Volkshochschule des Kreises Heinsberg

What Volkshochschule des Kreises Heinsberg does

The Volkshochschule des Kreises Heinsberg (legally Anton-Heinen-Volkshochschule des Kreises Heinsberg) is a publicly operated adult education institution serving the Kreis Heinsberg district in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Founded in 1946 and named after local educator Anton Heinen (1869–1934), the institution is operated by the Kreis Heinsberg district government as a public corporation (Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts) and is officially recognized under the Weiterbildungsgesetz NRW. It delivers approximately 1,300 course offerings annually across 10 municipalities (Erkelenz, Gangelt, Geilenkirchen, Heinsberg, Hückelhoven, Selfkant, Übach-Palenberg, Waldfeucht, Wassenberg, and Wegberg), organized into six core categories: Politics/Society/Environment, Culture/Creativity, Health/Movement/Nutrition, Languages/Integration, Career/IT, and Basic Education/School Completion. Special programs include Junge vhs (youth), Online-Angebote, Bildungsurlaub under the AWbG NRW, Nachhaltigkeit (BNE), Kulturrucksack NRW for ages 10–14, and Aktiv im Alter for seniors. The current semester (2025/2026) elevates mentale Gesundheit (mental health) as the cross-cutting thematic focus.

The institution operates without a proprietary technology platform, using a standard TYPO3-based website (vhs-kreis-heinsberg.de) for online course booking, participant login, and gift-voucher sales. Course delivery combines in-person instruction at decentralized venues (schools, community centers, the vhs headquarters at Westpromenade 9, Heinsberg) with online seminars (e.g., via Zoom for the Verbraucherzentrale NRW series). Its portfolio includes BAMF-certified integration and professional language courses, commissioned training for the Jobcenter Kreis Heinsberg, and educational measures for institutions including BEGAS HAUS Heinsberg and JVA Heinsberg (prison). Marketing leverages a bi-annual print and digital vhs-Magazin, topic-specific flyers, Facebook and Instagram, earned media coverage, and the program website. The institution holds 2025 LQW (Lernerorientierte Qualitätstestierung in der Weiterbildung) quality certification.

Revenue is generated through a mix of participant course fees (with a published 50% social-welfare discount and a 25% reduced rate for students, severely disabled, volunteers, and youth leaders), state funding from North Rhine-Westphalia, operational subsidies from Kreis Heinsberg as the maintaining body (Träger), BAMF funding for integration and professional language courses, and project-specific grants. Gift vouchers are sold in €10–€50 denominations. Governance is exercised through a Kuratorium (advisory board) of district council, municipality, and citizen representatives, with operational leadership under vhs-Leiter Ingo Rümke and deputy Andrea Elisabeth Schildgen, supported by Fachbereichsleitungen for each program area, Verwaltungsleitung, a system administrator, and Verwaltung staff. Customer segments span the general adult population, immigrants and refugees, government institutional clients, and seniors.

Name

Volkshochschule des Kreises Heinsberg

Legal name

Anton-Heinen-Volkshochschule des Kreises Heinsberg

Website

https://vhs-kreis-heinsberg.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Volkshochschule des Kreises Heinsberg is a publicly funded adult education institution in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, offering approximately 1,300 courses annually across 10 municipalities in categories ranging from languages and integration to health, culture, and professional development.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Heinsberg

HQ country

Germany

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. Participant Course Fees: Fees charged to individual participants for course attendance. Pricing varies by course type with standard rates and reduced rates for social welfare recipients (50% reduction) and severely disabled, students, trainees, volunteers (25% reduction). Fees are due at course start and collected via direct debit.
2. Public Funding (State of NRW): Core operational funding from the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (Land Nordrhein-Westfalen) as a recognized adult education institution under the Weiterbildungsgesetz NRW.
3. Kreis Heinsberg Subsidy: Operating subsidies from Kreis Heinsberg as the maintaining body (Träger) of the VHS.
4. BAMF Integration Course Funding: Funding from the Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) for integration courses (Integrationskurse) and professional language courses (Berufssprachkurse).
5. Project Funding: Project-specific funds for targeted educational initiatives and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Anton-Heinen-Volkshochschule des Kreises Heinsberg is a public adult education institution delivering approximately 1,300 courses annually across six core categories (Politics-Society-Environment; Culture-Creativity; Health-Movement-Nutrition; Languages-Integration; Career-IT; Basic Education-School Completion). It delivers in-person classes at decentralized venues across 10 municipalities and online seminars, supplemented by special programs (Junge vhs, Bildungsurlaub, Nachhaltigkeit/BNE, Kulturrucksack NRW, Aktiv im Alter) and recognized certifications (telc, Cambridge, IHK, school-leaving qualifications ESA/EESA/MSA).

Product overview

Volkshochschule des Kreises Heinsberg (Anton-Heinen-Volkshochschule) operates as a public adult education center offering approximately 1,300 courses annually across 10 municipalities in the Kreis Heinsberg region. The institution is organized into six main course categories: Politik - Gesellschaft - Umwelt, Kultur - Kreativität, Gesundheit - Bewegung - Ernährung, Sprachen - Integration, Beruf - EDV, and Grundbildung - Schulabschlüsse. Special programs include Junge vhs for youth, Online-Angebote for remote learning, Bildungsurlaub for work-education leave, Nachhaltigkeit (BNE) for sustainability education, Kulturrucksack NRW for youth cultural programs, and Aktiv im Alter for seniors. The institution also publishes a bi-annual vhs-Magazin and offers gift vouchers. Course delivery includes in-person classes at various locations, online seminars, and hybrid formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Politik - Gesellschaft - Umwelt Courses Courses covering politics, society, and environmental topics for adults, including events for the 80th anniversary of North Rhine-Westphalia and civic education offerings in collaboration with Bündnis gegen Rechtsextremismus.
• Kultur - Kreativität Courses Creative arts courses for adults including painting, contemporary dance, pottery, dialect film evenings, and other cultural programs co-developed with partners such as Heimatverein Schafhausen e.V.
• Gesundheit - Bewegung - Ernährung Courses Health, fitness, and nutrition courses including AquaYoga, step fitness, pregnancy yoga, cooking classes, and current thematic focus on mental health (stress management, mindfulness, resilience).
• BAMF Integration Courses (Integrationskurse) Officially recognized BAMF-funded German language and orientation courses for immigrants and refugees, including telc B1 exam preparation, delivered in collaboration with the Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge and the Kommunales Integrationszentrum Kreis Heinsberg.
• Berufssprachkurse (Professional Language Courses) BAMF-funded professional German language courses for workforce integration, with preparation for recognized vocational language certifications.
• Foreign Language Courses (Fremdsprachen) Foreign-language courses for adults including preparation for recognized telc and Cambridge English exams.
• Beruf und EDV Courses Professional development and computer courses including Microsoft Office 365, Windows 10, and digital basic education for adult learners.
• Schulabschlusskurse (School-Completion Courses) Basic education courses preparing adults to obtain ESA, EESA, and MSA school-leaving qualifications, often commissioned by Jobcenter Kreis Heinsberg for beneficiaries.
• Bildungsurlaub (Work-Education Leave) Work-education leave programs recognized under the Arbeitnehmerweiterbildungsgesetz (AWbG) NRW covering IT, language, and health topics for employed adults.
• Online-Seminare (Live Online Seminars) Live online seminars delivered via Zoom (e.g., the Verbraucherzentrale NRW series covering heat pumps, solar energy, rainwater management, severe weather protection, and building greening).
• Junge vhs (Youth Program) Programs for children and young people including youth-focused educational activities and the Kulturrucksack NRW cultural program for ages 10-14.
• Aktiv im Alter (Programs for Seniors) Programs designed for senior citizens promoting active aging, offered in collaboration with Senioreninitiative Erkelenz.
• Nachhaltigkeit (BNE - Education for Sustainable Development) Education for Sustainable Development covering environmental topics, climate protection, and sustainability offerings.
• Gutscheine (Course Gift Vouchers) Gift vouchers for course enrollment available in denominations of €10, €20, €30, €40, and €50, purchasable online via the participant portal.

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Verbraucherzentrale NRW e. V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development and delivery of online seminars on topics including heat pumps, solar energy, rainwater management, severe weather protection, and building greening. These seminars are listed as VHS offerings and co-branded.
• 10 municipalities of Kreis HeinsbergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerErkelenz, Gangelt, Geilenkirchen, Heinsberg, Hückelhoven, Selfkant, Übach-Palenberg, Waldfeucht, Wassenberg, and Wegberg. Municipalities provide venues and support for decentralized course delivery.
• Bündnis gegen RechtsextremismusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance for democracy and civic engagement; VHS collaborates on values-based educational offerings.
• Kommunales Integrationszentrum Kreis HeinsbergcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal integration center; VHS collaborates on integration courses and programs for migrants.
• Regionales Bildungsnetzwerk Kreis HeinsbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional education network; VHS participates in district education network initiatives.
• Schulamt Kreis HeinsbergminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistrict school authority; collaboration on education matters.
• Heimatverein Schafhausen e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal heritage society; VHS collaborates on cultural events such as dialect film evenings.
• Senioreninitiative ErkelenzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSenior citizens initiative; collaboration on offerings for older adults.
• Neighboring Volkshochschulen (vhs Aachen, vhs Nordkreis Aachen, vhs Eschweiler, vhs Jülicher Land, vhs Mönchengladbach, vhs Rur-Eifel Düren, vhs Stolberg)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration with neighboring VHS institutions for knowledge sharing and regional coverage.
• Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBAMF commissions the VHS to deliver officially recognized integration courses and professional language courses (Berufssprachkurse).
• Jobcenter Kreis HeinsbergcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJobcenter commissions training measures for job seekers from the VHS.
• BEGAS HAUS HeinsbergminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCultural institution commissions educational measures from the VHS.
• JVA HeinsbergminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrison commissions educational programs for inmates from the VHS.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Volkshochschule Köln: Larger NRW VHS in Cologne offering the same statutory adult education portfolio, including integration courses, Berufssprachkurse, and school completion programs.
• Volkshochschule Düsseldorf: Major NRW VHS in Düsseldorf with comparable statutory recognition and program breadth across the standard VHS six-category portfolio.
• Volkshochschule Aachen: Direct peer VHS serving the city of Aachen in NRW with similar statutory mandate under the Weiterbildungsgesetz NRW. Already listed as a collaborating partner ('neighboring Volkshochschulen').
• Volkshochschule Rur-Eifel Düren: Regional NRW VHS serving Kreis Düren with the same statutory mandate, course categories, and public funding model.
• Volkshochschule Stolberg: Smaller NRW VHS in Stolberg with similar statutory mandate and program structure; listed as a collaborating 'neighboring VHS' partner.
• Volkshochschule Jülicher Land: Smaller NRW VHS in the Jülich region operating under the same legal framework with comparable decentralized delivery model.
• Volkshochschule Mönchengladbach: Neighboring NRW VHS operating under the same legal framework with comparable course portfolio and BAMF integration course commissioning.
• Volkshochschule Bonn: NRW VHS in Bonn operating the same statutory mandate with similar BAMF integration and Berufssprachkurse commissioning relationships.

Broad incumbents

• Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband (DVV): Umbrella association of all German Volkshochschulen, providing policy advocacy, curriculum frameworks, and standards that govern VHS operations including Kreis Heinsberg.

Others

• Verbraucherzentrale NRW: Consumer protection organization partnering with the VHS on co-developed online seminars; thematically adjacent as an NRW adult education content provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/vhs.kreis.heinsberg
• Instagraminstagram.com/vhs_kreis_heinsberg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volkshochschule-des-kreises-heinsberg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Volkshochschule des Kreises Heinsberg