mobility programs.
• 177 International Partner UniversitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtensive network of international partner institutions for exchange programs, double degree programs, and study abroad opportunities across multiple countries.
• 700 Partner Companies (Dual Study Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompanies providing practical training opportunities for dual study students, combining academic coursework with real-world work experience. Partners span multiple industries and sectors.
• Agentur für Arbeit (Employment Agency)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner for employment services, career counseling, and integration of graduates into the labor market.
• Olympiastützpunkt Berlin (Olympic Training Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting elite athletes in combining athletic careers with academic studies at HWR Berlin.
• Regionales Integrationsnetzwerk BerlinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional integration network in Berlin supporting refugee integration through educational offerings and language programs.
• BSR Berliner StadtreinigungminorOthersSustainability competition sponsor for Wettbewerb Nachhaltige Hochschule, supporting initiatives for a more sustainable campus.
• Gesellschaft für Nachhaltigkeit e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual co-organization of INa Nachhaltigkeitsforum and collaborative sustainability initiatives.
• Society for Sustainability e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual co-organization of INa Sustainability Forum and collaborative sustainability research and events.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• GISMA Business School: Berlin-based private business school offering MBAs and management programs; competes for the same working-professional market as HWR's Berlin Professional School.
• IU International University of Applied Sciences: Germany's largest private university with flexible online and on-campus programs in business, law, and management; competes for adult learners and digital-first students that HWR's Berlin Professional School targets.

Others

• DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service): National agency funding international academic exchange; HWR is a participant in DAAD programs, making it an enabling ecosystem partner for international student flows.
• UAS7 Alliance: Alliance of leading German Universities of Applied Sciences for joint programs and exchange; HWR is a member, making it a structural peer and collaboration counterpart.

Regional players

• Hochschule Bremen: Mid-sized German public UAS with similar business, law, and dual-study offerings; comparable in scale, structure, and UAS market positioning.
• Hochschule Osnabrück: Public German UAS comparable in size and structure with strong dual-study partnerships and business/economics focus; serves as a regional benchmark for the German UAS model.

Direct peers

• FOM Hochschule: Large private University of Applied Sciences in Germany with strong focus on part-time business and economics programs for working professionals; directly competes with Berlin Professional School's executive/MBA offerings.
• Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin (HTW Berlin): Berlin-based public University of Applied Sciences with comparable size (~14,000 students) and overlapping business, engineering, and dual-study programs; the closest direct public competitor in Berlin.
• SRH Hochschule Berlin (SRH Berlin University): Private Berlin university offering business, law, and management programs including MBA; competes head-to-head with HWR for the same Berlin-located, internationally-minded student segment.

Broad incumbents

• ESCP Business School (Berlin campus): Top-tier European business school with a Berlin campus offering MBAs and executive education; competes for premium international and executive students that HWR's Berlin Professional School also targets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hwr_presse
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCl91CT5O62lr8JFIdozM7zw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/berlin-school-of-economics-and-law
• Instagraminstagram.com/officialhwrberlin

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Berlin School of Economics and Law