Hochschule Schmalkalden

What Hochschule Schmalkalden does

Hochschule Schmalkalden is a public University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule) located in Schmalkalden, Thuringia, Germany, owned and operated by the Free State of Thuringia. It serves approximately 3,000 students across five faculties: Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Business Law, and Business Administration. The university delivers 16 full-time and 4 part-time Bachelor programs, 9 full-time and 9 part-time Master programs, dual study (Studium Praxis+/BISS) tracks with regional Praxispartner companies, and distance learning via the Zentrum für Weiterbildung at hsm-fernstudium.de.

Its underlying technology stack is standard German higher-education infrastructure: the Stud.IP learning management system for course delivery, MACH/HISinOne for campus management and ERP, Nextcloud (HSM-Cloud) for file services, and Microsoft Office 365, MATLAB, Autodesk, LabVIEW, and Esri-ArcGIS as campus-licensed software. The university operates 30+ specialized laboratories across robotics/autonomous driving, Industry 4.0, electrical engineering diagnostics, and mechanical engineering (CAD/FEM, metallography, laser technology, tribology). Communications and outreach include the Hereingeforscht.de research blog, the biannual Schmalkalder Hochschuljournal, the 'Blechhammer' podcast, a 360-degree virtual campus tour, and the WiWiNow Campus App co-developed with Universität Bremen.

Hochschule Schmalkalden operates as a non-commercial public entity. Tuition is free for domestic and EU students under Thuringian state law, with revenue derived from state block funding, semester contributions (covering student services, a public transport Semesterticket, and cafeteria), third-party funded research grants (BMBF, EU programs such as Erasmus+, and industrial partners), and fees from distance-learning and dual-study programs. Its customer base spans prospective and current students, alumni, regional employers, and schools; the GFF alumni/supporter association and an annual Karrieremesse anchor the employer-talent pipeline.

Name

Hochschule Schmalkalden

Legal name

Hochschule Schmalkalden - University of Applied Sciences

Website

https://hs-schmalkalden.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Hochschule Schmalkalden is a public University of Applied Sciences in Thuringia, Germany, serving ~3,000 students across five faculties with bachelor, master, dual-study, and distance-learning programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Third-Party Short-Term Academic Program Providers (Multi-Discipline) (EDAIAIAB)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Applied sciences programs
• Dual study programs
• Distance learning programs
• Continuing education

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hochschule Schmalkalden is a public University of Applied Sciences delivering bachelor and master degree programs, dual study (Studium Praxis+), and distance learning across five faculties: Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Business Law, and Business Studies. It also operates the Zentrum für Weiterbildung for continuing professional education, applied research projects, and an AI chatbot and WiWiNow Campus App for student services. The institution serves approximately 3,000 students on its Schmalkalden campus and through online/distance channels.

Product overview

Hochschule Schmalkalden is a University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule) offering approximately 3,000 students a comprehensive portfolio of higher education programs. The core academic offerings include 16 full-time and 4 part-time Bachelor programs, 9 full-time and 9 part-time Master programs, dual study programs (Studium Praxis+ and BISS), and distance learning options through the Zentrum für Weiterbildung. These programs span five faculties: Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Business Law, and Business Administration. Beyond teaching, the institution operates extensive research activities with funded projects (FERRO, MARTA, H2-FlexiDekarb, etc.), a Digital Campus App (WiWiNow), research blog (Hereingeforscht), the E-Government Competence Center, Schmalkalden TechTalks, Engineering Week, and an annual career fair. The university's technical infrastructure includes specialized laboratories for robotics, autonomous systems, Industry 4.0, and various engineering disciplines, supporting both education and applied research.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor-Studiengänge 16 full-time and 4 part-time bachelor degree programs across five faculties (Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Business Law, and Business Studies), aimed at prospective students with Abitur/Fachabitur, international equivalents, career changers, and professionally qualified applicants.
• Master-Studiengänge 9 full-time and 9 part-time master's degree programs across engineering, computer science, business, and law disciplines, designed for graduates pursuing advanced qualifications and specialization.
• Duales Studium / Studium Praxis+ Work-integrated dual study program combining academic study with practical training at regional partner companies (Praxispartner TECHNIK, Praxispartner Medien & Informatik, Praxispartner Wirtschaft & Recht), including the BISS (business-industry study structure) variant. Aimed at students seeking accelerated career entry through paid practical experience.
• Fernstudium (Distance Learning) via Zentrum für Weiterbildung Part-time berufsbegleitende bachelor and master programs delivered remotely via the hsm-fernstudium.de platform, supported by an industry/institutional partner network, designed for working professionals seeking flexible degree completion.
• WiWiNow Campus App Digital campus mobile application developed in cooperation with the University of Bremen to manage student information and course data and enable mobile access to academic services. Received Comenius EduMedia Siegel in 2021.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

AI capability10 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FH Kufstein (Austria)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDouble degree partnership with FH Kufstein Tirol for Electrical Engineering students. Students can earn degrees from both institutions.
• Partner universities in LithuaniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational exchange and double degree partnerships with Lithuanian universities for Elektrotechnik faculty students.
• Praxispartner TECHNIK (regional companies)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional companies serving as practice partners for dual study programs in the technology/engineering sector. They provide practical training components for students alongside academic study.
• Praxispartner Medien & Informatik (regional companies)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional companies serving as practice partners for dual study programs in media and computer science sectors.
• Praxispartner Wirtschaft & Recht (regional companies)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional companies serving as practice partners for dual study programs in business and law sectors.
• Universität BremencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterdisciplinary cooperation on the WiWiNow digitalization project, which received the Comenius EduMedia Siegel 2021. The project transfers innovative technological solutions into university teaching and learning contexts.
• Gesellschaft der Freunde und Förderer der HS Schmalkalden (GFF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlumni and supporter society that promotes practice-oriented teaching, research, and academic talent. Organizes Sommerfest, Neujahrsempfang, awards Förderpreise (sponsorship prizes), and publishes the Hochschuljournal.
• Stahlwerk Thüringen (Underwellenborn)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSteel plant in Thuringia that provides excursion opportunities for mechanical engineering students, allowing them to experience heavy industry firsthand.
• Erasmus+ Partner UniversitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorErasmus+ program enables student and staff mobility to partner universities across Europe. The university participates in both student exchange (incoming and outgoing) and staff training mobility.
• MAGELLAN Partner UniversitiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBilateral exchange program enabling student mobility to international partner universities outside the EU, complementing Erasmus+ partnerships.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hochschule Mittweida: Public University of Applied Sciences in Saxony with a similar mid-size enrollment and a comparable blend of engineering, computer science and business programs, plus a strong applied-research focus.
• Technische Hochschule Georg Agricola: Public University of Applied Sciences in Bochum with a comparable mid-size profile, an engineering-heavy portfolio, and historical roots in industrial / mining regions similar to Schmalkalden's industrial heritage.
• Hochschule Wismar: Public University of Applied Sciences with a similar size, faculty structure across engineering, business and design, and a comparable dual-study and continuing-education footprint in northern Germany.
• Ernst-Abbe-Hochschule Jena: Public University of Applied Sciences located in Thuringia, making it the most direct local peer. Comparable in size, faculty mix across engineering, business and life sciences, and state-funding structure.
• FH Kufstein Tirol: Austrian University of Applied Sciences that operates as Hochschule Schmalkalden's direct double-degree partner for Electrical Engineering students. It is highly comparable as a similarly-sized, internationally oriented Fachhochschule with a strong applied-research and industry-partnership profile.
• Technische Hochschule Wildau: Public University of Applied Sciences in Brandenburg with comparable enrollment, a strong engineering and computer science focus, and similar applied-research orientation with regional industry partners.
• Hochschule Fulda: Public University of Applied Sciences in Hessen with similar enrollment scale and a comparable program mix in engineering, computer science, business and law, plus active applied research.

Broad incumbents

• IU Internationale Hochschule: Largest private university in Germany offering a much broader portfolio across engineering, business, IT and health, including a large Fernstudium program; overlaps with Hochschule Schmalkalden in distance learning and dual study but at significantly greater scale and private-capital backed.
• AKAD Hochschule: Private German Fernstudium provider offering berufsbegleitende Bachelor and Master programs in business, technology and law; competes head-to-head with Hochschule Schmalkalden's distance-learning arm but operates nationally with substantially larger reach.
• FOM Hochschule: Germany's largest private university for working professionals, operating berufsbegleitende Bachelor and Master programs in business, technology and law; directly comparable to Hochschule Schmalkalden's Zentrum für Weiterbildung but at much larger scale and with a private funding base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/FhSchmalkalden
• Facebookde-de.facebook.com/fachhochschule
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schmalkalden-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/hs_schmalkalden

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Hochschule Schmalkalden