Volkshochschule Schaumburg

What Volkshochschule Schaumburg does

Volkshochschule Schaumburg (VHS Schaumburg) is a public adult education institution operating as a non-independent public law entity (nicht selbständige Anstalt des öffentlichen Rechts) under the Landkreis Schaumburg district government in Lower Saxony, Germany. It serves the entire Schaumburg district through three Geschäftsstellen (branch offices) in Stadthagen (headquarters), Rinteln, and Bückeburg, supplemented by satellite teaching venues across municipalities including Bad Nenndorf, Obernkirchen, and Rodenberg. The institution offers a broad catalog spanning nine program areas — Gesellschaft, Kultur, Gesundheit, Sprachen, Beruf | IT, Grundbildung, Digitale Angebote, junge vhs, and Bildungsurlaub — with courses priced on a per-course unit basis (e.g., €53.50–€78.00 per course) and discounted 50% for students, trainees, job seekers, and volunteers.

VHS Schaumburg's operating model combines direct-to-consumer online enrollment with multi-channel registration (phone, email, fax, in-person). The technical stack is built on Kufer Software GmbH's course management platform (course catalog, shopping cart, registration) with SSL-encrypted transmission, and vhs.cloud (operated by Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband e.V.) for virtual seminars. The institution is funded through a mix of course fees (Entgelte), public sector support from Landkreis Schaumburg, and external grants for specialized programs including BAMF-funded integration courses, Bildungsclub Schaumburg (funded by Volksbank Schaumburg and BKK 24), MiA, DigiWärts, and Wirtschaftsakademie. The leadership team, led by Director Ute Urselmann with Tim Michalski as Administrative Director/Deputy, oversees a staff of approximately 10 employees plus freelance instructors delivering recognized certifications (Cambridge, telc, IHK, Xpert).

Customer segments are diverse and explicitly inclusive: general adult learners, seniors (targeted via Bildungsclub Schaumburg), working professionals and businesses (Wirtschaftsakademie), and migrants/refugees (BAMF integration courses and MiA program). The institution also operates community-oriented services such as the free monthly Betreuerinnen- und Betreuertreff for volunteer legal guardians, in collaboration with Betreuungsverein Schaumburg e.V., serving approximately 3,000 people in the district who require guardianship. Distribution is omnichannel: a primary digital storefront at vhs-schaumburg.de (newly relaunched April 2026), a semi-annual printed Programmheft, opt-in email newsletter, and social media presence under the EDV/Digitalization function.

Name

Volkshochschule Schaumburg

Legal name

Volkshochschule Schaumburg

Website

https://vhs-schaumburg.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Volkshochschule Schaumburg is a publicly funded adult education institution serving Landkreis Schaumburg in Lower Saxony, Germany, offering courses in languages, health, culture, professional development, and digital skills across three branch offices and multiple satellite venues, with enrollment handled online and in-person.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Continuing Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online/Hybrid Lifelong Learning Platforms & Open Enrollment Programs (EDAAAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce & Career Transition Noncredit Programs (EDAAAEAC), Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD)

Keywords

• Adult continuing education
• Public adult learning
• Language integration courses
• Professional development training
• Cultural education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Stadthagen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Course enrollment fees (Entgelte): VHS Schaumburg generates revenue primarily through course enrollment fees charged per course or event. Fees vary by course type, duration, and format. Reduced rates (50%) are available for specific groups including students, trainees, job seekers (SGB II/III/XII recipients), and volunteers (Ehrenamtskarte holders receive 20% off). Kulturpass can be used for certain events. Payment is collected at enrollment, typically via SEPA direct debit, and is non-refundable after the cancellation deadline.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Volkshochschule Schaumburg is a public adult education institution that delivers in-person and online continuing-education courses across nine program areas (society, culture, health, languages/integration, professional/IT, basic education, digital learning, youth programs, and Bildungsurlaub). It also runs funded community projects (Bildungsclub Schaumburg, Digiwärts, MiA, Haus der Demokratie, Wirtschaftsakademie, Frauengesundheit, vhs Lerntreff PLUS, Medizin und Pflege im Dialog) and recognizes certifications including Cambridge, telc, IHK, Xpert, and Realschulabschluss. BAMF-funded integration courses for migrants form a core government-contracted component.

Product overview

Volkshochschule Schaumburg operates as a public adult education center (Volkshochschule) offering a comprehensive range of educational courses and programs. The organization provides courses organized into nine main program areas: Gesellschaft (Society), Kultur (Culture), Gesundheit (Health), Sprachen (Languages), Beruf | IT (Professional/IT), Grundbildung (Basic Education), Digitale Angebote (Digital Learning), junge vhs (Youth Programs), and Bildungsurlaub (Educational Leave). Beyond standard course offerings, the institution runs specialized projects including Bildungsclub Schaumburg for seniors, Digiwärts for digital skills, MiA for migrant integration, and Wirtschaftsakademie for business training. The platform utilizes Kufer Software GmbH for course management and registration, and vhs.cloud for virtual seminar delivery. Educational offerings span from language learning and professional development to health education, cultural programs, and basic literacy support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Language and Integration Courses (Sprachen | Integration) Language courses covering German as a foreign language (including BAMF-funded integration courses), English, French, Italian, Spanish, other foreign languages, sign language, and literacy/basic education. For adult learners in the district seeking language acquisition, integration, and recognized certifications (telc, Cambridge).
• Professional and IT Courses (Beruf | IT) Professional development and IT courses covering business education, computer skills, Microsoft Office, digital skills (DigiWärts), smartphone/tablet use, social media, and vocational training for working professionals and companies.
• Bildungsclub Schaumburg Senior education program (25 sessions, 78.00 EUR) combating loneliness through social contacts, regular schedules, and mental/physical activities. Funded by Volksbank Schaumburg and BKK 24, held at multiple rooms in Rinteln.
• Wirtschaftsakademie (Business Academy) Business academy providing company training and professional development courses for local employers and employees in the district.
• Bildungsurlaub (Educational Leave) Intensive courses available as educational leave (Bildungsurlaub) programs for employed adults, qualifying under Lower Saxony educational-leave regulations.
• Basic Education and School-Leaving Qualifications (Grundbildung) Basic education programs and adult school-leaving qualification pathways, including Realschulabschluss preparation ('Auf Erfolgskurs'), for adults seeking to complete or obtain formal educational qualifications.
• Health Education Courses (Gesundheit) Health education including lectures on diseases and healing methods, yoga, relaxation techniques (e.g., Progressive Muscle Relaxation), meditation, Pilates, gymnastics, nutrition, and international cuisine.
• vhs.cloud Virtual Seminars Virtual seminar platform used for online course delivery (webinars, online courses), operated by the German Adult Education Association (Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband e.V.) with data transferred via API.
• MiA – Migrantinnen einfach stark im Alltag Integration program empowering migrant women in their daily lives through language support, civic orientation, and community building.
• Digiwärts Digital skills initiative helping participants navigate the digital world, covering smartphone/tablet use, online services, and digital literacy.
• Haus der Demokratie Democracy education center fostering democratic engagement and civic participation through workshops (e.g., 'Kommunalwahlen – Eure Stimme zählt' co-sponsored with Landeszentrale für politische Bildung and AEWB).
• junge vhs (Youth VHS) Courses for children, teenagers, and parents including family-oriented programs across multiple disciplines.
• Geschenkgutschein (Gift Vouchers) Gift vouchers available for purchase to give as presents redeemable for any VHS Schaumburg course.
• Betreuerinnen- und Betreuertreff Free of charge monthly open consultation forum for volunteer legal guardians, offered in collaboration with Betreuungsverein Schaumburg e. V. in Bad Nenndorf and Rinteln.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Bildungsclub Schaumburg addresses loneliness among seniors by providing social contacts and regular mental and physical activities, which demonstrably contribute to health in old age.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Landeszentrale für politische BildungminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Landeszentrale für politische Bildung (state center for political education) co-sponsors the free workshop 'Kommunalwahlen – Eure Stimme zählt' for newly naturalized citizens, which covers voting principles, the electoral system, and civic participation.
• AEWB (Agentur für Erwachsenenbildung und Weiterbildung)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAEWB co-sponsors the civic education workshop on Kommunalwahlen for newly naturalized citizens, supporting democratic participation education in the region.
• Kufer Software GmbHcoreTechnology or IntegrationKufer Software GmbH provides the course management software that powers VHS Schaumburg's website and online enrollment system, including the course catalog, shopping cart, registration forms, and administrative database. Course data is encrypted and transmitted to the internal administration system.
• Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband e.V. (vhs.cloud)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe German Adult Education Association operates the vhs.cloud platform, which VHS Schaumburg uses for virtual seminars. Participant and instructor data (name, first name, email) is transmitted via API for course delivery on this platform.
• Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAMF is the federal agency that funds and oversees integration courses. VHS Schaumburg operates integration courses (Integrationskurse) and must report participant data to BAMF as part of its obligations. This is managed by Andreas Lissek as Project Lead for Integration.
• Betreuungsverein Schaumburg e. V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Betreuungsverein Schaumburg e. V. is a dedicated guardianship association that supports approximately 3,000 people in the district who cannot manage their affairs independently. VHS Schaumburg collaborates with this organization on the 'Betreuerinnen- und Betreuertreff' open consultation sessions, which provide a forum for volunteer guardians and are offered monthly in Bad Nenndorf and Rinteln.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Volkshochschule Minden: Public VHS in the Minden area adjacent to Schaumburg district. Similar in scale and regional German public-mandate model, offering comparable lifelong learning, language, and integration courses funded through the same BAMF and DVV networks.

Broad incumbents

• Goethe-Institut: Germany's globally active cultural institute for German language and cultural education. Comparable in the language and integration course segment, especially relevant for VHS Schaumburg's BAMF integration course operations and TestDaF/telc-aligned certification offerings.
• Volkshochschule Köln: Major municipal VHS serving Cologne with an analogous adult education mandate, including BAMF integration courses and professional development. Comparable as a scaled VHS peer with the same regulatory and funding framework.
• Volkshochschule München: One of Germany's largest municipal VHSes, offering nearly identical program categories (Gesellschaft, Kultur, Gesundheit, Sprachen, Beruf, Grundbildung, junge vhs, Bildungsurlaub). Closest large-scale reference for VHS Schaumburg's catalog structure and pricing models.
• Volkshochschule Berlin (Volkshochschulen Berlin): The largest VHS network in Germany. Operates the same public adult education model with broader program catalogs and resources; useful as a benchmark for the scale ceiling of the VHS structure that VHS Schaumburg operates within.
• Volkshochschule Frankfurt am Main: Large municipal VHS with a comparable public-mandate offering including digital literacy, language certification, and senior programming. Comparable as a benchmark for VHS service lines and digital platform (Kufer + vhs.cloud) deployment.

Others

• Deutscher Volkshochschul-Verband (DVV): The umbrella association of all German VHSes and operator of the vhs.cloud learning platform. Both a strategic infrastructure provider and a coordinating body that defines standards, accreditation, and program quality across the VHS network VHS Schaumburg belongs to.
• Telc gGmbH: Provider of standardized language certification exams that VHS Schaumburg offers via its language courses. Functionally a partner/adjacent rather than competitor, but central to the credentialed value proposition of VHS Schaumburg's language programs.
• Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF): Federal agency that funds and accredits integration courses. VHS Schaumburg's BAMF integration course operations expose it directly to BAMF's funding, curriculum, and reporting requirements, making BAMF a critical counterparty rather than a competitor.

Direct peers

• Volkshochschule Hannover: Public VHS serving the Hannover region in Lower Saxony. Directly comparable as a public adult education institution operating under the same German VHS framework with similar program areas (languages, professional, health, culture) and the same DVV/Kufer technology stack.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volkshochschule-schaumburg

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Volkshochschule Schaumburg