Berlin School of Economics and Law

Institution Info

The Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL) was founded on 1 April 2009 through the merger of the Berlin School of Economics (BSE) and the FHVR Berlin, a university of applied sciences for administration and law. The new Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL) decisively strengthens the German capital's position as a location for tertiary level education and research.

The BSEL is one of the largest Universities of Applied Sciences in the city. It can leverage over 30 years of expertise and experience from both former Universities, each widely recognised as expert in their own fields. In the course of the merger, the specialised disciplines within the individual Universities have been strengthened and expanded. While the programmes at the Berlin School of Economics (BSE) and University of Applied Sciences for Administration and Law (FHVR) were already prominent in their field in Berlin, throughout Germany and, in many cases, internationally, the Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL) aims to further evolve and promote these competences.

The University has an academic staff of approximately 160 professors and 500 lecturers, plus nearly 230 research and administrative personnel, committed to realising these goals.

Expanded Spectrum of Subjects

The BSEL now comprises three Central Institutes and five Faculties offering courses in private and public sector business administration, economics and administration, as well as law and security management. The sector-specific, interdisciplinary or sector-oriented programmes cover the fields of Business Administration and Economics, Public Administration, Engineering, and Law. With over 7800 students and around 1200 graduates each year, the BSEL (in German: HWR Berlin) is set to become a leading tertiary-level institution dedicated to private and public management.

Combining applied business expertise, administrative competences and security management knowledge in the University courses and inputting the experience from a set of company-linked study programmes creates a discourse that far transcends the borders of the individual subject. The tangible synergy effects in teaching and research are being systematically harnessed to benefit both of these areas.

Building on the quality benchmarks already implemented at the BSE and FHVR Berlin, the BSEL is committed to continual quality management and quality assurance in teaching and research. In this process, the findings from the regular evaluations of programmes and participations in external surveys provide a significant impetus in the University's further development.

Research

The Berlin School of Economics and Law (BSEL) has a clear focus on strongly promoting a range of applied research. The BSEL's five Faculties and six Institutes have initiated applied research projects in business, economics and social sciences, administration, engineering and law. The University's commitment to an interdisciplinary approach concretely supports cross-departmental cooperation in the development of joint research goals. In addition, the University further fosters research in it own dedicated programme for internal research funding and management.

International Approach

The BSEL is characterised and shaped by its international approach. In this, it follows the tradition of internationalism at the Berlin School of Economics (BSE) and the University of Applied Sciences for Administration and Law (FHVR), which were both well advanced in the introduction of international Bachelor and Master degrees. Moreover, the BSE and FHVR had broadly implemented the guidelines detailed in the Bologna Process on both the undergraduate and post-graduate levels, and similarly introduced and applied the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and the Diploma Supplement. In this process, nearly all programmes at the BSEL have now been transferred into the Bachelor and Master structure. In addition, the majority of programmes have been quality controlled and are accredited by a German agency. In this way, the BSEL is making an active contribution to establishing a higher education area within Europe.

The BSEL has also established a vibrant network of committed partners both within Europe and around the world. At present, the University has over 100 active cooperations with other higher education institutions on nearly every continent. By developing this international approach, the University promotes a wide range of exchanges both for students and academic staff.

Together with six other German universities, the Berlin School of Economics and Law has formed an "Alliance for Excellence" (UAS7). The UAS7 members are strongly committed to quality and the international perspective, fostering joint research projects and encouraging the development of common research strategies.

The cooperations with universities specialising in administration were one main focus of the work at the former FHVR. The Forum of German and Polish Universities of Public Administration, founded in 2000 with five partner universities in Poland, is to be continued under the BSEL umbrella.

The summer school programme at the former BSE had also become well established, with the range of courses constantly increased since 2004. Under the BSEL, the annual summer school will remain an important building block in the University's international exchange programme.

Clear focus on applied skills

One of the guiding principles at the Berlin School of Economics and Law is to facilitate a strong link between academic theory and real-life practice. This approach is especially apparent in the Faculty of Company-Linked Programmes which, with its 1650 places for sandwich course students, is the largest provider of company-linked programmes in Berlin. Thanks to the structured academic and company phases, students on these programmes can apply ideas and concepts directly to business practices. Furthermore, their training takes place both at the University and within the partner company.

The programmes in the Faculty of Business and Economics include at least one semester of supervised work experience. The existing close relations with the business world with over 480 company cooperations – are constantly being developed. This policy has also led to the establishment of Business Councils.