The former seat of the East German State Council, the ESMT campus building has been a protected monument since 1993. But this unique, historic campus in the heart of Berlin is also home to a modern business school with modern facilities designed to help all students get the most out of their degree, both academically and socially.
Whether you are looking for space to relax in, space to network in, or space to study in, learn more about our favorite campus facilities.
The ESMT Garden
For many students, the garden is their favorite place on campus. It is easy to see why: this special green space with its historical mosaic fountain, rare trees, hidden artwork – and the occasional fox – is one of Berlin's best-kept secrets.
Students love it as both a place to relax between classes, and as a social hub where they can meet others outside their cohort. It is also home to some of the most beloved extracurricular initiatives at ESMT, including the ESMT Olympics, many editions of Bergfest, and even public-facing events like the annual neighborhood festival (Nachbarschaftsfest).
Tip: ESMT students can make the most of the garden by borrowing table tennis bats, footballs, and other sports equipment from Student Services. Many of our students find that playing sports together helps them build community at ESMT.
My tip: spend time in the garden during class breaks. That's where you'll find people outside your master's to talk to, and you'll probably end up becoming friends with them too.
Café & restaurant
While ESMT is in the heart of central Berlin, and therefore within walking distance of many delicious eateries, you don't need to leave campus to find great food and coffee.
With both an on-site café and an on-site restaurant, EMST students have multiple options for grabbing a bite together between classes. Many of our students from across our degree programs report that laughing together over food is where they can relax and start to build lasting bonds with classmates.
Tip: Want to try the café and learn more about student life at ESMT? You can book a one-on-one coffee chat with one of our specialists to discuss your profile in detail. Book your coffee chat in Berlin.
One small thing I won't forget: Marian from the school‘s café could always lift our day, no matter how stressed or stuck in our own heads we were with uni.
Our class year bonded unusually closely, and two years gives that time to really deepen. When the internship phase scattered everyone into different jobs, we started a Stammtisch (a regular, casual meetup) in Berlin every two weeks so we wouldn't drift apart. A lot of what I took away came from the people themselves, from spending that much time with a group this mixed in background and nationality.
Information Center & Library
ESMT's Information Center (IC) and Library is a quiet place to study on campus and your first stop for degree program research. Here you can find useful print media, and digital subscriptions that can help you with every step of your degree, from first essay to final thesis.
The IC team can also offer the ESMT community both group and individual training sessions and research consultations.
Tip: Much of the Information Center's newsstand catalog, digital journals, and other resources can be accessed online, making this a campus facility that can be embraced by all students, including Part-time, Executive, and Global Online MBAs who may spend part or all of their time at ESMT off campus.
I also genuinely love spending time in the Information Center, browsing the bookshelves and stumbling across hidden gems I'd never have picked up otherwise
Further campus highlights
Student Lounge
At ESMT we encourage our students to make our campus their own. So it was with the Student Lounge. A student at the time led a project to revamp the student common room, and ESMT helped him form a committee and fund the changes. Today it is a bright, friendly place used for movie nights and birthday parties, foosball tournaments and chess showdowns, and even for impromptu piano concerts.
Read more student insights about life on campus
Quiet room
While EMST is full of exciting things to see and do, sometimes you need a minute or two to yourself. Our Quiet Room is available to all students who need a moment of privacy for prayer, for calm, or to simply to reset and recalibrate.
Learn more about the ways we support students.
Off-campus housing
While not technically a campus facility, our off-campus housing is less than a five-minute walk from the ESMT front door. A home base for many of of our international master's and Full-time MBA students, the ESMT dorms can also be a place to find friendship, too: it's not unusual for students to host each other for global food nights or other get togethers.
Read about what life is like in ESMT's student accommodation
Throughout the day, from the beginning of the first class until the end, we create countless memories
"Imagine being in a place where, as soon as you open the building doors and see the beautiful stained-glass windows, you recognize the staff members and say good morning to them. You grab a good cup of coffee, and on your way to the classroom, you already see your classmates and catch up about the weekend.
When you enter the room, you are reminded of the importance of the building in German history through the memories preserved in its walls. Before class starts, you continue chatting with colleagues – I like arriving early, so I always have plenty of time for that – asking about their family visits, their latest trips, what meals from their home countries look like, or even about their dog that just arrived from another country.
And throughout the day, from the beginning of the first class until the end, we create countless memories: birthday celebrations, lunches in the garden, studying together for difficult exams, planning trips, grabbing an ice cream or a beer nearby, organizing visits to the museum across from the school, taking the key to the quiet room when someone needs a moment of space, or simply sharing a meal, or taking a short nap on the study room chairs."
- Beatriz Sgobi, Full-time MBA, Class of 2027
