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The Brand University

Creating added value through brands - this is what the Brand University of Applied Sciences' educational programme stands for. And this is exactly what makes BU a university that enables its graduates to successfully enter the labour market and pursue a far-reaching career.

The university was founded in 2009/2010 as Brand Academy - University of Design and Communication and was renamed Brand University of Applied Sciences in 2019.

At the Brand University of Applied Sciences, an international team of experienced professors, lecturers, experts and practitioners will teach you how to design, communicate, stage and manage brands. Practical and in small seminar groups to guarantee intensive and personalised support.

The Brand University of Applied Sciences is state-recognised and all degree programmes are accredited by FIBAA and the German Council of Science and Humanities. The quality of our digital teaching is confirmed by the FIBAA certification ‘Excellence in Digital Education’®.

Our mission

We train intercultural brand experts for a world that is growing together.

Application-orientated, interdisciplinary and practical - we impart specialist knowledge on brand management, design and communication and promote intercultural, goal-oriented networking - for the personal development of students during and after their studies.

The university for a better brand culture in the Eurasian region.

It was the fascination emanating from great brands that prompted a group of friends to found a university for brands.

A place of education that brings together and focuses on knowledge about brands with a passion for brand stories - recognising that education and creativity are two parts of an inseparable whole. And it should be a place that connects cultures in the Eurasian region. The university was born from this idea.

The university was founded under the name Brand Academy - University of Applied Sciences for Design and Communication. In September 2019, it changed its name to Brand University of Applied Sciences.

With the official recognition of the new name by the Hamburg Ministry of Science, Research and Equality, the university was recognised for its academic work on the topic of brands.

Brands as exciting stories - our students as the future inventors of these stories.

The Brand University of Applied Sciences is located in the centre of Hamburg's brand city. It is the first university to focus on brands - the central strategic success factor for national and international companies.

The Brand University of Applied Sciences is a state-recognised private university with internationally accredited Bachelor's and Master's degree programmes. We attach great importance to a culture of creativity, curiosity and cosmopolitanism. Our university is a place of learning that combines academic research and close contacts with brand companies in Europe and Asia.

‘Brand Thinking’ - this paradigm is the central driver of teaching and research at Brand University.

But what is behind ‘brand thinking’? Why are brands so important in our everyday lives that we are dedicating a university to the topic? We receive around 10,000 brand messages every day. This results in countless alternatives of products and services to choose from.

To set themselves apart from the competition in saturated markets, companies need to stand out, be remembered and gain the trust of consumers. Brands are the decisive success factor for this.

A brand is more than its visual appearance. Successful brands arouse emotions and associations, stand for an attitude to life and create the opportunity for identification through their values.

A brand is only authentic and sustainable if the business and brand strategy merge within the company. When the brand takes centre stage in the company and its values are lived by all employees in the company - from production to management. This is what we call brand thinking.

This holistic approach is the core of a degree programme at Brand University. With this knowledge, you will learn how to develop, design, communicate and manage successful brands.

Are you aiming for a successful career in the brand and creative industry where you can make a contribution and achieve something? Then you are not only in demand as a technical expert, but also as a personality.

At Brand University, you will learn for the future - our teaching is skills-orientated, practical, interactive and interdisciplinary. Whether online or offline, learning has a lasting effect and opens up space for personal development. This also makes studying more fun.

METHODOLOGICAL EXPERTISE

In this fast-moving, globalised world, it is important for professional success to constantly expand your knowledge. This also applies to the time after graduation. That's why you will learn to understand topics in depth, evaluate information and apply your new knowledge. No matter what task you face in your studies or career, with the right methods you will become a competent problem solver!

PRACTICE

In numerous practical projects, you will learn how to be convincing in the working world, because you will experience what makes companies and agencies tick during your studies. You will learn how to organise yourself in a team and how to get the most out of your creativity together.

At the end of the projects there is always a practical check: you present your ideas to CEOs, marketing managers or senior project managers. This allows you to make contacts in the business world while you are still studying - the foundation stone for your career network.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

You will learn interactively and in dialogue in small groups and across degree programmes in order to critically analyse real business problems, develop solutions together and present them. This will help you to develop strong communication and leadership skills.

At Brand University, the professors and lecturers supervise all students personally and support them as mentors. This closeness opens up individual paths in which your strengths are recognised, challenged and promoted. This results in opportunities and possibilities that become a springboard to your future.

Our values

Our daily thoughts and actions are guided by binding values.

01

Appreciation

Our assessment of other people and our attitude towards them is fundamentally positive - respect and recognition are the basis for a pleasant and lively atmosphere for learning and working.

02

Dialogue

We promote internal and external dialogue - between students, professors, lecturers, practice partners, as well as between departments and cultures. We gain new insights through dialogue and joint reflection.

03

Engagement

We demand commitment, enthusiasm and discipline from our students so that they can maximise their learning outcomes. For us, more than academic performance counts - we support each individual in their personal development.

04

Professional excellence

We are guided by our willingness to give our best and to find innovative solutions to problems. We support our students to enable them to have an efficient, successful period of study and a promising professional future.

05

Interculturality

Students from different countries of origin work together efficiently in our teaching, research and practical projects. This intercultural approach gives our students experience and skills for their personal development, which are a decisive advantage in their professional lives.

Our education programme

Whether on our campus in the heart of Hamburg or online from anywhere in the world - thanks to our diverse educational programme, there is something for everyone.

Immerse yourself in the world of brands, design and digital innovations. Exchange ideas with your fellow students and lecturers on site, be inspired by the creative and informal atmosphere on campus and build your future professional network.

Design students in particular have the advantage of 24/7 access to the studios, which are available to them as a co-working space for their creative projects.

Discover on-campus study programmes

We are delighted that you are interested in a distance learning Master's programme at Brand University. The aim of our study programmes is to help you develop not only professionally, but also personally. We will accompany you on this path and master the challenges of tomorrow together.

Discover the advantages of distance learning at Brand University now! You benefit from an international network, innovative learning methods and personal support - no matter where you are. Get started and take the next step in your career together with us!

Discover the flexibility of our online training courses! No matter where you are - with our practical courses, you can develop your skills from the comfort of your own home. Learn at your own pace, expand your skills and open up new career opportunities. No compromises - maximum flexibility, state-of-the-art content and personalised support. Start your professional future online now!

Brand University: awarded, accredited and certified

Brand Academy Alumni e.V.

The Brand Academy Alumni Association connects current and former members of the university. It forms a lively interface between the university and graduates, between academia and professional practice.

The purpose of the association is education, student support and the promotion of science.

To this end, it organises study and work-related events that serve professional, cultural and social further education and promote exchange between former students, lecturers and the university itself.

Any former student who has reached the final semester of a Bachelor's or Master's degree programme at the Brand Academy is eligible for membership. Former or current teaching staff and members of the university administration who have been active at the university for at least one semester or six months are also eligible.

STUDENT REPRESENTATION

The student representation is elected by the student body and consists of students from all degree programmes at Brand University of Applied Sciences who represent the interests and wishes of the students. 
To this end, all members maintain close contact with students, professors, lecturers and staff at Brand University of Applied Sciences and nominate individuals to act as representatives on the Examination Board and in the Senate.

The tasks of the student representatives include making suggestions for improving studies at Brand University of Applied Sciences and ideas for the further development of the university, as well as organising celebrations, events and guest lectures.

It also supports new students at Brand University of Applied Sciences as part of the Buddy Programme and provides them with help and guidance on initial organisational and personal issues.

Once a year, the student representatives convene the student assembly to give all students a review and an outlook on innovations at the university.

Feedback from the business community

It was impressive how quickly the graduate was able to take on responsibility as Head of Marketing from her Master's degree. She was able to do this thanks to an academic education at BU that is completely geared towards practical relevance for companies. The degree programme at BU enables students to propose and support sustainable changes in marketing and management immediately after joining the company. With BU graduates, companies integrate employees who have the knowledge to make established companies fit for the future.

Dr Michael Stoermer, CEO

The students impressed with a straightforward and fresh approach to our Brief. All steps of classic strategic marketing planning were professionally taken. The students included new digital channels and proved that social media and influencer marketing come to them in a completely natural way. It was fun to see how easy it was for them to think out of the box. This made them capable of presenting surprising and efficient solutions. We can only congratulate them on a well-done performance!

Head of Marketing & Sales
Germany, Austria, Switzerland
Tallink Silja GmbH

We really appreciated the fresh and inspiring concepts developed by the students – well thought out with a great combination of innovative ideas and a sense for aesthetics and design.

I enjoyed working with the Brand University of Applied Sciences and Margarete Steiff GmbH got professional results. In a short space of time, innovative solutions were developed intensively and predictably by the students and discussed in joint meetings. We will gladly incorporate the approaches of the Brand University of Applied Sciences into our further processes.

Strategic marketing and design at Steiff

For us as one of the largest German packaging design agencies, the brand takes centre stage.A topic that many design universities unfortunately neglect despite all their creativity.With the graduates of the Brand University of Applied Sciences, we can take the marketing basics and knowledge of strategic tools for granted. A real advantage.

Design Director
at Lothar Böhm Associates GmbH

We experienced open-minded and curious students who brought many questions with them, formulated them eloquently and expressed their opinions in discussions. The best prerequisites for quickly gaining a foothold in professional life after their training.The students made the best impression on us.We welcome any educational path that deepens specialist knowledge and imparts specialised knowledge. The Brand University of Applied Sciences is therefore a clever invention that deserves a lot of attention. The BU's approach of teaching and learning with one foot in the growth market of China makes the educational approach even more interesting.

Managing Director
Jung von Matt/ brand identity

The Brand University of Applied Sciences met us with a remarkable motivation, which was able to come up with practical ideas through a clear understanding of the brand and thus enabled us to come up with sustainable innovative solutions as part of the practical project with ColaRebell.

Managing Director of ColaRebell

The change in media use has only just begun. Companies and brands must fundamentally adapt to this. The Brand University of Applied Sciences and its degree programmes lay the foundations for this.

Creative Director of the agency Nordpol+