FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences

What FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences does

FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences (legal name: Fachhochschule Aachen) is a public state university (Fachhochschule) under the authority of the Ministry of Culture and Science of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It operates across two campuses — the main site at Bayernallee 11 in Aachen and the secondary Campus Jülich — and delivers approximately 100 Bachelor's, Master's, and dual degree programmes across 10 faculties, enrolling more than 13,000 students and producing around 2,000 graduates per year. The institution is one of the largest Universities of Applied Sciences in Germany, with approximately 240 professors and around 1,300 total staff supporting teaching, research, and administration. Applied research is concentrated in energy and sustainable construction, mobility, life sciences, digitalisation, and industrial production, channelled through 14 in-house institutes, 5 affiliated institutes, and 4 competence platforms.

The core technology stack consists of a TYPO3 content management system running the public website, a self-hosted Matomo analytics instance, and an integrated student-facing digital ecosystem comprising HisInOne (application and student service portal), QIS (examination management), ILIAS (eLearning), campusOffice (study planner), Campus (room and lecture directory), and the Katalog PLUS library discovery system with VPN-based remote access. The Eye-Able accessibility suite (Web Inclusion GmbH) provides on-site visual assistance features including adaptive font enlargement, contrast adjustment, text-to-speech, and keyboard navigation. A Prototypenwerkstatt within the Gründungszentrum offers 3D printing, CNC milling, and VR tools to support the TRACE start-up programme. The university recently introduced the WISO KI-Rechercheassistent, an AI-powered research assistant embedded in its library database.

FH Aachen's revenue model is that of a publicly funded institution: core operations are financed by state allocations from North Rhine-Westphalia, supplemented by recurring Semesterbeitrag payments from enrolled students (covering student services and the NRW-Ticket public transport pass), and third-party research funding (Drittmittel) drawn from federal, state, EU, foundation, and industry sponsors. No tuition fees are charged for most programmes under the German public university model. Its go-to-market is direct-to-student through the HisInOne application portal, supported by online self-assessments, study information days (HIT), school outreach (Schülerlabore, Girls'/Boys' Day), and partnerships with RWTH Aachen for shared orientation events. The customer base spans prospective and enrolled students, academic and administrative staff, regional industry partners (via technology transfer and the Career Service job portal), and international graduates seeking German employment pathways.

Name

FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences

Legal name

Fachhochschule Aachen

Website

https://fh-aachen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

FH Aachen is a public University of Applied Sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, offering approximately 100 Bachelor's, Master's, and dual degree programmes across 10 faculties to over 13,000 students at campuses in Aachen and Jülich, with a focus on practice-oriented teaching and applied research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

akta.pro primary industry

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Technical Universities (EDAHAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

University-Affiliated Pathway & Foundation Programs (EDAIAJAA), Technical Universities with Energy, Materials & Sustainability Focus (EDAHAEAL)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Applied sciences
• Academic research
• Degree programmes
• Professional training

Headquarters

HQ city

Aachen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. State Funding (Public Tertiary Education): As a public university (Fachhochschule) in North Rhine-Westphalia, FH Aachen is primarily funded by the German state. No tuition fees are charged for undergraduate programmes (based on German public university model). Semester contributions are levied for student services, public transport (NRW-Ticket), and other institutional services.
2. Third-Party Research Funding (Drittmittel): Research projects funded by external sponsors including federal and state government programmes, EU research frameworks, industry partnerships, and foundations. These third-party funds support research staff, equipment, and project costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

FH Aachen is a public German university of applied sciences that delivers higher education and applied research. It offers roughly 100 bachelor's and master's degree programmes across 10 faculties to around 13,000–15,000 students, taught by approximately 240 professors and supported by about 1,300 staff across its Aachen and Jülich campuses.

Product overview

FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences is a higher education institution offering approximately 90 Bachelor, Master, and dual degree programs across 10 faculties. The university provides an integrated digital ecosystem comprising student portals (HisInOne for applications, QIS for examination management, ILIAS for eLearning, campusOffice for planning, Campus for facilities), library services across four locations, a startup center (Gründungszentrum) with prototyping facilities, career services with job portal, and the alfha.net alumni network. Research focuses on energy and sustainable construction, mobility, life sciences, and digitalization/industrial production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Gründungszentrum FH Aachen: Startup center and entrepreneurship hub providing coaching, prototyping facilities, and support for student and alumni startups
• alfha.net

Products and services

• Bachelor's degree programmes Undergraduate degree programmes across 10 faculties covering engineering, business, design, and applied sciences, aimed at school-leavers seeking a practice-oriented first degree.
• Master's degree programmes Graduate-level degree programmes building on bachelor's qualifications, offered across the same faculty portfolio for students seeking specialisation or research-oriented pathways.
• Cooperative / dual study programmes
• Applied research and third-party research projects
• Startup incubation (Gründungszentrum)
• Career Service
• Alumni network (alfha.net)
• Library and information services

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 13,000 enrolled students and approximately 2,000 graduates per year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RWTH Aachen UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative orientation programme for prospective students in Elektrotechnik and Bauingenieurwesen; shared Hochschulinformationstag (HIT) events; collaborative Online-Gruppenberatung; FH Aachen and RWTH jointly offer the Studienkolleg (Freshman Programme); shared sports programme through Hochschulsportzentrum
• HochschulAllianz für Angewandte Wissenschaften (HAW-tech)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance of Universities of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschulen) in Germany for mutual cooperation, shared research initiatives, and knowledge exchange among HAW institutions
• Erasmus+ ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Union programme supporting student and staff mobility, enabling outbound and inbound international exchanges with partner universities across Europe and beyond
• 32 State Universities of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative study orientation database under the KAoA (Kein Abschluss ohne Anschluss) programme, jointly developed by all 32 state universities in NRW to help school students find suitable study orientation activities across universities
• FutureLab AachenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation and future-oriented project initiative in the Aachen region, fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and society for sustainable development
• DG HOCH NminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of universities and institutions focused on sustainable higher education development in Germany
• Magna Charta Universitatum ObservatoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational observatory of universities committed to fundamental values of university autonomy, academic freedom, and social responsibility
• Rheinisches RevierminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInitiative for structural transformation in the Rhineland mining region, positioning FH Aachen as a partner for innovation and regional economic development
• Charta der Vielfalt (Charter of Diversity)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational diversity charter in Germany committing organisations to promote diversity and equal opportunity in the workplace
• Stifterverband (Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScience and education funding association that awarded FH Aachen the 'Vielfalt gestalten' diversity audit certification in 2022
• Studierendenwerk AachenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent services organisation providing dining hall (Mensa) meals, student housing, and other welfare services for students at FH Aachen and other institutions in Aachen
• alumni-clubs.net (Verband der Alumni-Organisationen im deutschsprachigen Raum)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella association of alumni organisations in German-speaking countries; FH Aachen is a member through its alfha.net alumni network
• IQB (Institut für Qualitätssicherung und Qualitätsmanagement)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganiser of the annual job fair meet@fh-aachen, connecting FH Aachen students with regional and national companies for recruitment

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Technische Hochschule Köln (TH Köln): One of Germany's largest state Universities of Applied Sciences with comparable scale (~25,000 students, 11 faculties) and similar practice-oriented engineering, business, and applied sciences profile — directly comparable as a public Fachhochschule.
• Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften Hamburg (HAW Hamburg): Hamburg's largest state University of Applied Sciences (~17,000 students) with engineering, business, design and life sciences focus — directly comparable as a major German Fachhochschule with applied-research emphasis.
• Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin (HTW Berlin): Berlin's largest state University of Applied Sciences (~14,000 students, 50+ programmes) with strong applied research and industry linkages — directly comparable in size and Fachhochschule mandate.
• Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm: Large Bavarian Fachhochschule with ~13,000 students and broad applied STEM/business portfolio — comparable in scale, practice-orientation, and industry-embedded teaching model.
• Hochschule München (Munich University of Applied Sciences): Large Bavarian Fachhochschule with ~18,000 students across 14 faculties offering applied engineering, business, design, and social sciences — directly comparable in scope, state-Fachhochschule funding model, and employer-partnership orientation.
• Fachhochschule Dortmund (FH Dortmund): NRW-based state Fachhochschule with ~14,000 students in engineering, business, design, and social sciences — directly comparable as a regional Fachhochschule competing for the same applicant pool and employer base in NRW.

Regional players

• Technische Universiteit Delft (TU Delft): Leading Dutch technical university with similar applied-engineering and industry-embedded research focus — a regional peer illustrating cross-border competition for international STEM applicants and Erasmus+ exchanges.

Emerging players

• IU Internationale Hochschule (IU International University of Applied Sciences): Germany's largest private accredited university with ~130,000 students, aggressively expanding online and dual study programmes — an emerging competitor reshaping the Fachhochschule landscape with flexible, scalable delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT): Major German technical university combining a university and a Helmholtz research centre; a broader-incumbent peer with significant applied energy and mobility research overlap.
• RWTH Aachen University: Adjacent full-university counterpart in Aachen with much larger research footprint (~45,000 students) and doctoral/research mandate; serves as a strategic partner but also a broader incumbent competing for the same STEM talent pool.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fh.aachen
• Instagraminstagram.com/fh.aachen/?hl=de
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fh-aachen

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

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 FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences