What SRH Higher Education does

SRH Higher Education GmbH is a German non-profit foundation-owned operator of a network of state-recognized private universities and higher education institutions, headquartered in Heidelberg with legal seat in Mannheim. The network comprises five institutions — SRH University (18 campuses across Germany), SRH Fernhochschule – The Mobile University (distance learning), EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht, SRH Haarlem University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands, opened 2022), and Universidad Paraguayo Alemana (Paraguay) — collectively serving approximately 22,000–23,000 students with over 200 Bachelor, Master, MBA, and doctoral programs. SRH Higher Education is wholly owned by SRH Holding, a foundation (gemeinnütziges Stiftungsunternehmen) that reinvests surplus into education and healthcare.

The network's central intellectual asset is the proprietary CORE-Prinzip (Competence Oriented Research and Education) teaching model, developed in 2012: students study in 5-week intensive blocks covering a maximum of two subjects per block, with lecturers acting as learning coaches, small cohorts, and a constructive-alignment framework linking learning outcomes to assessment. The model is operationalized through an in-house SRH Akademie für Hochschullehre and delivered via an E-Campus digital platform providing 24/7 access to learning materials. The CORE-Prinzip won the Genius Loci-Preis (Germany's only institutional teaching-excellence award) in 2018, and all SRH universities are institutionally accredited, with SRH University additionally system-accredited by the Akkreditierungsrat and 10-year reaccredited by the Wissenschaftsrat in 2015.

Revenue is generated almost exclusively through tuition and program fees charged to individual students across modalities (on-campus, part-time, dual, and distance learning). Enrollment follows a NC-free (numerus clausus) individual-selection process managed via a centralized applicant portal and campus-based study advisory teams, with international students supported through dedicated International Offices handling visa, housing, and relocation. The network does not use third-party distributors; all recruitment is direct. Primary customer segments are school-leavers, working professionals pursuing upskilling/reskilling, international students, and non-traditional learners without Abitur qualifying via vocational pathways.

Name

SRH Higher Education

Legal name

SRH Higher Education GmbH

Website

https://srh-hochschulen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SRH Higher Education is a German non-profit foundation-owned network of five state-recognized private universities serving approximately 22,000 students across Germany, the Netherlands, and Paraguay. It offers 200+ Bachelor, Master, MBA, and doctoral programs unified by its proprietary CORE-Prinzip competency-based teaching model, generating revenue through tuition and program fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Higher Education

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB), Online Graduate Schools (Master’s & Doctoral Programs) (EDAHALAD)

Keywords

• Private higher education
• Competency-based learning
• Distance learning programs
• Bachelor master degrees
• University teaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

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 Program Fees: SRH Higher Education generates revenue primarily through tuition and program fees charged to students across its network of universities and Hochschulen. Programs include Bachelor, Master, MBA, and doctoral degrees, as well as distance learning and continuing education offerings. Fees vary by program and Hochschule.
2. Orientation and Enrollment Fees: Students pay an enrollment fee upon admission and, for non-EU students, tuition fees for the first academic year are charged upfront as part of the enrollment process.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SRH Higher Education GmbH operates a network of five state-recognized private universities and higher education institutions across Germany, the Netherlands, and Paraguay, offering more than 200 German and English-language Bachelor, Master, MBA, and doctoral programs delivered on-campus and via distance learning. All programs are unified by the proprietary CORE-Prinzip (Competence Oriented Research and Education) teaching methodology, featuring 5-week learning blocks, small-group work, and lecturers as learning coaches, supported by the E-Campus digital learning platform.

Product overview

SRH Higher Education operates a network of five distinct higher education institutions under one umbrella, offering over 340 German and English-language study programs across Germany, the Netherlands, and Paraguay. The portfolio includes SRH University (18 campus locations), SRH Fernhochschule – The Mobile University (distance/online learning with 25 years of excellence), EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht (business and law university), SRH Haarlem University of Applied Sciences (Netherlands), and Universidad Paraguayo Alemana (Paraguay). All institutions are unified by the CORE-Prinzip (Competence Oriented Research and Education), SRH's innovative teaching methodology featuring 5-week learning blocks, small group work, and lecturers as learning coaches. The network serves approximately 22,000 students with a focus on practice-oriented, scientifically grounded education preparing graduates for the future job market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SRH University State-recognized private university with 18 modern campuses across Germany offering on-campus Bachelor, Master, and doctoral programs in Business, Technology, Psychology, Design, Music, and other fields. Targeted at school-leavers and direct-entry students, with individual selection replacing the numerus clausus.
• SRH Fernhochschule – The Mobile University State-recognized distance learning university specializing in part-time online Bachelor, Master, and MBA programs. Delivered via the E-Campus digital platform with in-person examinations at 22+ study and exam centers across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Targeted at working professionals and career-changers who need maximum flexibility.
• EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht Leading European business and law university comprising EBS Law School, EBS Business School, and EBS Executive School. Offers Bachelor, Master, doctoral, and executive education programs with strong industry connections and an international partner university network.
• SRH Haarlem University of Applied Sciences International university of applied sciences located in Haarlem near Amsterdam, offering English-language Bachelor and Master programs in Psychology, SME/Digitalization, and Entrepreneurship. Targeted at international students; supports visa and relocation through SRH International Offices.
• Universidad Paraguayo Alemana (UPA) German-Paraguayan university in Asunción offering bilingual Bachelor programs in Business Administration, Industrial Engineering, and Computer Science. Graduates earn a binational degree recognized in both Germany and Paraguay.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked 5th among small universities in Germany for startup support (Gründungsförderung) — placing SRH Hochschule Heidelberg in the top group of universities with fewer than 5,000 students
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und RechtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRH University maintains a strong partnership with EBS Universität für Wirtschaft und Recht, one of Europe's leading business universities. EBS comprises EBS Law School, EBS Business School, and EBS Executive School. This partnership allows SRH to strengthen its position as a top-tier higher education provider, offering students access to EBS's network of international partner universities, companies, and alumni.
• SRH Fernhochschule (The Mobile University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRH University partners with SRH Fernhochschule – The Mobile University, enabling students to access distance learning programs alongside campus-based study. The Fernhochschule specializes in part-time online education with 25 years of experience, 46+ programs, and 22+ study centers in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
• Hundreds of International Partner Universities (Global Exchange Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRH maintains partnerships with hundreds of universities internationally, spanning Eastern Europe to North America. These exchange partnerships enable students to spend semesters abroad, gain international experience, and build global professional networks. The international network also supports incoming international students.
• Stifterverband für die Deutsche WissenschaftminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Stifterverband (Donors' Association for German Science) partnered with VolkswagenStiftung to award SRH the Genius Loci-Preis for teaching excellence in 2018, recognizing the CORE-Prinzip as Germany's only institutional award for excellent teaching.
• VolkswagenStiftungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolkswagenStiftung co-awarded the Genius Loci-Preis 2018 with Stifterverband, recognizing SRH's CORE-Prinzip for teaching excellence in German higher education.
• Hochschulforum Digitalisierung (HFD)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2019, the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung selected SRH (alongside three other universities) to participate in its peer-to-peer strategy consulting program. The resulting recommendations confirmed SRH's path of digitalization in teaching and are incorporated into the SRH higher education strategy.
• Companies, Clinics, Associations, and Research Institutions (Practice Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRH Hochschulen collaborate extensively with practice partners from business, healthcare (clinics), associations, and research institutions to develop and deliver practice-oriented study programs. Students benefit from real-world projects, company involvement in curriculum design, and direct connections to potential employers. SRH states that these partnerships are a central guiding principle.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SRH Holding: Parent foundation of SRH Higher Education, operating both education and healthcare divisions. Comparable at the holding level as a major German private non-profit education and healthcare provider, with system-level scope beyond the higher education division.

Direct peers

• Allensbach Hochschule: Private state-recognized distance-learning university in Germany focused on economics, psychology, and health management. Comparable niche competitor to SRH Fernhochschule in the DACH online/distance higher education market.
• Hochschule Macromedia: Private German university group offering practice-oriented Bachelor's and Master's programs across multiple cities. Direct competitor to SRH University for school-leavers and career-changers in business, design, and media-oriented disciplines.
• Hochschule Fresenius: Private German university group offering Bachelor, Master, and doctoral programs across multiple campuses, including online/distance learning. Competes with SRH in private STEM, business, and psychology programs and shares a similar multi-campus, practice-oriented model.
• FOM Hochschule: Largest private university for working professionals in Germany with ~50,000+ students and 30+ campus locations. Closely comparable to SRH University and SRH Fernhochschule on the dual-study, part-time evening/weekend, and career-adjacent enrollment model.
• FernUniversität in Hagen: Germany's only state distance-learning university; the primary public-sector competitor to SRH Fernhochschule in distance Bachelor's and Master's programs. Comparable on delivery model and target audience, but operates on a public funding basis rather than tuition.
• IU Internationale Hochschule: Germany's largest private university with ~130,000 students across distance and on-campus programs. Direct competitor to SRH in private higher education, particularly in flexible/online Bachelor's and Master's, sharing target segments of working professionals and non-traditional students.
• IU International University of Applied Sciences: Distance-learning arm of IU Group, the largest private distance-learning provider in Germany. Direct competitor to SRH Fernhochschule across online Bachelor's and Master's, flexible self-paced models, and working-professional target segments.
• International School of Management (ISM): Private German university with multiple campuses offering Bachelor, Master, and doctoral programs in business and related fields, including English-language tracks for international students. Closely comparable to SRH in private international business higher education.
• PFH Private Hochschule Göttingen: Private German university offering on-campus and distance-learning programs in business, technology, and psychology. Comparable to SRH on private multi-campus model, practitioner focus, and distance learning portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/srh-higher-education-gmbh

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 SRH Higher Education