Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg Heilbronn

About Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg Heilbronn

DHBW Heilbronn is a campus of the Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg, Germany’s first dual, practice-integrated university model. Founded in 2010, it has developed into a specialized academic site with a strong focus on business, commerce, food, wine, digital commerce, and related technology-oriented fields.

The campus serves students and dual partner companies through a three-year study model that alternates theory and practice every three months. It positions itself as a close partner to regional and national employers, especially in the retail and food sectors, while also expanding into digital, sustainability, health, and data-driven study areas.

Beyond teaching, DHBW Heilbronn emphasizes applied research, transfer, and campus life on the Bildungscampus in Heilbronn. It presents itself as a modern, practice-oriented institution with laboratories, research projects, and a strong connection to the economic and social development of the region.

Core Values

• Practice orientation: The campus is built around the dual study principle, combining academic learning with company-based practice and emphasizing direct applicability in professional settings.
• Applied relevance: Teaching and research are designed to address real questions from business, industry, food, health, and society, with a strong focus on transfer into practice.
• Quality in teaching: DHBW Heilbronn highlights quality assurance, accreditation, and student satisfaction as part of its academic profile.
• Innovation and future readiness: The campus develops programs and research in digitalization, AI, sustainability, personalized nutrition, and circular economy topics.
• Diversity and inclusion: The university states that it stands for diversity, equal opportunity, respect, and a discrimination-free environment.
• Sustainability: Through its Green Office and climate-protection activities, the campus promotes sustainability in study, work, and campus operations.

Unique Aspects

• Largest focus on retail and food: DHBW Heilbronn describes itself as the first address for the retail and food industries, with many German food retailers participating in its study programs.
• Strong dual-partner network: The campus works with around 750 dual partner companies, giving students structured alternation between theory and practice.
• Sensoricum laboratory center: The DHBW Sensoricum provides a specialized lab environment for food, media, and sensory research that is highlighted as unique within the DHBW network.
• Specialized research clusters: The campus is active in areas such as personalized nutrition, AI competencies, hydrogen innovation, and regional urban development.
• EU4Dual involvement: DHBW Heilbronn is part of the European University alliance EU4Dual, which aims to build the first dual European university.
• Modern campus setting: It is located on the Bildungscampus of the Dieter Schwarz Foundation, which the university presents as one of the most modern campus environments in the state.