Their success story began 175 years ago, right here in the heart of the Black Forest. From the First State School of Watchmaking to the pioneering University of Applied Sciences – our path has been characterized by a pioneering spirit, collaboration, and a wealth of ideas. At Furtwangen University, we offer exceptional teaching and outstanding research, in close cooperation with strong industry partners.
They stand for the best of times – since 1850.
HFU is a cosmopolitan university that promotes intercultural and academic exchange. More than 150 partner universities worldwide offer students, researchers, and staff diverse opportunities for mobility and collaboration.
| Acronym | HFU |
| Colour | Grey, White, and Accent Blue |
| Founded | 1850 |
| Location | Tuttlingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany |
| Address | Robert-Gerwig-Platz 1, 78120 Furtwangen im Schwarzwald, Germany |
Furtwangen University (HFU) is a leading university in Germany characterised by excellence in the following areas:
Furtwangen University's core business is scientifically based, practice-oriented education and training. Traditional subject boundaries are crossed through interdisciplinary work. HFU is a leader in the fields of engineering, computer science, business information systems, business administration and engineering, media, international business and health. The university is constantly adapting its range of services to future-oriented developments. The aim is to award talented young people, qualified, state-recognised degrees in future-oriented courses of study that open up above-average career opportunities for them. At the same time, we want to promote their development into responsible, confident personalities who can independently develop and represent solutions to problems.
In addition, our university contributes to innovation and qualification in business and society through application-oriented research and academic continuing education, as well as promoting early-career academics.
Our aim is to provide a high-quality, practice-oriented and professionally qualifying education based on scientific principles. Our courses cover undergraduate and postgraduate studies as well as continuing professional development at university level. In quality-tested bachelor's and master's degree programmes, the university imparts scientific, technical and methodological skills. We continuously improve our courses and qualifications using innovative teaching methods in an attractive learning environment. The degree programmes impart interdisciplinary, application-oriented knowledge for the independent further development of the necessary professional skills. The promotion of key qualifications strengthens students' skills and contributes to their personal development.
As a leading innovation partner for companies, cooperation and intensive partnership with industry are a matter of course. Through constant exchange with our partners in companies and institutions, we ensure practical relevance in teaching, research and continuing education. Together with them, we develop new study models and practice-oriented support programmes for our students.
We promote internationality in education and research through worldwide cooperation with universities and companies. As a cosmopolitan university, HFU promotes international academic and cultural exchange among students and members of the university. We focus our degree programmes to a large extent on opportunities and requirements in an international environment and ensure that our degrees are recognised worldwide. The integration of international developments into the curricula, the teaching of foreign language skills and intercultural competence as well as the promotion of stays abroad enable graduates to work in an international environment. We strengthen our profile through international relations and partnerships worldwide, modules abroad, double degree agreements, international recruitment of students, staff and professors as well as international research collaborations.
We place particular emphasis on applied research and technology transfer in collaboration with our partners as a catalyst for innovation and a prerequisite for up-to-date teaching. High-quality, modern teaching requires the commitment of lecturers in application-oriented research, development and project work. We strongly promote such activities and the resulting publications, thus enabling students and companies to actively participate in research and its results.
We are the university for lifelong learning. HFU offers continuing education to award academic and professional qualifications. We break new ground and develop innovative customer-oriented offers for companies, associations and graduates.
We overcome boundaries: in the cooperation between students, staff and professors; in the interdisciplinary cooperation between all areas of the university; between teaching, research and continuing education. Our lecturers are important links between the university and practice. Service orientation, transparency and continuous improvement characterise the processes at our university. Motivation, personal aptitude, professional commitment and research and development experience guarantee academic and professional competence.
We focus on social responsibility, sustainability and safeguarding the future. As a university, we provide our students with the necessary skills for future-proof and sustainable action in the relationship between business, the environment and society. We actively promote the compatibility of family and career or studies, the consideration of gender issues and take into account the special life situations of all members of the university. Personal responsibility and entrepreneurial spirit strengthen the development prospects of both the individual and the university. Our students remain our students – as alumni.
HFU's vision is to offer forward-looking, globally competitive education that prepares talented students to become highly competent, responsible professionals capable of identifying and solving complex problems independently. By integrating emerging topics—such as Planetary Health, digital innovation, and sustainability—the university seeks to shape the next generation of innovators who actively contribute to the betterment of business and society.
Sustainable development is firmly anchored institutionally at Furtwangen University and is practiced in teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and university operations. All our faculties have integrated sustainability topics firmly into their structures and courses, and sustainability is also an important part of HFU's mission statement in the area of ??"Social Responsibility and Securing the Future".
Furtwangen University is committed to diversity, openness, and equal opportunities and rejects all forms of discrimination. To put this commitment into practice, colleagues at HFU are involved in various internal and external networks in a variety of roles.
Their health is their most valuable asset! That's why Furtwangen University is particularly dedicated to this topic. They train the healthcare professionals of tomorrow and are constantly developing their study programs in this area. Health is one of their key research areas, and their research projects aim to find solutions to highly topical issues in this field.
The university's goal is to create working and study conditions for students and staff that enable a successful work-life balance. HFU adheres to an open definition of family, which describes an intergenerational community in which people support one another. This includes step, foster, and adoptive relationships, as well as same-sex partnerships.
The basic requirement for admission to a Bachelor's degree program at Furtwangen University is the general university entrance qualification (Abitur), the subject-specific university entrance qualification, the university of applied sciences entrance qualification or an equivalent qualification, as well as the completion of at least 12 years of schooling.
The general university entrance qualification is obtained, among other things, through the Abitur (university entrance examination).
Admission requirements vary by course and program. View the program page for specific requirements.
Admission requirements vary by course and program. View the program page for specific requirements.
Information on how to apply for a degree programme can also be found on the respective degree programme pages – simply click on the "Apply now for ... " button! Here we provide an overview of the steps required for a successful application.
Furtwangen University uses an External link opens in a new window:online application platform for applications for a bachelor's programme. There you can apply for one or more degree programmes.
Applications for master's degree programmes are made exclusively via our online application platform.
Email: [email protected]
Phone : +49 7723 920-2270
System Accreditation: HFU received system accreditation in 2013, allowing the university to independently accredit and evaluate its study programs through its internal quality management system.
After the Second World War, the Furtwangen School of Clockmaking was divided into two branches: a vocational school (today the Robert Gerwig School, which still houses the Watchmaking School today) and the State Engineering School for Precision Engineering, which became Furtwangen University of Applied Sciences (FHF) with the introduction of universities of applied science... read more
The founding director of the engineering school was Friedrich Aßmus. After initially concentrating teaching and research in Furtwangen on engineering sciences, in the 1970s the range of study programmes was expanded to include computer science, business information systems, business and digital media. In 1997, with the amendment of the State University Law of the State of Baden-Württemberg, it was first renamed "Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft" and later "Hochschule Furtwangen".
Currently, the university is headed by Dr.Alexandra Bormann who took office in March 2024, replacing Prof. Dr. Rolf Schofer, who had been the President of HFU since 2006. His predecessor was Rainer Scheithauer. Scheithauer in turn took over the office in 1998 from Walter Zahradnik (term of office from 1985 to 1998).
