Hochschule Merseburg

What Hochschule Merseburg does

Hochschule Merseburg is a public University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule) located in Merseburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, operating under the Higher Education Act of Saxony-Anhalt and funded by the state government. It traces its origins to 1957 as an engineering school and was re-established in its current form in 1992, serving the Halle-Leipzig metropolitan region. The institution delivers approximately 31 degree programs (18 Bachelor and 13 Master) across three faculties: Engineering and Natural Sciences, Social Work.Media.Kultur, and Business Administration and Information Sciences, targeting domestic and international prospective students as well as industry partners for applied research and dual study collaboration.

The university operates more than 60 modern laboratories for applied research and offers differentiated programs such as AI Engineering in Engineering Sciences, Green Engineering, Polymer Materials Science (joint with Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg), and Applied Sexual Sciences. Its technology stack includes the ILIAS learning management system, the HoMe-Portal (Stud.IP-based), and HAWKI, a proprietary API wrapper launched in March 2026 that provides authenticated OpenAI ChatGPT access to students and staff under EU data protection compliance. Five affiliated research institutes (An-Institute), including IPW for polymer materials and IFAS for applied sexual sciences, extend the applied research footprint.

Hochschule Merseburg is funded primarily through state appropriations from Saxony-Anhalt, with supplementary third-party research grants and nominal student semester fees of approximately EUR 280 per semester; tuition is free for all students. International recruitment is conducted via Erasmus+ and bilateral partner university agreements, supported by a buddy system and language courses. Industry engagement occurs through dual study partnerships and research collaborations, with contact channels spanning the university website, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), on-campus information days, and partner referrals. No publicly traded ticker exists; the institution is governed by a Rector, Senate, and Board of Trustees, with current acting Rectoral leadership held by Heinz-Jürgen Voß as Prorektor für Studium und Lehre.

Name

Hochschule Merseburg

Legal name

Hochschule Merseburg

Website

https://hs-merseburg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Hochschule Merseburg is a public German University of Applied Sciences in Saxony-Anhalt offering 31 bachelor's and master's programs across engineering, business, and social sciences, with over 60 applied research labs and unique programs in AI Engineering and Green Engineering.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education (Applied Sciences)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Universities with Energy, Materials & Sustainability Focus (EDAHAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Universities with Specialized Engineering Domains (EDAHAEAI), Public Research Universities with Engineering/Polytechnic Emphasis (EDAHAAAD)

Keywords

• Applied higher education
• University degree programs
• Engineering and natural sciences
• Business and information sciences
• Applied research and transfer

Headquarters

HQ city

Merseburg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Higher Education Funding: As a public university of applied sciences in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, Hochschule Merseburg receives government funding for education and research activities. Revenue is derived from state funding allocations, third-party research funding, and student semester contributions.
2. Student Semester Fees: Students pay a semester fee of approximately EUR 280 per semester to the Studentenwerk (Student Union), which covers student lunch support, cultural projects, social services, and refurbishment. The fee includes a semester ticket (Germany ticket).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hochschule Merseburg is a public University of Applied Sciences offering approximately 31 bachelor's and master's degree programs across three faculties (Engineering and Natural Sciences, Social Work.Media.Kultur, and Business Administration and Information Sciences). The institution delivers practice-oriented higher education, conducts joint applied research with industry and scientific partners in over 60 modern laboratories, and provides international exchange, language training, and career services.

Product overview

Hochschule Merseburg is a University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften) offering approximately 31 study programs across three faculties: Engineering and Natural Sciences, Business Administration and Information Sciences, and Social Work, Media, and Culture. The institution provides a portfolio of bachelor's and master's degree programs emphasizing practical, application-oriented education aligned with labor market needs. Key offerings include unique programs such as AI Engineering (Germany-wide unique), Polymer Materials Science (joint with Martin Luther University), and Sustainable Process Engineering. The university supplements academic programs with digital infrastructure including ILIAS (LMS), HoMe-Portal (student portal), and the proprietary HAWKI integration with OpenAI's ChatGPT for AI-powered learning assistance. The International Office/Language Centre supports exchange students with Buddy Services, accommodation, and language courses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AI Engineering – Künstliche Intelligenz in den Ingenieurwissenschaften A bachelor's degree program focused on artificial intelligence in engineering sciences, training students in the analysis, conception, and implementation of AI technology across engineering disciplines.
• Angewandte Chemie (Applied Chemistry) A bachelor's degree program combining scientific education with practical industrial projects and lab work, focused on innovations in chemistry for sustainable development, environmental protection, healthcare, energy, and materials science.
• Angewandte Informatik (Applied Computer Science) A bachelor's degree program covering principles of hardware and software systems design, algorithms, and communication technologies, including intelligent sensors, embedded apps, mobile/web applications, and complex cloud solutions.
• Betriebswirtschaftslehre (Business Administration) A bachelor's degree program offering practice-oriented business education in a personal atmosphere, preparing graduates as all-round talents for diverse career paths.
• Angewandte Medien- und Kulturwissenschaft (Applied Media and Cultural Studies) A master's degree program providing holistic media and cultural science education, preparing students for cultural or media fields and reflection competence for dealing with media-cultural complexity.
• Polymer Materials Science An interdisciplinary master's program in polymer science offered jointly with Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, providing multifaceted education in one of the central industrial growth sectors through multidisciplinary collaboration among physicists, chemists, and engineers.
• Nachhaltige Verfahrenstechnik und Chemie (Sustainable Process Engineering and Chemistry) A master's degree program advancing classical engineering by synergistically combining natural sciences and engineering competencies to support the transformation of the chemical industry toward a circular economy.
• Maschinenbau (Mechanical Engineering) Bachelor's and master's degree programs in mechanical engineering with specializations including mechatronics, physics technology, robotics, microsystems technology, virtual instrumentation, product design, FEM, digital factory, laser processing, and piezoelectric sensor/actuator technology.
• Green Engineering A bachelor's degree program linking material transformation and energy technology, teaching engineering processes essential for sustainable economics through interdisciplinary analysis, evaluation, and development of material and energy economy processes.
• Soziale Arbeit (Social Work) A bachelor's degree program preparing students to help, advise, and accompany people in different life situations, with professional breadth and interdisciplinary competencies across diverse fields of practice.
• Wirtschaftsinformatik (Business Informatics) Bachelor's and master's degree programs combining business administration knowledge with information technology skills to develop and optimize software solutions and data processing programs.
• Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen (Industrial Engineering) Bachelor's and master's degree programs combining business processes, technical procedures, logistics methods, and quality management approaches, preparing graduates as mediators between business and technology.
• KOMPASS – Das Orientierungssemester An orientation semester starting in April, designed to help prospective students explore technical-scientific study options before committing to a specific program; completing KOMPASS guarantees admission to all bachelor's engineering programs at the university.
• International Office / Language Centre Service unit providing support for international exchange students, including application processing, a Buddy Service for cultural integration, accommodation assistance, language courses (German as a Foreign Language, Business English, Technical English, Spanish), and departmental coordination.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability3 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on interdisciplinary degree programs: Engineering and Management (Bachelor, taught in English) and Polymer Materials Science (Master). Specialists from both institutions teach in their respective fields, combining theory and practice.
• Otto-von-Guericke-Universität MagdeburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation for the Ingenieurpädagogik (Engineering Pedagogy) Bachelor program, preparing students for teaching careers in vocational education.
• Fraunhofer-Institut für Mikrostruktur von Werkstoffen und Systeme (IMWS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuest lecturer Patrick Hirsch from Fraunhofer IMWS teaches Polymer Processing in the Master program.
• Studentenwerk HallecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent Union providing essential services including campus housing, cafeteria, and student social services. Offers approximately 60 guest rooms for international students on campus.
• International Partner UniversitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExchange partnerships with international universities for student mobility through Erasmus+ and bilateral agreements. Application deadlines: May 31 for winter term, November 30 for summer term.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola (THGA): State-recognized University of Applied Sciences in Germany focused on engineering and natural sciences with strong industry orientation, comparable in mission, applied-research emphasis, and program breadth.
• Technische Hochschule Wildau: Public University of Applied Sciences in Brandenburg with engineering, business, and applied natural sciences programs, similar Fachhochschule profile and strong regional industry linkage in eastern Germany.
• Hochschule Darmstadt (h_da): Large public University of Applied Sciences with engineering, computer science, and business programs and significant applied research. Comparable as a German Fachhochschule with a similar portfolio of practice-oriented degree programs.
• Hochschule Magdeburg-Stendal: Public University of Applied Sciences in Saxony-Anhalt with similar applied-research orientation, similar program mix across engineering, business, and social sciences, and the same state funder.
• Hochschule Anhalt: Anhalt University of Applied Sciences is a public Fachhochschule in Saxony-Anhalt, also state-funded, with applied research and Bachelor/Master programs. It is the closest geographic and structural peer to Hochschule Merseburg.
• Hochschule Kaiserslautern: Public University of Applied Sciences with engineering, applied sciences, and business programs. Comparable as a German Fachhochschule emphasizing applied research and industry collaboration.
• Hochschule Harz: Another public Fachhochschule in Saxony-Anhalt with applied research focus and practice-oriented Bachelor's and Master's programs, directly comparable in size and funding model.
• Hochschule Wismar: Public University of Applied Sciences in northern Germany with engineering, design, and business programs. Comparable in applied-research model, program structure, and Fachhochschule funding logic.

Broad incumbents

• Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg (MLU): Full public research university in Saxony-Anhalt and a formal cooperation partner of Hochschule Merseburg on joint Bachelor's and Master's programs. Overlaps in the same regional recruitment pool and is the broader incumbent in the catchment area.
• Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg (OVGU): Public research university in Saxony-Anhalt that partners with Hochschule Merseburg on the Engineering Pedagogy program. Competes for the same regional student base but offers a full research-university portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/hsmerseburg
• Facebookfacebook.com/HochschuleMerseburg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/hochschule-merseburg
• Instagraminstagram.com/hochschulemerseburg
• Xx.com/hsmerseburg

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hochschule Merseburg