Academic Experience
Enjoy high-quality education
Our commitment to quality and continuous improvement is confirmed by the accreditation of AACSB International. Pforzheim University Business School thus belongs to the elite group of less than 5% of business schools worldwide, and to fewer than ten of approximately 200 German business programs that are AACSB accredited. We prepare you to take managerial responsibility.
Focus on what you really need
We deliver business competence, not just theory. Our professors not only hold Doctoral, Ph.D. or Master degrees, but they have also worked for more than 5 years in senior management positions. Our teaching is based on research as well as professional experience. Moreover, the Pforzheim MBA module system allows you to individualize your study to empower your strengths.
Get business insight
Being surrounded by some of the world’s most powerful companies allows you to benefit from the potential of the Pforzheim-Stuttgart region. We cooperate with various companies in different sectors. This is learning in practice. Throughout your studies, we get you in touch with over 30 companies.
Globalize your network
Over 90% of Pforzheim MBA students are international students, coming from six continents. Global, intercultural networking begins right in the classroom. Intercultural competence is not only taught theoretically, it is gained practically by day-to-day interaction. This will be important in your professional future in negotiation processes and team work. Renowned guest professors from partner universities contribute to our program.
Winter Semester 2026/27
Summer Semester 2026
Winter Semester 2026/27
Company Experience
Being surrounded in Pforzheim by some of the world’s most influential companies offers our MBA students exceptional opportunities to learn directly from industry leaders. The Pforzheim–Stuttgart region is known not only for globally operating corporations, but also for numerous small and medium‑sized hidden champions that drive innovation and shape Germany’s economic landscape.
Through company projects, on‑site visits, and guest speakers, students gain first‑hand insights into real business challenges and managerial decision‑making. These experiences are an essential part of our management education, helping students connect academic concepts with practical applications and build valuable professional networks. They also provide exposure to topics such as digital transformation, global strategy, and sustainable leadership.
Company Visits
Learning in the MBA International Management program extends far beyond the classroom. Regular company excursions give students the opportunity to explore manufacturing processes, business models, and strategic approaches of both multinational corporations and hidden champions located in Southern Germany and beyond.
Plant tours, presentations, and direct conversations with Managers, CEOs and HR professionals offer authentic insights into German industry and its expectations toward future leaders. Recent company visits have included Bosch, Ernst & Young, Kärcher, Mann+Hummel, SAP, Munich Re, Schaeffler Technologies, KPMG, Microsoft, Allianz, Schlenk, Merck, Witzenmann, and Porsche Digital.
Alongside these visits, students experience German and European culture — from medieval towns and scenic landscapes to public institutions that reflect the region’s rich history and modern identity.
Find out more on each Company Visit in our News Section!
MBA student Yani, trying Google glasses at an SAP Company Visit
Companies in Classroom
The Pforzheim–Stuttgart region’s strong corporate presence enriches our classroom environment. As part of our close cooperation with industry, we regularly invite managers and company representatives - some of them being alumni of our MBA program - to share their expertise with our students. These sessions allow students to discuss current business issues, learn about emerging trends, and explore career perspectives directly with high‑level executives.
This dialogue fosters critical thinking, encourages professional reflection, and helps students understand how leaders navigate complex global markets.
Guest in Classroom Gunjan Bhardwaj from Innoplexus
Company Projects
Company Projects in the third Semester are a cornerstone of the MBA International Management program. They offer students the chance to collaborate with companies from diverse industries and apply the tools, frameworks, and methodologies learned in previous semesters.
Working on real‑life challenges, students develop actionable solutions that create tangible value for project partners — solutions that are often ready for implementation. These projects strengthen analytical and teamwork skills, deepen industry understanding, and provide meaningful opportunities for networking and professional growth.
Companies with which we have carried out projects in the past include, for example, Bosch Rexroth, SAP, Accenture, MAHLE, KPMG, Hartmann, and Francotyp Postalia and others.
Completion of the Successful Company Project with KPMG
In their third semester our students may choose to participate in a company project.
Former Company Project Partners
2010/11 Bayer Crop Science, UHU
2011/12 Bayer Crop Science, WAFIOS
2012/13 Daimler AG/smart, Bosch, Hansgrohe
2013/14 Daimler AG/smart, Henkel, Siemens Healthcare, SAP
2014/15 Daimler, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, Mann+Hummel, Siemens Healthcare
2015/16 Deloitte, Bosch, Siemens Healthcare, Mahle
2016/17 Bosch, Frankotyp Postalia, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen, Hymer
2017/18 Bechtle, Bosch, Winterhalter
2018/19 Bosch, 1&1 IONOS, Mahle
2019/20 Bosch, Francotyp-Postalia, Hartmann, 1&1 IONOS, Mahle
2020/21 Bosch, Faros Linen, KPMG, Mahle
2021/22 Bosch Rexroth, Mahle, NKT
2022/23 Bosch, attempto, Francotyp-Postalia
2023/24 Bosch, Accenture
2024/25 Bosch, SAP
2025/26 Bosch, SAP
Our Professors in the MBA International Management
Prof. Dr. Harald Strotmann
Program Director MBA International Management
Room: W4.1.01
Tel.: 07231/ 28-6102
Winter semester 2026/27
- Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Organizational Effectiveness")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management")
- Dr. Hendrik Reefke, Cranfield School of Management, UK ("Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Management")
- Prof. Pin Luarn, Taiwan Tech's School of Management, Taiwan ("Introduction to Artificial Intelligence - Applications and Practices")
- Prof. Max Monauni, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Luzern, Switzerland ("Management Simulation")
Summer semester 2026
• Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
Winter semester 2025/26
- Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Organizational Effectiveness")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management")
- Dr. Hendrik Reefke, Cranfield School of Management, UK ("Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Management")
- Prof. Pin Luarn, Taiwan Tech's School of Management, Taiwan ("Introduction to Artificial Intelligence - Applications and Practices")
- Prof. Max Monauni, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Luzern, Switzerland ("Management Simulation")
Summer semester 2025
• Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
Winter semester 2024/25
- Prof. Rob Godby, University of Wyoming, USA ("Foundations in Macroeconomics")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management")
- Dr. Hendrik Reefke, Cranfield School of Management, UK ("Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Management")
Summer semester 2024
• Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
Winter semester 2023/24
- Prof. Rob Godby, University of Wyoming, USA ("Foundations in Macroeconomics")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management")
- Dr Hendrik Reefke, Cranfield School of Management, UK ("Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Management")
Summer semester 2023
- Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
Winter semester 2022/23
- Prof. Rob Godby, University of Wyoming, USA ("Foundations in Macroeconomics")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management")
- Dr Hendrik Reefke, Cranfield School of Management, UK ("Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Management")
Summer semester 2022
• Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
• Prof. Naqi Sayed, Lakehead University, Canada (Business Controlling in an International Context)
Winter semester 2021/22
- Prof. Rob Godby, University of Wyoming, USA ("Foundations in Macroeconomics")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management")
- Dr Hendrik Reefke, Cranfield School of Management, UK ("Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Management")
Summer semster 2021
• Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
Winter semester 2020/21
- Prof. Rob Godby, University of Wyoming, USA ("Foundations in Macroeconomics")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management"
- Dr Hendrik Reefke, Cranfield School of Management, UK ("Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Management")
Summer semester 2020
• Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
Winter semester 2019/20
- Prof. Rob Godby, University of Wyoming, USA ("Foundations in Macroeconomics")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management"
- Dr Hendrik Reefke, Cranfield School of Management, UK ("Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Management")
Summer semester 2019
- Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
Winter semester 2018/19
- Prof. Rob Godby, University of Wyoming, USA ("Foundations in Macroeconomics")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management"
- Dr Hendrik Reefke, Cranfield School of Management, UK ("Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Management")
Summer semester 2018
- Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
Winter semester 2017/18
- Prof. Rob Godby, University of Wyoming, USA ("Foundations in Macroeconomics")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management"
- Dr Hendrik Reefke, Cranfield School of Management, UK ("Global Sourcing and Supply Chain Management")
- Prof. Michael Swenson, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Entrepreneurial Marketing")
- Prof. Dr. hab. Tomasz Wiśniewski, Szczecin University, Poland ("Business Controlling in an International Context")
Summer semester 2016
- Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
Winter semester 2015/16
- Prof. Rob Godby, University of Wyoming, USA ("Foundations in Macroeconomics")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management")
- Dr. Beata Buchelt, Cracow University of Economics, Poland ("Human Ressources Management")
Summer semester 2015
- Tracy M. Maylett, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
Winter semester 2014/15
- Prof. Rob Godby, University of Wyoming, USA ("Foundations in Macroeconomics")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management")
- Dr. Emmanuel Baudoin, La Rochelle Business School, France ("Human Ressources Management")
Summer semester 2014
- Scott Sampson, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Building Relationships")
Winter semester 2013/14
- Prof. Rob Godby, University of Wyoming, USA ("Foundations in Macroeconomics")
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa ("Information Management")
- Scott Sampson, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Customer Relationship Management")
Summer semester 2013
- Prof. Kristen DeTienne, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA ("Leadership")
Winter semester 2012/13
- Prof. Michael Swenson, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA
("Entrepreneurial Marketing") - Prof. Bernardinus Purwanto, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia
("Consumer Behaviour") - Dr. Lisa Seymour, University of Cape Town, South Africa
("Information Management") - Dr. Alec Wersun, Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland
("Strategic Management")
Summer semester 2012
- Prof. John Bingham, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA
("Leadership") - Prof. Paul Godfrey, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA
("Decision Making")
Winter semester 2011/12
- Prof. Kevin Johnston, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Summer semester 2011
- Prof. John Bingham, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA
("Leadership") - Prof. Paul Godfrey, Brigham Young University, Utah, USA
("Decision Making")
Winter semester 2010/11
- Prof. Gary Rhoads, Brigham Young University,Utah, USA
("Entrepreneurial Marketing") - Prof. Basu Swastha Dharmmesta, Gadjah Mada University, Indonesia
("Brand Management")
Dr. Govinda Ahuja (Global Head of Market Strategy & Intelligence, YAGEO Group): “Industrial Marketing & Stratefy”
Gundjan Bhardwaj (Founder/CEO Innoplexus) :"Entrepreneur 4.0: Entrepreneurship in the Digital Era"
Dr. Frank J. Maile (Director BU Coatings & Plastics, Schlenk): “Product Development and Design”
Geoffrey Matthews (Geoffrey Matthews Consulting): "Change Management"
Dr. Andrei Moroc (CFA Shipping Origination, Berenberg): " Capital Raising and Investing / Project Finance"
Paula Murmann (Energy and Utilities Strategies Manager, Accenture): “Presentation Skills”
Barbara Sametinger (Sametinger Business English & Cross-Cultural Training): “Cross-Cultural Communication”
Prof. Dr. John Wargin (Hewlett-Packard): "Innovation Business Models" & "Change Management"
Lydia Michael (Founder/CEO Blended Collective): “Multicultural Marketing & Branding”, “Digial Marketing”
James Dymond (Director ESG Investor Relations, SAP): "Sustainable Investing and Corporate Governance"
International Exchange
The MBA international student exchange provides excellent opportunities to stay for one semester within a Master course at one of our partner universities and gain additional international experience.
For students with no academic or professional experience outside Germany, a semester abroad is mandatory.
Partner Universities in Europe
- Grenoble Ecole de Management, Grenoble, France
- Grande Ecole de Commerce et de Management, ESC Clermont, France
- Instituto Superior de Ciencias do Trabalho e Empresa (ISCTE) Lisbon, Portugal
- University of Ljubljana , Slovenia
Partner Universities in the Americas
- Fundação Getulio Vargas, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- University of Wyoming, Laramie, USA
- Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudio Superiores de Monterrey, Mexico
- Instituto de Estudios Superiores de Administración (IESA), Caracas, Venezuela (not sending at the moment)
Partner Universities in Asia - Pacific
Name: Johannes Reuter
Country: Germany
Exchange University: University of Wyoming, USA
MBA Class of 2020
"The MBA was a great experience that I wouldn't want to miss. l gained a lot of knowledge, met great people and was able to spend a semester abroad at our partner university UW University of Wyoming in the US. This amazing time helps me also in my current job where I work closely with people from all over the world to create new mobility solutions."
Name: Lukas Hornung
Country: Germany
Exchange University: Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudio Superiores de Monterrey (EGADE), Mexico
MBA Class of 2017
“I spent my third semester abroad at the EGADE Business School, part of the prestigious Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico. It was a great experience; the school has much to offer and Mexico is a great country! Some student organizations offer affordable trips throughout the country, which makes it easy to find new friends and to get to know new places.”
Name: Kevin van den Boom
Country: Germany
Exchange University: Grenoble Ecole de Management, Grenoble, France
MBA Class of 2017
“Fortunately, I took the opportunity to spend my abroad semester at the Grenoble Ecole de Management, which is one of the top European business schools with an excellent reputation. One of the many highlights there was the visit of Muhammad Yunus (Peace Nobel Prize laureate in 2006), who held a speech for the students of the business school. Overall, I had a great time in Grenoble, met a lot of interesting people and enjoyed the beautiful environment in the middle of the French Alps. I can fully recommend everybody going there.”
