The “Fachhochschule des Mittelstands” (FHM) is a private, non-profit and state-approved University of Applied Sciences. FHM was founded in 2000 by medium-sized enterprises and educational institutions. Since then it has developed into one of the most successful private universities in Germany and established itself as a reliable partner for medium-sized enterprises. FHM’s goal is to provide students with necessary theoretical and hands-on skills for their careers in business.
The founding partners of the FHM are organisations operating on an international scale, who for many years have successfully been supporting and promoting small and medium-sized enterprises. The “Foundation for education and trade”, the “West German chamber of trade in North Rhine-Westphalia” and the “Chamber of trade of East Westphalia-Lippe for Bielefeld” founded FHM in ear 1999.
The central campus of the Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (FHM) is located in the centre of Bielefeld. In addition to the central campus there are six further locations in Cologne, Pulheim, Hannover, Rostock, Schwerin and Bamberg. The Fachhochschule des Mittelstands (FHM) has additional sites in Hamburg, Hannover and Munich through its Institutes for Scientific Further Education (IWW). In addition, the FHM also runs the Institute for SME in Lippe, located in Detmold and a German-Chinese SME Institute (DCMI) in Suzhou, China.
FHM focuses on applied research and practical economic research as a partner for SMEs. Based on this general principle the FHM is involved in scientific studies and research projects aimed at those fields which have a particular relevance for SMEs or are of particular, direct use to SMEs. In this context, FHM has participated for many years in EU-funded projects focusing on improving cooperation between HEI and the business sector.
