Current statistics confirm high demand for programs for working professionals

Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) retains its leading position in the area of further education in Bavaria. According to figures on degree programs for professional development at Bavarian universities recently published by the Bavarian State Office for Statistics, a total of 2,095 people were studying degree programs for professional development at FAU in winter semester 2025/26. Our University is the clear leader among Bavarian universities. The figures speak for themselves: While FAU has over 2,000 students in degree programs for professional development, the university ranked second place has 670 students, less than one third of the students at FAU.

Compared to the previous year, the number of students in this area at FAU rose significantly once again – from 1,795 to 2,095. The current figures underline FAU’s outstanding role in offering further education and options for lifelong learning, in particular seminars and short courses.

Particularly sought after: Professional development in management and leadership

This success is largely due to the MBA degree programs offered by FAU WiSo Executive School (https://fau-executive-school.de) at the School of Business, Economics and Society (WiSo). The six MBA programs for working professionals form the core of the options for professional development offered at FAU and account for the majority of the total of 2,095 students in a total of nine different degree programs for professional development offered by the university. They make a major contribution to FAU’s leading position compared to other universities in Bavaria. “The programs are aimed at experts and managers who would like to gain further academic qualifications and prepare specifically for demanding management and leadership tasks while continuing to work,” says Prof. Dr. Kai-Ingo Voigt, Dean of Further Education at the School of Business, Economics and Society.

Demand for degree programs for working professionals and professional development has been growing for years. With its wide portfolio in areas such as management, health, sustainability, digitalization and artificial intelligence, and IT security, FAU enables practicing experts and managers to broaden their skill set and prepare for new professional challenges.

Expert knowledge for a society undergoing transformation

A new program to be offered from October 2026 is the Master’s degree program for professional development Organization – Transformation – Society. With this program, FAU pursues the goal of teaching expertise based on social sciences for analyzing and shaping organizational learning and development processes in the context of social transformation. Organizations are explored not as rigid structures but as social constructs that are in principle flexible, fragile and susceptible to change through human actions. They transform not only through the optimization of processes, programs and structures, but as social constructs capable of learning, they take a certain position and develop ways of handling challenging situations in society.

With its innovative programs, close cooperation with industry and society and a strong focus on lifelong learning, FAU is strengthening its role as a driving force for further education in Bavaria and beyond.

Further information:

All degree programs for professional development at FAU at a glance: https://www.fau.de/studium/studienangebot/besondere-studienformen/weiterbildungsstudiengaenge/

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