Hagen, Germany
Hagen, Germany
As Germany’s only fully state-funded distance-learning university, FernUniversität combines remote and digital instruction with optional in-person seminars. It offers high flexibility, allowing students—many of whom are working professionals or mature learners—to study via online platforms, printed materials, and periodic seminars.
Legendary German goalkeeper and football executive; won multiple UEFA Best European Goalkeeper awards and World Cup Gold... View More
Legendary German goalkeeper and football executive; won multiple UEFA Best European Goalkeeper awards and World Cup Golden Ball in 2002. Studied at Hagen. View Less
Former German Federal Health Minister (2018–2021) and CDU Bundestag member; earned an MA in Political Science from Hag... View More
Former German Federal Health Minister (2018–2021) and CDU Bundestag member; earned an MA in Political Science from Hagen (2003–2017). View Less
FDP leader, German Foreign Minister and Vice‑Chancellor (2009–2011); awarded Doctor of Laws by the University of Hag... View More
FDP leader, German Foreign Minister and Vice‑Chancellor (2009–2011); awarded Doctor of Laws by the University of Hagen in 1994. View Less
Former SPD General Secretary and Juso leader, Bundestag member since 2021; completed studies in Political Science at Hag... View More
Former SPD General Secretary and Juso leader, Bundestag member since 2021; completed studies in Political Science at Hagen. View Less
Former professional footballer and national team director; studied business administration at Hagen.
German international centre‑back; pursued studies in Hagen alongside his football career.
Olympic and world champion in long jump; studied environmental science part‑time at Hagen in 2019.
Former German Minister of Education & Research (2018–2021); completed Business Administration diploma at Hagen.
German ESA astronaut and materials scientist; took supplementary studies in business engineering at Hagen in 2006.
Co-founder of BioNTech and developer of the first mRNA-based COVID‑19 vaccine; holds an honorary doctorate from the Un... View More
Co-founder of BioNTech and developer of the first mRNA-based COVID‑19 vaccine; holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Hagen. View Less
The core campus of FernUniversität in Hagen is an urban academic complex located in the Hochschulviertel district of Hagen, strategically connected via major highways (A1, A45, A46) and public transport lines. Key facilities—including administrative departments, the main University Library, study services, Zentrum für Medien und IT, the central cafeteria (Mensa), and the Center for Learning and Innovation (ZLI)—are housed in contiguous buildings, providing centralized academic and administrative infrastructure. Beyond Hagen, the university operates over 50 regional study and examination centres across Germany and Europe to support its blended-distance learning model.
While FernUniversität lacks on-campus social life in traditional sense, it promotes student community through regional study centres where learners meet for tutorials, exams, and seminars. Many students—particularly working professionals—connect virtually via discussion forums, online group work, and learning platforms. The university also offers open-access modules (Akademiestudium) for lifelong learners, blending academic community participation with flexible study options.
FernUniversität provides career-oriented services through a recently launched Career Service (as of October 2023), professional development initiatives, and the Service for Research Career Development—which supports doctoral and postdoctoral researchers with advising, mentoring, and networking opportunities. Student assistants (e.g. at the Centre for Learning and Innovation) also gain practical experience and exposure to administration and digital learning environments. While not a traditional campus placement service, the university’s structure supports working students and early career scholars in transitioning academic skills to professional settings.
The below information is required while
completing the university application :
Entry Requirements:
General Higher Education Entrance Qualification (e.g., German Abitur or equivalent foreign secondary-school diploma).
Or, a completed university degree (e.g., Bachelor or Diploma) with at least six semesters.
Or, advanced vocational qualifications such as master craftsman, Fachwirt, or state-certified technician.
Or, vocational training plus ≥3 years of professional experience in a related field.
Or, qualifying via a provisional entry examination or probationary studies, with relevant life or work experience recognized.
(Technical college entrance certificates alone are not sufficient.)
Application Logistics:
German-language modules require proof of German proficiency (C1 CEFR) from applicants using foreign qualifications.
Online enrollment is required during:
Winter semester: 1 June – 31 July
Summer semester: 1 December – 31 January
Additional Bachelor Requirements:
First-semester students in Psychology or Mathematics must complete an online self-assessment .
Required documents include a digital health-insurance certificate and ID/proof of qualification.
Know more
Although distance-focused, the university collaborates intensively with industry partners, professional associations, and public institutions. These alliances range from joint curricula development to internship facilitation and commissioned research projects tailored to working professionals and societal needs.
University of Hagen is ranked amongst top universities in the country for Economics, Sociology and Business Administration by the CHE Rankings. The university also has a high graduate employability rate with 80% of its graduates in full time employment within 6 months of graduation.
University of Hagen is also affiliated to and a member of several professional bodies such as the European University Association and European Association of Distance Teaching Universities. The university is also accredited by Foundation for International Business Administration Accreditation, Accreditation, Certification and Quality Assurance Institute, and AQAS.
As of recent evaluations, FernUniversität has published over 12,000 scientific papers with more than 121,900 citations, spanning disciplines such as business, computer science, sociology, environmental science, and psychology—reflecting its robust research footprint across diverse fields.
The university’s Dimitris Tsatsos Institute for European Constitutional Law awards the biennial Dimitris Tsatsos Prize, honoring individuals with outstanding contributions to European constitutional science. Notable past laureates include Vassilios Skouris (2012), Giorgio Napolitano (2016), and Renata Uitz (2025).
Professor Bernhard Walke of FernUniversität is credited with foundational inventions in wireless networking and mobile radio systems—holding over 100 patents enabling key functionalities in WLAN and 2G–5G technology. His work contributed to modern mobile communication infrastructure.
FernUniversität was founded in 1974 and began instruction in 1975, becoming Germany’s first and only public distance‑learning university. It established an innovative, scalable model combining printed study materials, video lectures, online platforms, and regional study centers—setting the standard for distance education in Germany and beyond.
FernUniversität hosts focused institutes such as:
FIRM (Legal Information Management)
FTB (Technology & Disability)
FTK (Telecommunication Research)
HIMS (Management Studies)
IKS (Cooperative Systems)
These institutes pursue both theoretical and applied research and generate spin-offs such as ISL Internet Security Solutions GmbH and Peperoni Mobile & Internet Software GmbH . The university was among the first in Germany to introduce a Virtual University Learning Environment in the early 2000s, including video lectures, online exams, and digital library systems, embedding it firmly among global leaders in educational innovation .
The FLEXI project (FernUni LLM Experimental Infrastructure) represents FernUniversität’s initiative to embed large language models (LLMs) within higher education. It enables experimentation with open-source LLMs hosted locally to assess their applicability in teaching and research—providing practical guidance for universities considering in-house LLM deployment.
Developed by Professor Bernhard H. Walke during his time at FernUniversität (later at RWTH Aachen), this suite of inventions laid the groundwork for modern mobile communication. Innovations include: • A self-organizing cellular radio mesh network (1985) integrating packet switching, beam steering, TDMA, code spread-spectrum, and multi-hop routing, foundational to 2G, 4G, and 5G technologies. • The CELLPAC protocol (1991–1993) proposed packet-based voice and data transmission in GSM systems, directly influencing the development of GPRS standards. He also introduced multi-hop relay architecture critical to LTE Release 10 and modern metro-cell deployments. These patents—over 100 in number—were pivotal in shaping mobile broadband and cellular standards.
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