Zeppelin University is a small and highly selective private research university on the shores of Lake Constance in Friedrichshafen, Germany. It is named after the German general and airship constructor Ferdinand Graf von Zeppelin, whose foundation is the main financier of the university. The university was established in 2003 and is known for its avant-garde character as well as for its sophisticated method of selecting students. On 10. September 2011, ZU was granted the right to award doctorates and habilitation. Part of the grant includes the right to call itself a university. Zeppelin University is a non-profit, limited liability organization and describes itself as a "university bridging business, culture and politics". The university is accredited nationally by the German Council of Science and Humanities. Undergraduate major courses are accredited by ACQUIN, a German higher education accreditation agency.
Campus
Zeppelin University has two main campuses in Friedrichshafen: one on the shores of Lake Constance and the nearby ZFCampus, which was completed in 2015 to create more space for the university. It was funded by a donation of 20 million Euro from ZF Friedrichshafen. Both campuses are modern, designed by well-known architects, and contain classrooms, lecture halls, offices, cafeterias, a library, a fitness studio and a coworking wing for students. From 2007 to 2008, Zeppelin University had an additional location in the foyer of Tempelhof International Airport in Berlin, the so-called “Institute for the Art of Swimming on Air”. In 2018 the Fallenbrunnen campus was named one of four new exceptional constructions in Germany by the German Architecture Museum. The university was also presented with the "Deutscher Hochschulbaupreis 2018" by the .
Academic profile
Students can graduate with the academic degree of a Bachelor of Arts and a consecutive or non-consecutive Master of Arts or Master of Science. The university offers liberal arts courses, and also offers dual executive programs and development programs for companies. In the fall 2011 semester, Zeppelin University converted all its undergraduate studies to four-year programs. The ECTS amount increased from 180 to 240 credits, whereby bachelor's degree graduates can finish their postgraduate studies after 2 semesters. The additional year is intended to be used as a "Humboldt year", a one-year research project at a partner university. To enable this, the University's academic calendar closely mirrors international academic calendars.
Partner universities
Zeppelin University has partnerships with around 85 universities, some of which are:
for undergraduate programs costs from 4,140 to 4,740 euro per semester, depending on the program. The cost for a complete program ranges from 33,120 to 37,920 euro. For postgraduate programs, the tuition costs between 4,380 and 7,612 euro per semester. Students not in receipt of a scholarship are offered low-interest loans by Sparkasse Bodensee. More than two thirds of students avail of such loans. Alternatively, students can apply for grants from ZU-Bildungsfonds.
Selection process
Applicants are selected by the university in a two-step selection process: after a detailed written application, in which the first round of selection is made, candidates are invited to an assessment day. Candidates go through several interviews with professors, students, alumni, and external reviewers. Written tests are also featured. Candidates have to complete a group project which is presented to the assessment committee. The university's selection procedure is considered sophisticated, and not just because its methods differ from those of other universities. It does not just use numerus clausus, but instead tries to find students who—beyond having the required academic qualifications— also fit the university's character. The university's undergraduate acceptance rate is lower than 10%, and its graduate acceptance rate is about 16%.
Engagement and student projects
There are some 59 student groups and projects, such as groups affiliated with political parties, a debating club, the Club of International Politics, a Model United Nations group, which also organizes LakeMun, entrepreneurial groups, a cultural club which also organizes a music festival at the university, a student medical service, a film group, several bands and many more - some of them are even known nationally. A student radio stationWelle20 went on air in 2008. In the last few years new initiatives have emerged for example the "ZUtaten" career fair, or the student consulting group "Whyknot". There is also an ERASMUS group named "International Student Group" and the "Hochschulsport" club which organises several sport activities such as volleyball, cheerleading, lacrosse, rowing, etc.
Research institutes
The Zeppelin University has various integrated interdisciplinary research institutes, which are partly funded by donations. These include the Leadership Excellence Institute Zeppelin, which is supported by the Karl Schlecht Stiftung, the Friedrichshafener Institut für Familienunternehmen, the Forschungszentrum für Verbraucher, Markt und Politik, and the European Center for Sustainability Research supported by Audi and Rolls-Royce Power Systems.
Rankings
Zeppelin University is a small and exclusive private university and offers fewer programs than traditional universities in Germany. Because it is relatively new and small, it typically goes unranked in international comparisons. Nevertheless, Handelsblatt Karriere magazine, in edition 07/08 dated April 27, 2007, Zeppelin University appeared in a university ranking for the first time. Its economics program reached eighth place. In the most reputable German Ranking, the CHE University Ranking, which was published by ZEIT Studienführer 2014/15, the university's Corporate Management & Economics program ranked first, while was ranked among the three best Political Science programs. In 2011/12 the Communication & Cultural Management program was ranked first by CHE. The Sociology, Politics, and Economics degree is not ranked, due to its multidisciplinary nature.
