High satisfaction and strong practical orientation - graduates once again award Witten/Herdecke University top marks

The results once again confirm the high quality of academic and personal training at Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H). 54% of graduates took part in the survey. Overall, 80% of them rated their study experience as "very good" or "good".

Dirk Sauerland, Dean of the Faculty of Management, Economics and Society, sees the key to this success above all in the close exchange between lecturers and students and learning in small groups: "The great results of the graduate survey confirm our claim to optimally prepare students for professional life. We create a unique learning environment with theory-based but practical teaching content, internships and real-life projects. The success of our concept is underlined by the rapid career entry and the broad utilisation of the skills acquired. Our graduates leave the university not only with specialised knowledge, but also with practical skills and a sense of responsibility. That is precisely our goal.

Graduates and graduates from the "Management" department were particularly satisfied: Here, all participants stated that both the study organisation and the practical orientation were "very good" or "good". 97% of respondents on the Master's degree programme in Psychology with a focus on clinical psychology and psychotherapy also praised the excellent organisation of their studies.

Practical orientation as the key to success

Compulsory internships, projects during the programme and practice-based teaching content were considered particularly valuable. Here, the UW/H scored significantly better than the comparison group of other universities. The practical relevance pays off: 12% of Witten graduates who took part in the study found a job within one month of completing their studies - a figure that is well above the national average of 7.5%. The in-depth specialisation and research focus in teaching were also consistently praised. Prof Dr Stefan Zimmer, Dean of the Faculty of Health, is convinced: "This is where the unique teaching concept of our model university comes into its own. We provide our students with a career-orientated education from day one."

Utilisation of qualifications and high income

The close link between studying and professional success is underpinned by the results of the survey. UW/H graduates make above-average use of the qualifications they acquired during their studies in their everyday appointments. Another noteworthy point: Witten graduates and graduates earn significantly more than the average after graduation. For example, 12.2 % of those surveyed said that their monthly income was more than 6,500 euros, while this figure is only 7.1 % at comparable universities.

Studium fundamentale as added value for personal development

The Studium fundamentale, an integral part of the education at UW/H, is recognised by graduates as a decisive contribution to their personal and professional development. 78% of respondents stated that the Studium fundamentale had contributed "very much" to their personal development. In addition, an above-average number of former students showed additional commitment during their studies - for example through non-mandatory internships, events that go beyond the actual curriculum or work in initiatives.

Further information: In the "Cooperation Project Graduate Studies" (KOAB) of the Institute for Applied Statistics (ISTAT, Kassel), more than 190,000 graduates from over 80 universities are surveyed annually about one and a half years after their successful graduation about their studies and career path. The aim is to obtain comprehensive results on the evaluation of the degree programme. KOAB is one of the largest social science research projects in Germany.