New Double Degree Programs

First double degree program for bachelor’s students

1 program, 2 degrees? In double degree programs, students spend 1 year at a partner university, where they are fully integrated into the academic program and fulfill the requirements for earning a degree. Until now, double degree programs have been available only for students in the Master’s Program in Marketing and the Master’s Program in Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control. As of 2019, students in the Bachelor’s Program in Business and Economics (BBE) can now also earn a second degree as part of their studies.

During the 4-year program, students spend 3 years completing the regular BBE program at WU and spend a further year at the renowned QUT Busi­ness School in Brisbane, Australia. No tuition fees are required for the year abroad. Up to 10 students, 5 from WU and 5 from the QUT Business School, can participate in the program each year. After successfully completing the program, students are awarded both the Busi­ness and Eco­no­mics BSc from WU as well as the Ba­chelor of­ Business (B.Bus­) from QUT.

New partner for the Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control program

Master’s students in the Strategy, Innovation, and Management Control program now also have the option of obtaining a double degree in cooperation with National Chengchi University in Taiwan.

Economic Policies for the Global Transition (EPOG+)

The Master’s Program in Socio-Ecological Economics and Policy offers students a double degree option with EPOG+. EPOG+ is a master’s program aimed at future experts in digital, socioeconomic, and ecological transformation processes.

The program is funded by the European Commission and is offered at the following universities:

• France: University of Technology of Compiègne (coordinator), Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris
• Italy: University of Turin, Roma Tre University
• Germany: Berlin School of Economics and Law
• Austria: WU
• South Africa: University of the Witwatersrand

Double degree students spend their first 2 semesters at WU, their 3^rd semester at the University of Technology of Compiègne, Sorbonne Université, or the Université de Paris, and the 4^th semester either back at WU or at another EPOG+ partner school.

Getting to know CEE

In 2018, WU, the University of Economics in Bratislava (EUBA), and SGH Warsaw School of Economics signed an agreement on the implementation of a Joint Certificate Program. In March 2019, the first week of the new program was held at WU. 48 bachelor’s students from Vienna, Bratislava, and Warsaw attended the course “Strategies and Management for Central Europe” together. A company visit to STRABAG AG and a guest lecture by a representative of Josef Manner & Com. AG gave the participants valuable insights into business practice. A welcome dinner, a guided tour of the city, and a tour of the Ottakringer brewery gave the students plenty of opportunities to network and socialize.

These activities not only laid the groundwork for the two further weeks of the course, held in Bratislava in April and in Warsaw in May, but also for the students’ own future academic and professional networks in Central Europe.

The Joint Certificate Program is offered as part of the International Business specialization in the bachelor’s programs.

An opportunity for young researchers

The Prof. Ewald No­wot­ny Mobility Grant, funded by the Oes­ter­rei­chische­ Na­tio­nal­bank (OeNB), will be supporting the active participation of WU students in international scientific events starting in 2020, allowing the students to start building up their networks within the scientific community. The grant offers financial support for participation in international scientific events, conferences, symposia, moot courts, or similar events focusing on current developments in social and economic policy. Students taking their first steps in academia have the chance to present their work to a wider, international audience or to build up or expand their international networks.

Bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD-level students who are still within the prescribed minimum duration for their program are eligible to apply. The selection of grant recipients is based on the innovative potential demonstrated by the student and other factors, and is made by a selection committee.

International guests at WU

Large-scale international events are another way to build and strengthen researchers’ and students’ international networks. From November 27 to December 1, 2019, the CEMS Annual Events brought 2,800 guests from leading international business schools to Campus WU. We organized a number of conferences and networking events that gave faculty and students from the CEMS community the opportunity to discuss the future of higher education.

As always, the high point of the Annual Events was the Graduation Ceremony for the class of 2019. 820 graduates from around the world attended the ceremony.

Studying and travelling

68 WU students took to the road in the summer of 2019, headed for universities in China, Indonesia, Russia, and Vietnam. Their goal was to discover a new academic environment, a new culture, and interesting people by attending Joint International Summer University (ISU) programs.

In addition, 2 of WU’s partner universities, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Southern Methodist University, opened their own summer programs to WU students. 5 WU students travelled to China for the program, 4 to the USA.

Close partners

WU has a worldwide cooperation network with ties to about 240 partner universities, and, as one of the leading business and economics universities in the German-speaking world, is also actively involved in renowned alliances such as CEMS and PIM. In 2019, exchange places at WU partner universities in 56 countries were available to WU’s students. 997 students took advantage of this opportunity and spent a semester abroad.