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New marketing strategy for the DHBW CAS

27 June 2026

The DHBW Center for Advanced Studies (CAS), the central institution for academic continuing education at the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University, has successfully completed a project in collaboration with CHE Consult and BMVK Consulting aimed at the strategic development of its market outreach. The goal was to analyze and refine the marketing structures in order to tap into the potential of the continuing education offerings in an even more targeted manner in the future.

In the project, CHE Consult was responsible for analyzing the market environment and the strategic starting point. This included a market analysis, an examination of existing marketing structures in collaboration with BMVK Consulting, and a SWOT analysis to systematically assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The results served as the basis for developing a forward-looking marketing concept.

The analyses confirmed the strong market position of DHBW CAS and the high appeal of its continuing education offerings. At the same time, areas for improvement were identified to better integrate marketing, sales, and student advising and to provide more targeted support to prospective students from initial contact through enrollment. This led to the development of an integrated marketing concept and a strategic roadmap with twelve areas of action, which outlines specific measures for short-, medium-, and long-term implementation.

The project is part of a series of consulting engagements through which CHE Consult supports universities and continuing education institutions in the strategic development of their programs. The collaboration with the DHBW CAS illustrates how in-depth market analyses, the evaluation of existing structures, and a clear implementation plan can help successfully position academic continuing education in the market and ensure its long-term viability.

Understanding Academic Guidance – Attracting Tomorrow’s Students

16 June 2026

On June 12, 2026, CHE Consult, in collaboration with Zeit Advise, hosted a professional event at the GLS Campus in Berlin. Approximately 30 university representatives gathered to engage in an in-depth discussion of current developments and challenges in college admissions counseling.

The event focused on how prospective students make their decisions today and how universities can tailor their offerings and communication accordingly.

The event kicked off with two keynote presentations on:

• Decision-making processes and key factors influencing the choice of a degree program
• Current dynamics in the higher education market

In the interactive session that followed, participants worked in two workshops:

Student Marketing: Effective Target Audience Communication
Using a real-world case study, participants explored how universities can tailor their messages to specific target audiences and personas.

Program Design: Rethinking Degree Programs
The focus here was on how degree programs can be further developed to enhance their appeal, ensure a good fit, and promote academic success.

Finally, the results were collectively reviewed and discussed. The event provided a space for exchange, diverse perspectives, and concrete ideas for practical application.

Student Recruitment in St. Pölten

26 May 2026

New Design University Privatuniversität GesmbH (NDU) in St. Pölten faced the challenge of further developing its student recruitment strategies and strategically reviewing selected degree programs. Johannes Zederbauer, M.A., Vice Rector and Managing Director of NDU, commissioned CHE Consult to provide consulting services in this area.

The project was divided into two modules. In the first module, the CHE Consult team conducted a benchmarking analysis for three NDU degree programs. For each program, two comparable degree programs at other universities were identified and analyzed based on defined criteria. The comparison was conducted using criteria in the areas of “Academic Programs and Teaching” and “Resources and Infrastructure.” In addition, document analyses and extensive online research were conducted.

In the second module, the focus was on international student recruitment. To this end, CHE Consult’s data visualization tool “DaViT” was used, along with in-depth research into statistical data related to international students. Regular consultations with university officials made it possible to contextualize interim results and closely align the analyses with the university’s strategic priorities.

As a result, NDU received two detailed reports with concrete recommendations for action.

The benchmark check provided a structured framework for identifying the strengths and areas for improvement of the degree programs under review. Comparable solutions from other universities served as a guide for the further development of academic offerings, resources, and infrastructure.

With regard to international student recruitment, NDU gained data-driven insights into relevant source markets with a strong level of interest in studying among potential applicants. In the context of this project module, the extent to which establishing a fully English-language degree program could contribute to the university’s international positioning was also assessed.

Mag. Johannes Zederbauer spoke very positively about the results of CHE Consult’s work and agreed to recommend the consulting firm at any time.

Concept for the State Office for Fire and Disaster Protection in Rhineland-Palatinate

21 March 2025

When the Rhineland-Palatinate Ministry of the Interior and Sport recognised the need to reorganise fire and disaster protection in the state, it commissioned CHE Consult to carry out the preliminary conceptual work. The aim was to develop a viable organisational structure for the new State Office for Fire and Disaster Protection (LfBK) that takes current and future challenges into account.

Jens Engelke, Principal Consultant, and Franziska Bröker, Consultant at CHE Consult at the time, began with an in-depth analysis of existing structures and processes. They worked closely with experts from the administration and specialist circles to determine the requirements for the new office. They conducted benchmark analyses to incorporate best practices from other institutions at national and international level and defined task clusters. These included strategic emergency planning, operational situation and crisis management as well as the infrastructural and technical equipment of the office. They identified the need for a modern situation centre that works around the clock and is closely networked with the integrated control centres and national and international partners as essential.

Based on the work carried out, the CHE Consult team produced a detailed report. In it, the consultants described clear options for the geographical distribution of the state office’s organisational units in order to ensure effective cooperation with the local authorities. They also defined specific space and infrastructure requirements up to 2030, including workplaces, accommodation, canteen space and specialised training facilities. In addition, they have recommended a gradual increase in personnel to continuously improve the performance of the office.

This well thought-out and scientifically sound work in 2023 enabled the creation of an efficient and forward-looking authority structure that enables smooth processes and optimised administration. The new state office was officially founded at the beginning of 2025 and is now well positioned to sustainably strengthen fire and disaster protection for the population of Rhineland-Palatinate.

Study on the link between digitalisation and sustainability at universities

17 March 2025

On behalf of the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung, CHE Consult conducted the ‘Explorative Study on the Strategic Interlocking of Digitalisation and Sustainability’. It analyses how universities strategically link and implement both fields of transformation.

Based on expert interviews with university leaders, the authors Anna Gehlke and Dr Ingeborg Lasser investigated key questions:

• Which organisational structures promote a sustainable digital transformation?
• How can digitalisation and sustainability be integrated into teaching and learning?
• Where do conflicting goals arise, e.g. between resource conservation and technological development?

The two senior consultants at CHE Consult have found that some universities are already focusing on twin transformation approaches in which digitalisation and sustainability are viewed as closely linked developments. This enables synergies, for example through the use of digital technologies to optimise resource consumption. Nevertheless, the study also revealed that many universities still face the challenge of coordinating both topics more closely, as they are often anchored in separate areas of responsibility.

The study offers a structured review of current strategies and shows how universities are strategically and operationally interlinking digitalisation and sustainability. It makes it clear that the linking of both topics is becoming increasingly important and that universities are developing individual solutions tailored to their framework conditions. The study thus makes an important contribution to the further development of sustainable digital university strategies.

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Feasibility study Vision Campus Corvey

12 February 2025

In April 2024, a feasibility study was commissioned as part of an interdisciplinary project to investigate the potential of the Corvey UNESCO World Heritage Site as an innovative campus with economic networking. Corvey gGmbH, the district of Höxter, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the city of Höxter, Sparkasse Höxter, TH OWL, Volksbank Brakel and Volksbank OWL financed the feasibility study. As one of the companies involved in the study, CHE Consult, together with rheform GmbH and Büro Bergmann GmbH, analysed key aspects such as university development, listed building use and the infrastructural and structural requirements.

The study revealed that structural restrictions as a result of monument protection and limited infrastructural connections pose considerable challenges for the location. In particular, realistic prospects for increasing student numbers and attracting further companies could not be confirmed.

Bernd Klöver, Managing Director of CHE Consult: ‘The forecasts for student numbers for both existing and potential new degree programmes are extremely low in some cases. This is mainly due to the low attractiveness of the location. This lack of attractiveness, especially the infrastructural connections, unfortunately also has an impact on the potential for a ‘Science2Business location’. The company survey and the individual interviews show that a sufficient number of companies cannot be guaranteed to settle here.’

The findings now provide a sound basis for the TH OWL and its project partners to discuss what a forward-looking utilisation concept in Höxter could look like. The location analysis shows how a careful examination of all relevant parameters can create a valuable basis for decision-making – an important prerequisite for sustainable development concepts in the university sector.

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An analysis of the Hamburg metropolis

03 February 2025

CHE Consult has conducted a study on Hamburg as a business location for the ‘Hamburg Vor Zur Welt’ initiative. It shows that Hamburg often performs worse in key areas compared to other European metropolitan regions.

According to our study, the Port of Hamburg is recording declining handling figures and investment in research and development is lagging behind other metropolitan regions. The proportion of STEM subjects at Hamburg’s universities is also relatively low and the gross value added per inhabitant is lower. Overall, the importance of Hamburg as a business location has declined in many rankings.

The new initiative is now calling on Hamburg to utilise its potential and redefine the city as a leading centre for science, innovation and business. The following recommendations for action can be derived from our study:

• Promotion of research and development: Investment in research and development must be significantly increased in order to boost productivity.
• Establishment and promotion of new economic clusters: The establishment of new research and productivity-intensive companies should be promoted.
• Improving the transfer of knowledge: The transfer of knowledge between public research and companies must be improved.
• Strengthening start-ups: The framework conditions for start-ups must be improved in order to promote start-up activity.
• Expansion of universities: Universities, especially the Hamburg-Harburg University of Technology, must be expanded in order to strengthen the knowledge base and secure future skilled labour.
• Internationalisation of universities: The internationalisation of universities must be driven forward in order to make the city more attractive for international students and academics*.
• Improving the quality of life: The quality of life in the city must be improved by investing in education, reorganising administration and securing affordable housing.
• Expanding the transport infrastructure: The transport infrastructure must be improved in order to better connect the city to the rest of the world.

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Law as a framework for digitalisation

14 October 2024

In an article for ‘DUZ’, Senior Consultants Anna Gehlke and Dr Ingeborg Lasser report on the joint responsibility of politicians and universities to create a legal framework for further digitalisation in teaching and studies and to regularly adapt it to current developments. The article is based on a case study conducted by CHE Consult for the Hochschulforum Digitalisierung.

The study was devoted to the question of which state policy frameworks promote or hinder the digitisation of teaching and learning from the perspective of five university management teams. It became clear that it is usually not the specific wording of certain regulations that poses a challenge for universities, but rather uncertainties in their practical implementation.

There are particular difficulties in interpreting data protection legislation and regulations on digital examinations.

Possible solutions are suggested:

• Clear definitions and recommendations for action at state level to facilitate consistent implementation
• Development of recommendations for the implementation of data protection and copyright law with the involvement of experts
• Use of discretionary powers of university management to create internal rules for the recognition of digital formats
• Adapting examination regulations to digital teaching methods with clear guidelines
• Systematic classification of digital teaching formats and consideration of teaching obligations
• Cooperation between universities, e.g. through shared IT resources and data protection officers

Overall, it is clear that close cooperation and clear regulations at state and university level are essential to fully exploit the opportunities offered by digitalisation in higher education.

Strategy for the Meißen University of Applied Sciences (FH) and training centre

11 October 2024

The Meißen University of Applied Sciences and Training Centre (HSF Meißen for short) commissioned CHE Consult to develop a strategic concept. The assignment included the independent conceptualisation, support and moderation of the project as well as the creation of concrete implementation proposals.

HSF Meißen is an institution of the Free State of Saxony and prepares students for future tasks in public administration and the judiciary. HSF Meißen is also the central training centre for civil servants in Saxony. In view of current challenges and developments, a strategy process was initiated for the future of HSF Meißen as a central training and further education centre for the administration in Saxony. CHE Consult was commissioned to draw up a strategic concept for HSF Meißen.

In the first phase of the project, the CHE Consult team carried out a comprehensive analysis. It analysed the current position of HSF Meißen in the external environment and determined an ideal skills profile for employees in the Saxon administration in 2035. Following the presentation and discussion of the interim results, the team submitted a detailed interim report.

In the second phase of the project, CHE Consult developed strategic proposals for the further development of the study and training programmes at HSF Meißen. In doing so, the team formulated future-orientated options for action that took possible restrictions into account. Finally, CHE Consult presented the results and drew up the strategic concept. It contains 15 strategic recommendations for action and provides clear suggestions for their short, medium and long-term implementation. Both the members of the Rectorate and the Strategy Council were convinced by the concept and approved it unanimously. It now provides a solid basis for the future development of the institution.

‘CHE Consult’s practical and forward-looking recommendations for action are of great value for the further strategic orientation of our university and our further education centre,’ says Prof. Dr Samia Härtling, Vice-Rector for Teaching and Research at HSF Meißen. ‘CHE Consult’s experience-based, flexible and efficient way of working has consistently proven to be effective. This has enabled us to anticipate the next steps to be taken with our partners by mutual agreement.’

To develop the strategic recommendations for action, the CHE Consult team used various methods over the course of the project. These included data analysis using the specially developed data visualisation tool DaViT and the analysis of university competitors and non-university providers of further education and training in Saxony. In addition, a competency matrix was used, which is based on 52 individual competencies and includes numerous sources. In addition, the team conducted interviews with external experts, moderated workshops with teaching staff, employees, students and graduates of HSF Meißen and regularly liaised with the strategy advisory board and the project team.

Team coaching workshop for a Rectorate Commission

30 September 2024

A university in Saxony commissioned CHE Consult to improve communication and cooperation within a rectorate committee. Jens Engelke, Principal Consultant at CHE Consult, carried out an analysis and targeted team coaching measures with the aim of optimising the dynamics within the group in the long term.

The first step was to coordinate the assignment in order to clarify the exact requirements and expectations of the university. A structured questionnaire was then developed and used as the basis for individual interviews with the eight members of the committee. These interviews were crucial in capturing the individual perspectives and challenges of the members and in identifying potential areas of conflict.

Based on the results of the interviews, CHE Consult designed a team coaching workshop that specifically addressed the identified communication and cooperation difficulties. In a feedback session at the end of the workshop, the commission members reported that several agreements had been reached that would significantly improve not only cooperation but also communication within the team in the future. The jointly developed measures also helped to identify concrete starting points for the creation of a common self-image with regard to the role of the commission in the definition of training objectives.