Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, H-BRS) is a young and ambitious public university of applied sciences in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Established in 1995 as part of the federal government’s compensation agreement for relocating the capital to Berlin, H-BRS has rapidly risen over three decades under its motto “International · Innovative · Networked,” becoming a model of “breakthrough through innovation” within Germany’s university of applied sciences system.
✦ History and Legacy: The Legacy of Bonn’s Relocation and Reaching Maturity at Thirty
❖ The Gift of the Compensation Agreement: H-BRS was born in 1995 as part of the Federal Republic of Germany’s commitment to compensate North Rhine-Westphalia for the relocation of the government to Berlin by investing in higher education. Starting from scratch, born for the region—this is the defining origin that sets it apart from any ancient institution. Route to Obtaining a German University Degree
❖ Three Campuses, Two Distinct Identities: The main campuses are located in St. Augustin and Rheinbach, with the Hennef campus added in 2010. This layout supports the three pillars of science and technology, business and management, and social welfare.
❖ 2020: The 25th Anniversary Highlight: Marking its quarter-century milestone, the university launched the “#whatsfutureforyou” Future Learning Vision Competition and held its celebration in the plenary hall of the former German Bundestag at the Bonn World Conference Center—discussing higher education’s future on the very ground of its political legacy, a uniquely H-BRS historical metaphor.
❖ Motto as DNA: “Internationality, Innovation, Networking” isn’t just a wall slogan—it’s a survival principle enshrined in the founding charter. Over three decades, it has evolved from a “compensatory university” into a benchmark for internationalization and pedagogical innovation among Germany’s universities of applied sciences.
✦ Teaching Model and Signature Programs: The “4-1 Revolution”—Four Weeks of Lectures + One Week of Practical Application
❖ 4-1 Model: Winner of Germany’s Engineering Education Innovation Award: H-BRS’s Faculty of Engineering and Technology revolutionized traditional semester structures by pioneering the “4-1 Teaching Model”—four weeks of theoretical instruction followed immediately by one week of project-based practical application. Students independently tackle real-world applied projects from industry in small teams. This model earned the 2015 German Engineers Association University Award for “Best Mechanical Engineering School” and the 2014 German Science Sponsors Association “Innovative Early Study Program Award.” Professor Wenzke further brought the IEEE Education Award to Germany for the first time through project-based pedagogy.
❖ Practice ingrained in the DNA: 96.3% of undergraduate theses and 90% of master’s theses are completed in collaboration with industry—at H-BRS, thesis writing isn’t done in isolation but focuses on solving real-world challenges facing industry today.
❖ Interdisciplinary Collaboration Hub: The Faculty of Engineering and the Faculty of Communication share the same building, with Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Sustainable Engineering, and Technical Journalism sharing project-based curricula. Students join interdisciplinary teams from their first year, simulating real industrial R&D scenarios.
❖ Learning Support Ecosystem: The “Pro-MINT-us” and “StartGut” programs provide pre-enrollment support for students with weaker foundations in math, IT, natural sciences, and technology. Recognized by the German Science Sponsors Association in 2014, this isn’t tutoring—it’s a systemic engineering effort ensuring no student falls behind, regardless of background.
✦ International Collaboration & Exchange: Triangular Innovation with a New €450,000 Footnote
❖ Three Strategic Partners: H-BRS has established deep strategic collaborations with University of Cape Coast (Ghana), German-Jordanian University (Jordan), and University of New Brunswick (Canada), elevating beyond simple student exchanges to a research-teaching-business triangular cooperation framework.
❖ ToFI 2.0: The New Engine for Internationalization by 2026: In January 2026, H-BRS secured €450,000 in funding from the DAAD’s “HAW.International” program to launch the “ToFI 2.0 – Together for Innovation” project. Its core innovation lies in introducing regional enterprises as third-party partners to build a transnational innovation triangle network connecting “H-BRS-overseas universities-enterprises.” Vice President Prof. Dr. Tina Hassan emphasized: “Diverse perspectives and approaches are crucial for innovation in research, teaching, and transformation.”
❖ Deepening Sino-German Collaboration: Annual international summer schools and faculty development workshops with Shenzhen Tech University have become established practices; the dual-degree program in Business Administration with Hunan University, running since 2008, has produced graduates who predominantly pursue careers in internationally renowned enterprises or further studies at top-tier universities.
❖ Language and Cultural Infrastructure: The Language Center offers courses in over 30 languages, with intercultural communication integrated into curricula; the “Learning Partner Program” pairs international freshmen with student mentors; the fifth semester features a fixed overseas exchange window, enabling students to earn an “International Engineer” certificate.
✦ Employment and Career Development: Engine of the Regional Labor Market
❖ Company Day: Rhine-Sieg Region’s Largest Career Fair: In November 2025, the 24th Company Day took place at the St. Augustin campus, where 125 companies—from DAX giants to hidden champion family businesses—brought over 600 job openings to campus.
President Marion Halffmann stated plainly: “For us, careers begin during university—through practical projects, internships, or thesis work within companies.”
❖ Alumni Giving Back: Each year at Career Day, numerous alumni return as recruiters to hire their former classmates for their own companies. This is the most compelling cycle beyond mere employment statistics.
❖ Bridge2Success: The Career Bridge for International Talent: The “Bridge2Success” program, run by H-BRS International Office, provides comprehensive support for international students from enrollment to employment: German language courses, intercultural workshops, soft skills training, and corporate networking. Program coordinator Abdurrahman Fatoum explains: “B2S builds a bridge of mutual understanding between international talent and German companies, addressing the challenge of skilled labor shortages in our country.”
❖ Intensity of Industry-Academia Collaboration: From St. Augustin to Rheinbach, corporate liaison agreements cover all faculties. The Business Campus specifically supports youth entrepreneurship in the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg region, offering full-cycle services from idea incubation to company registration.
