Private University of Applied Sciences (PHW)

What Private University of Applied Sciences (PHW) does

Private University of Applied Sciences (PHW) Bern is a Swiss Fachhochschule headquartered in Bern, Switzerland, operating under the corporate umbrella of Feusi Holding AG. The institution specializes in business administration and management education, offering a comprehensive portfolio of degree and continuing education programs including a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (with an accelerated upgrade track), a Master of Science, an Executive MBA (with general management, medical management, and accelerated entry variants), multiple Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) programs (Digital Management, Change & Performance, Real Estate Management, Strategy & Leadership, Digital Engineering), and a broad catalog of Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) programs covering Applied AI, Digital Leadership, Finance, Innovation Management, Real Estate, and others. All programs are explicitly designed to be 100% part-time (berufsbegleitend), enabling students to maintain full-time employment while studying, which serves as the institution's core differentiator.

The institution's underlying technology infrastructure centers on PHW Cockpit (powered by Isyflow), an online learning and student management platform accessible at phwcockpit.isyflow.ch, complemented by video conferencing for hybrid instruction. PHW Bern generates revenue primarily through tuition and course fees for its Bachelor, Master, EMBA, MAS, and CAS programs, billed on a semester basis, with state subsidies deducted directly for eligible students. Its go-to-market is sales-led and consultative, targeting working professionals through info sessions, Meet & Greet events, direct enrollment via the website, and a multi-channel digital presence across Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, XING, YouTube, and TikTok. The institution maintains a strategic partnership with HWZ Zürich and is part of the broader Feusi Group educational ecosystem.

Name

Private University of Applied Sciences (PHW)

Legal name

Private Hochschule Wirtschaft PHW Bern AG

Website

https://phw.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

PHW Bern is a private Swiss Fachhochschule offering part-time Bachelor, Master, EMBA, MAS, and CAS programs in business administration, serving working professionals who study alongside full-time employment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

akta.pro primary industry

Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Graduate Schools (Master’s & Doctoral Programs) (EDAHALAD), Engineering & Technical Professions (PE, Engineering CPD) (EDAAALAF)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Executive education programs
• Business administration degrees
• Continuing professional education
• Applied sciences university

Headquarters

HQ city

Berne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Course Fees: PHW Bern generates revenue primarily through tuition fees charged for its Bachelor, Master, EMBA, CAS, and MAS programs. All programs are part-time and designed for working professionals, with semester-based billing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PHW Bern is a private university of applied sciences that delivers 100% part-time, practice-oriented Bachelor, Master, EMBA, MAS, and CAS programs in business administration and management. All programs are designed so students can remain employed up to full-time while studying, combining on-campus presence with online instruction through the PHW Cockpit platform.

Product overview

PHW Bern is a private university of applied sciences offering a comprehensive portfolio of part-time, practice-oriented degree and continuing education programs in business administration and management. The core offerings are built around a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (available as a full program and as an accelerated upgrade track), a Master of Science, and an Executive MBA (E/MBA) with multiple specializations including General Management, Medical Management, and an accelerated entry pathway. These are supplemented by a suite of Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) programs (Digital Management, Change & Performance, Real Estate Management, Strategy & Leadership, Digital Engineering) and a broad catalog of Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) programs covering Applied AI in Practice, Digital Leadership, Digital Transformation & AI Strategy, Finance, General Management, Innovation Management, International Management, Leadership & Personal Development, Marketing & Business Communication, Project Management, Supply Chain & Logistics Management, Business Psychology, and a full Real Estate track (valuation, development, portfolio management, property marketing, and condom ownership). Micro Online Credentials provide flexible, modular online upskilling options. The institution also operates a student portal (PHW Cockpit/Isyflow), organizes networking events (Meet & Greet panels, Forum Bernense), and publishes academic research through its PHW Research Series. All programs combine in-person and online instruction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• HWZ Zürich (Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPHW Bern collaborates with HWZ Zürich in education and training. The partnership is described as 'Gemeinsam Zukunft gestalten' (Shaping the future together). HWZ Zürich is a recognized university of applied sciences in Zurich.
• Feusi Holding AGcoreOthersPHW Bern AG is part of the Feusi Gruppe (Feusi Holding AG), which includes Feusi Bildungszentrum Bern AG and Feusi Bildungszentrum Solothurn AG. The Feusi Gruppe provides the organizational umbrella for PHW Bern.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• IU Internationale Hochschule: Large German private distance-learning university offering flexible Bachelor's, Master's, and MBA programs for working professionals at competitive prices. Comparable target customer and flexible study model, but operates across German-speaking Europe with significantly greater scale and digital-native delivery.
• FOM Hochschule: German private university of applied sciences specializing in part-time Bachelor's and Master's programs for working professionals, with strong employer partnerships. Comparable business model targeting employed learners, though primarily Germany-focused and not competing in PHW's Swiss catchment directly.

Broad incumbents

• Berner Fachhochschule (BFH): The public Fachhochschule headquartered in Bern offering Bachelor's and Master's in business administration and related fields at subsidized tuition rates. Comparable academic offerings but as a larger public institution with broader program portfolio; competes directly with PHW for the same Bern-area professional student.
• Hochschule Luzern - Wirtschaft: Public Swiss Fachhochschule's business department offering Bachelor's, Master's, and continuing education with practical orientation. Comparable academic positioning with similar practitioner focus; competes for working professionals across central Switzerland.
• ZHAW School of Management and Law: Major public Zurich Fachhochschule's business school offering Bachelor's, Master's, EMBA, and CAS programs with strong practitioner orientation. Comparable in academic level and practitioner focus, but operates at significantly larger scale and lower price point as a public institution.

Direct peers

• HWZ Hochschule für Wirtschaft Zürich: Swiss private university of applied sciences specializing in business and economics, headquartered in Zurich. Most directly comparable peer given the explicit core partnership and identical Fachhochschule business model targeting working professionals with part-time Bachelor's, Master's, and EMBA programs.
• Fernfachhochschule Schweiz (FFHS): Swiss distance-learning university of applied sciences offering Bachelor's, Master's, and continuing education primarily online. Comparable to PHW in offering flexible professional education, but differentiated by a distance-first delivery model versus PHW's hybrid campus approach.
• AKAD Hochschule für Berufstätige: Swiss private institution focused specifically on degree programs for working professionals (Berufstätige). Directly comparable target customer segment and business model, with a strong distance-learning and part-time offering across business, technology, and economics.
• Kalaidos Fachhochschule: Swiss private Fachhochschule offering part-time Bachelor's, Master's, and continuing education programs in business and related fields. Directly comparable as a private-sector alternative to public Fachhochschulen, competing for the same Swiss working-professional pool.

Others

• SAE Institute Switzerland: Private for-profit education provider in Switzerland offering applied bachelor's and certificate programs. Comparable as a private-sector Swiss higher-education provider competing for the same working-professional pool, though specialized in creative/media disciplines rather than business administration.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xxing.com/pages/privatehochschulewirtschaftphwbernb
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWdEbDlnvHrNrVTygHgch-A
• Facebookfacebook.com/phwbern
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/phw-bern
• Instagraminstagram.com/phwbern
• TikToktiktok.com/@phwbern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Private University of Applied Sciences (PHW)