University of Mannheim

Overview

Universität Mannheim, or the University of Mannheim, in Mannheim in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany, can trace its beginnings to 1907 during the establishment of the Städtische Handelshochschule Mannheim. The institution was founded by the city’s Chamber of Commerce at the initiative of the bourgeoisie to serve as an education center for future merchants. It remained as such until the 1930s when it merged with the University of Heidelberg to become a higher education institution at the height of the National Socialist Party’s rule. It was deemed a university in 1967 and was renamed to its current name.

The university is organized into five faculties: Business School, School of Law and Economics, School of Social Sciences, School of Humanities, and School of Business Informatics and Mathematics. These offer 35 bachelor’s degree programs and an integrated program in law. There are also two graduate schools: the Mannheim Business School and the Graduate School of Economic and Social Sciences. These are responsible for offering the 38 master’s degree programs of the university. Some of these are unique and interdisciplinary. Among the various fields of study in the university, its social sciences, business and business administration, political science, finance, and communication are well regarded.

Universität Mannheim is also recognized for its research in the following key areas: economics, social sciences, and business. Members of the university’s 13 institutes and centers collaborate to uncover links between culture, society, economics, and politics. The aim of this line of inquiry is to address challenges in governance, decision-making processes and elections, competition and innovation, migration and multilingualism, regulation, and the culture of change.

Researchers at the University of Mannheim also work together with scientists and thinkers in and outside of Germany through partnerships and agreements. Among the organizations the institution has arrangements with are the GESIS Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences, the ZEW – Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research, and the Institut für Deutsche Sprache (Institute for the German Language).

Doctorate students can be a part of these research projects as well, whether they are doing an individual study or a structured graduate program. For the former, they will be supervised by a chair at a university. With the latter, they can choose among the options available at the Graduate School of Economic and Social Sciences. The graduate school is funded by the German Excellence Initiative and houses two research training units.

Academic and research outputs are supported by resources from the university’s library. There are five library sections: Schloss Westflügel Library, Schloss Schneckenhof Library, Schloss Ehrenhof or Hasso Plattner Library, A3 Library, and A5 Library. The A3 and A5 are located outside of the campus and at the city sections they are named after.