What htw saar does

htw saar (Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes) is a public University of Applied Sciences located in Saarbrücken, Saarland, Germany, established in 1968 and operating under the supervision of the Saarland Ministry of Finance and Science. The institution delivers approximately 77 degree programs across four faculties (Architecture & Civil Engineering, Social Sciences, Engineering Sciences, and Business School) to a student body of roughly 6,103, taught by approximately 130 professors within a total headcount of 501-1,000 employees. Its core technology stack is conventional higher-education infrastructure: Moodle as the Learning Management System, the shared SIM-Portal for applications and student information, Matomo for web analytics, and a multi-campus library system offering OPAC catalogs, databases, e-books, and HAWKI AI-assisted research tools. The portfolio is broader than the standard degree line: it includes Franco-German dual-degree programs via the jointly controlled DFHI/ISFATES institute, dual study programs delivered in partnership with ASW gGmbH, and a continuing-education arm (CEC Saar) offering part-time bachelor's/master's degrees, an MBA, and short professional certificates in areas including Practical AI, Security Management, and Energy System Transformation. Research and technology transfer are anchored in three affiliated entities — FITT gGmbH (wholly-owned technology-transfer institute), ZeMA (jointly controlled mechatronics and automation center), and the Hochschul-Technologie-Zentrum (HTZ) — together generating over €18 million in third-party research funding (Drittmittel) in 2025 and securing €29.5 million for the 2026 SaarNex AI and sensor-technology initiative.

The business model is structurally that of a German public university: core revenue is public allocation from the Saarland state government, supplemented by third-party research grants and modest semester/continuing-education fees. As a public institution htw saar generally charges low or no tuition for standard degree programs, with semester fees and specific charges for dual-study and continuing-education pathways. Customer segmentation is hybrid: prospective students (primary, served via direct-to-consumer recruitment through the SIM portal, Campus Days, and a multi-platform social-media presence); companies and institutions (secondary, served via event-driven channels including the annual connect@htw saar job fair and the htwsaar-jobportal.de corporate engagement channel); and research partners (tertiary, served through FITT gGmbH technology-transfer activities and joint projects). Geographic reach is concentrated in Saarland and Germany but extends internationally through 34 double-degree programs with over 60 partner universities worldwide, with a particular Franco-German emphasis via DFHI/ISFATES.

Revenue mechanics are not commercially disclosed but can be triangulated from third-party research funding (€18M+ in 2025), the multi-year SaarNex award (€29.5M in 2026), and student/headcount scale. Distribution is delivered through four physical campuses in the Saarbrücken area — Alt-Saarbrücken (main campus and engineering/social sciences), Rotenbühl (business school), Göttelborn (architecture), and HTZ at Innovations Campus Saar — plus the ZeMA mechatronics center and the ASW gGmbH dual-study channel in Neunkirchen. The institution is GDPR-compliant, BITV 2.0-oriented for digital accessibility, and is led by President Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dieter Leonhard, with a new University Council (Hochschulrat) constituted in June 2026.

Name

htw saar

Legal name

Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes

Website

https://htwsaar.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

htw saar is a public University of Applied Sciences in Saarbrücken, Germany, delivering approximately 77 practice-oriented degree programs across four faculties to roughly 6,103 students, with strong applied research (€18M+ third-party funding in 2025), 34 international double-degree partnerships, and a Franco-German dual-degree institute.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Applied research programs
• Dual degree programs
• Scientific continuing education
• Technology transfer services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saarbrücken

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: Core government funding from the Saarland Ministry of Finance and Science for operating the public university
2. Third-Party Research Funding: Drittmittel funding from research projects, grants, and industry collaborations. In 2025, htw saar generated over 18 million euros in third-party research funding
3. Tuition and Fees: Semester fees and tuition contributions from students, including dual study program fees through ASW gGmbH partnerships

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

htw saar is a public University of Applied Sciences that delivers practice-oriented higher education through approximately 77 bachelor's and master's degree programs across four faculties (Architecture & Civil Engineering, Engineering Sciences, Social Sciences, and Business School), along with dual study programs via ASW gGmbH, Franco-German dual-degree programs via DFHI/ISFATES, and scientific continuing education via CEC Saar. The institution also conducts application-oriented research, generating over €18 million in third-party research funding in 2025, and facilitates industry knowledge transfer through FITT gGmbH.

Product overview

htw saar (Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft des Saarlandes) is a University of Applied Sciences (HAW) offering approximately 77 practice-oriented degree programs across four faculties (Architecture & Civil Engineering, Engineering Sciences, Social Sciences, and Business School). The portfolio includes standard bachelor's and master's degrees, German-French dual-degree programs through DFHI/ISFATES, dual study programs in cooperation with ASW gGmbH, and scientific continuing education through CEC Saar (including part-time degrees, MBA, and professional certificates). Student-facing services include the SIM-Portal for applications, Moodle-based e-learning, a multi-campus library with digital resources, three dining facilities, career services with a job portal, and an International Office coordinating 34 double-degree programs with 60+ partner universities. Research and innovation are supported through the HTZ technology center, ZeMA mechatronics center, and FITT technology transfer institute. The institution generated over €18 million in third-party research funding in 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Degree Programs (Bachelor & Master) htw saar offers approximately 77 practice-oriented degree programs at bachelor's and master's levels across four faculties: Architecture & Civil Engineering, Engineering Sciences, Social Sciences, and Business School/Economics. Programs span architecture, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, computer science, applied health sciences, social work, business administration, international business, and industrial engineering for prospective and current students.
• German-French Degree Programs (DFHI/ISFATES) Co-operated by htw saar, the Deutsch-Französisches Hochschulinstitut (DFHI/ISFATES) offers dual-degree German-French programs including Franco-German Management, Electrical Engineering, European Construction Management, Computer Science, Logistics, Tourism Management, and Mechanical Engineering at Bachelor and Master levels, with dual qualifications and international career prospects in a bilingual study environment.
• Dual Study Programs In cooperation with ASW gGmbH, htw saar offers dual study programs combining theory at ASW in Neunkirchen with practical phases at partner companies. Programs include Mechanical Engineering-Production Technology, Business Informatics, Industrial Engineering-Production Management, Business Administration, and Integrated Sustainable Building Technology at Bachelor level, enabling students to study and earn income simultaneously.
• Scientific Continuing Education (CEC Saar) The CEC Saar provides part-time and extra-occupational continuing education programs at academic level, including Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Industrial Engineering, Business Administration, Aviation Business and Piloting, Security Management, MBA, and Management & Leadership, targeted at working professionals seeking academic credentials.
• Professional Certificate Programs Short professional certificate programs offered through CEC Saar covering areas such as Practical AI, Security Management, HR Management in Transformation, Energy System Transformation, Technical Project Management, Production & Technology, Innovation Management, Construction Bionics, Early Childhood Education, and Language/Diversity, for working professionals seeking targeted upskilling.
• Research & Technology Transfer Services htw saar conducts application-oriented research across defined focus areas, generating over €18 million in third-party funding in 2025. Services include innovation support, patent management, DFG cooperation, and technology transfer through FITT gGmbH, targeted at industry partners and research collaborators seeking applied R&D expertise.
• Mensa (Cafeteria Services) htw saar operates three dining facilities (Mensen) at Campus Alt-Saarbrücken, Campus Rotenbühl, and Campus Göttelborn, providing breakfast, cafeteria, and lunch services for students and staff, managed in cooperation with Studierendenwerk Saarland.
• International Office Services The International Office supports 34 double-degree programs with over 60 partner universities worldwide, semester abroad opportunities, internship placements, international research projects, German language courses, and guidance for international students, targeted at incoming and outgoing students and faculty.
• Career Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Top rankings in CHE-Ranking 2026 for Wirtschaftsingenieurwesen and Betriebswirtschaft programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ASW gGmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for dual study programs where theory phases at ASW in Neunkirchen are combined with practical phases at partner companies. Enables students to study and earn money simultaneously.
• DFHI/ISFATES (Deutsch-Französisches Hochschulinstitut)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFranco-German University Institute offering 34 double degree programs with over 60 partner universities worldwide. Provides degrees with dual qualifications and international career prospects in a bilingual study environment.
• FITT gGmbH (Institut für Technologietransfer)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitute for Technology Transfer supporting cooperation between htw saar and industry. Manages the contact database for business partnerships and supports theverteiler for cooperation opportunities.
• 60+ Partner Universities WorldwidecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partner universities for exchange semesters, internships, and international research projects. Supports double degree programs and provides mobility opportunities for students and staff.
• ZeMA (Zentrum für Mechatronik und Automatisierungstechnik)coreTechnology or IntegrationCenter for Mechatronics and Automation Technology located at Gewerbepark Eschberger Weg, providing research infrastructure and industry collaboration in automation technologies.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Technische Hochschule Köln (TH Köln): One of Germany's largest HAWs with broad engineering, applied sciences, and business faculties; competes with htw saar for third-party research funding rankings and corporate continuing-education contracts nationwide.

Direct peers

• h_da - Hochschule Darmstadt: Mid-sized HAW with strong engineering, computer science, and business faculties and an active applied-research profile, making it a close structural analog to htw saar across degree mix, research funding model, and industry partnerships.
• HTW Berlin - Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin: Largest and most prominent Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft in Germany with a directly comparable applied-sciences mandate spanning engineering, business, and design, mirroring htw saar's faculty mix and practice-oriented positioning.
• Hochschule Karlsruhe (HKA): Mid-sized public HAW with engineering, business, and architecture faculties and an active applied-research profile; structurally comparable to htw saar in degree mix, R&D intensity, and industry orientation.
• Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences: Public HAW with comparable scale, multi-faculty structure (engineering, business, social work, architecture), and applied-research focus; similar operating model and revenue mix of state funding, third-party grants, and semester fees.
• HTWK Leipzig - Hochschule für Technik, Wirtschaft und Kultur Leipzig: Applied-sciences university with a near-identical German acronym pattern (HTW/HTWK) and parallel faculty mix in engineering, business, and architecture/civil engineering, useful as a structural template for htw saar.
• FH Aachen - Fachhochschule Aachen: Engineering-heavy HAW with comparable faculty structure (engineering, business, design) and a strong track record in collaborative research and technology transfer, directly analogous to htw saar's applied-research identity.

Others

• Universität des Saarlandes: The full university co-located in Saarbrücken; not a competitor for applied-sciences degrees but the primary local partner (and competitor for talent, EU funding, and SaarNex consortia) shaping htw saar's regional research ecosystem.

Regional players

• Hochschule Trier: Public HAW in Rhineland-Palatinate near the Saarland border, with overlapping engineering and business programs and similar campus-leveraged applied-research footprint in a comparable mid-sized region.
• Hochschule Kaiserslautern: Neighboring Rhineland-Palatinate HAW with overlapping engineering and business programs and a similar applied-research ethos; competes with htw saar for cross-border students and SME partnerships in the greater Saar-Pfalz region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCy033MGqngwOBwWqaTFGDug
• Facebookfacebook.com/htwsaar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/hochschule-f%C3%BCr-technik-und-wirtschaft-des-saarlandes-saarbr%C3%BCcken
• Instagraminstagram.com/htwsaar_
• Xx.com/htw

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 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 htw saar