Graduates of Witten/Herdecke University feel very well prepared for the professional world

Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) has once again impressed its graduates with the high quality of its degree programmes: in the latest survey conducted by the Institute for Applied Statistics (ISTAT), 82 per cent of respondents rated their degree programme as ‘very good’ or ‘good’. Overall satisfaction, too, is significantly higher than the average for the approximately 90 comparable universities (2.4), with an average rating of 1.8.

Practical focus as the key to success

The UW/H’s lead is particularly evident in the practical and career-related aspects of the degree programme. Graduates rate the integration of theory and practice, practice-oriented course content, study projects and preparation for the profession significantly higher than the comparison group from other universities. The application of the qualifications acquired during the degree programme in everyday professional life is also rated more positively than average.

Prof. Dr Dirk Sauerland, Dean of the Faculty of Management, Economics and Society, sees this as confirmation of Witten’s educational approach: “A degree programme is successful when a sound academic education and practical experience go hand in hand. This enables graduates to actively shape decisions and bring about change in their careers. This is precisely what we prioritise at Witten/Herdecke University. Our students not only acquire specialist knowledge at a high level, but also develop skills they can apply directly in their professional lives. In line with our motto: Think, Act, Impact. The positive feedback from our graduates shows that we are succeeding in making our degree programmes relevant. We also see this as an incentive for the ‘new era’ of AI.”

Another finding from the survey: former students would be significantly more likely to choose their chosen degree programme (1.6) and Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H) again than graduates from the universities used for comparison (2.0).

Particularly high satisfaction ratings were achieved by the degree programmes in Management (B. Sc.), Medicine (StEx), Dentistry (StEx), Nursing Science (M. Sc.) and Psychology with a Focus on Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy (M.Sc.).

Commitment shapes the degree programme

The survey also shows that 62 per cent of graduates complete their degree within the standard period of study – significantly more than at other universities. When students do not complete their degree within the standard period of study, this is significantly more often due to additional commitment, a broad academic interest or socio-political engagement.

Further information: As part of the ‘Graduate Studies Cooperation Project’ (KOAB) run by the Institute for Applied Statistics (ISTAT, Kassel), more than 200,000 university graduates from around 90 universities are surveyed annually about their studies and career paths approximately one and a half years after successfully completing their degrees. The aim is to gain comprehensive insights into the quality of higher education. KOAB is one of the largest social science research projects in Germany.