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Press Release

ESMT Berlin and Zeppelin University launch accelerated bachelor to master program

ESMT Berlin and Zeppelin University (ZU) have established an accelerated academic pathway for
outstanding bachelor’s students at the Friedrichshafen-based university on Lake Constance,
making it easier for them to transition into a master’s program at ESMT, one of Europe’s leading
business schools.
June 24, 2026
Full-time MBA student Gloria Mopotu and students from ESMT Berlin sitting on stairs

The new Accelerated Bachelor to Master Pathway provides qualified students with a faster route to a master’s degree and also expands opportunities for academic exchange between the two institutions. Under the agreement, eligible students enrolled in Zeppelin University’s Bachelor in Corporate Management and Economics will benefit from a streamlined admissions process for the ESMT Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Master in Global Management. In addition, students will gain access to the ESMT Summer School, a five-day on-campus program in Berlin that offers bachelor’s students and recent graduates the opportunity to experience studying at ESMT before applying. 

“Outstanding opportunities for growth are the foundation of successful careers,” says Prof. Jörg Rocholl, president of ESMT Berlin. “This collaboration provides talented students with a direct pathway to continue their personal and professional growth in a highly international environment and to become part of a community that is shaping the future of business and society.”

ZU President Prof. Dr. Anja Achtziger adds, “This partnership opens up exciting new opportunities for our students and allows them to build on the interdisciplinary and entrepreneurial foundation they have developed at ZU. We are delighted to work with ESMT to create an academic pathway that helps talented students broaden their horizons, gain new perspectives, and take the next step in their professional journey.”

The partnership is particularly aimed at students who wish to benefit from both a broad, interdisciplinary bachelor’s education and a highly international management-focused master’s degree. It offers an attractive academic trajectory: studying in a personalized, research-oriented environment in Friedrichshafen on Lake Constance, followed by a move to the international capital city of Berlin.

Applications are submitted directly to ESMT during the final year of study at ZU. Eligibility requirements include successful completion of the bachelor’s degree, strong performance in quantitative subjects, and a minimum grade point average equivalent to 1.8 in the German grading system. Applications are assessed holistically, taking into account not only academic achievement, but also motivation, leadership potential, and fit with the chosen master’s program. ZU students benefit from a simplified admissions process and remain eligible for ESMT scholarships.

About Zeppelin University

Zeppelin University (ZU) is a state-recognized private university with the right to award doctoral degrees. It sees itself as a university at the intersection of business, culture, psychology, and politics. Teaching and research are conducted in an interdisciplinary, personalized, and international environment. ZU specifically seeks pioneers who want to make meaningful contributions to socially relevant issues during their studies and throughout their professional careers. Its bachelor's and master's programs educate responsible decision-makers and creative innovators in the field of management. zeppelin-university.com

About ESMT Berlin

ESMT Berlin is a leading global business school with its campus in the heart of Berlin. Founded by 25 global companies, ESMT offers master, MBA, and PhD programs, as well as executive education on its campus in Berlin, in locations around the world, online, and in online blended format. Focusing on leadership, innovation, and analytics, its diverse faculty publishes outstanding research in top academic journals. Additionally, the international business school provides an interdisciplinary platform for discourse between politics, business, and academia. ESMT is a non-profit private institution of higher education with the right to grant PhDs and is accredited by AACSB, AMBA, EQUIS, and ZEvA. It is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion across all its activities and communities.
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Molly Ihlbrock

Martha Ihlbrock

Director of Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 30 212 31-1043
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Deepti Gahrotra

Interim Deputy Director of Corporate Communications
Phone: +49 175 3741829