All press releases

Together with the Archäologisches Haus, the Bertelsmann Stiftung, the Bundesstiftung Bauakademie, the Humboldt Forum, the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler, and Wohnungsbaugesellschaft Berlin Mitte, ESMT Berlin will host the neighborhood festival “Sommer auf der Insel” on Saturday, July 5, 2025, from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the garden of the former State Council building of the GDR at Schlossplatz 1.

New research by ESMT Berlin and Politecnico di Milano explores how non-experts assess scientific research proposals and reveals key implications for public participation in science funding. The study shows that while citizens value both social impact and scientific merit, their judgments can be shaped by personal interests, income, and education.

Renowned economist Michael Weber has been awarded an Alexander von Humboldt Professorship, Germany’s most prestigious and generously endowed research award, and is planning to join ESMT Berlin. With this appointment, ESMT will become the first business school in Germany to receive this distinction, a significant milestone for the institution and for the field of business research.

The Institute for Deep Tech Innovation (DEEP) at ESMT Berlin is committed to transforming outstanding research into successful startups. Supported by the Joachim Herz Foundation, DEEP is now launching the program DEEP Pioneers to assist research institutions and teams build market- and investment-ready startup teams. The pilot phase is set to run for one year.

New research by ESMT Berlin and the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH) shows that private equity (PE) acquisitions lead to substantial operational efficiency gains in hospitals, challenging common public concerns. The study reveals that hospitals acquired by PE firms significantly reduce costs and administrative staff without increasing closure rates or harming patient care.

Now in its fourth year, the successful partnership between BMW Group and ESMT Berlin continues to evolve. The BMW Group Change Maker Fellowships, launched in 2022, are being extended in 2025 to include ESMT’s full-time MBA and MSc programs alongside the global online MBA and will focus on shaping leadership for a digital future.

ESMT Berlin has been selected as a Pioneer Innovation Partner by the European Central Bank (ECB) to develop innovative functionalities related to the digital euro. As part of this collaboration, the business school will establish the Digital Euro Hub platform.

ESMT Berlin has received significant funding from the German Foundation for Monument Protection (DSD) to support the ongoing restoration of the former GDR State Council building, now home to the international business school campus in Berlin. The DSD has provided donations totaling more than €1.8 million for the renovation of the building’s west wing, in keeping with its landmark status. A major portion of this of more than €1 million has been contributed by the Danish Villum Foundation, part of the Velux Foundations.

Bureaucracy continues to burden Germany. The bureaucracy index developed by Professor Dr. Stefan Wagner from the University of Vienna, in collaboration with ESMT Berlin and the legal platform www.buzer.de, shows that the volume of federal legislation continues to rise and has reached a new all-time high.

The Supervisory Board of ESMT Berlin has appointed Dr. Matthias Koch as managing director, Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of ESMT, effective May 1, 2025. In his role as COO/CFO, he will be responsible for the business school’s financial strategy and operational functions, working closely with all departments to support the institution’s development.

Reaffirming its dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion in business and leadership, ESMT Berlin is providing full and partial scholarships for flagship executive education programs. These scholarships are designed to support talented professionals from various backgrounds in senior management and C-suite roles, enabling them to further develop their strategic and leadership skills, and drive meaningful change in their organizations.

The Future of Management Education (FOME) alliance has successfully launched its first co-developed virtual reality (VR) module, marking a significant step forward in the evolution of immersive learning in business education. The project focused on leadership and crisis management and brought together a coalition of leading business schools from across the globe: EDHEC, ESMT Berlin, HKUST, Imperial College Business School, Ivey Business School, Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, Luiss Business School, and Vlerick Business School.

The French and German business schools HEC Paris and ESMT Berlin have joined forces with the aim of advancing innovative computing technologies, such as quantum computing, semiconductor technologies, advanced neural networks, unconventional computing, and high-performance computing. The international business schools are hosting their first joint “Next Generation Computing stream session” as part of the Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) – a nine-month program that supports seed-stage, science-based ventures working in cutting-edge areas – at the TUM Campus in Heilbronn, Germany.

After two successful summits, this year’s Berlin Global Dialogue (BGD) will take place from October 22 to October 23 at ESMT Berlin. Under the theme “Shifting Power, Shaping Prosperity,” the third summit explores how multipolarity can act as a catalyst for global growth and stability.

A joint report by the Institute for Deep Tech Innovation (DEEP) at ESMT Berlin and the Bertelsmann Stiftung highlights Germany’s immense innovation potential in the biotech sector. However, this potential remains underutilized.