WHU: Germany's No. 1 in international business studies!

WHU: Germany's No. 1 in international business studies!

The WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management has once again achieved remarkable success. Its Master in International Business program is ranked first in Germany in the QS International Trade Rankings 2025 and ranked 21st globally. This is a significant improvement from last year, when the program was ranked 26th out of 73 programs examined. The ranking data is based on extensive feedback from employers, experts and universities worldwide, analyzing 87 commerce-related MBA and master's programs to help aspiring students choose a suitable program, such as WHU reports.

A particularly outstanding feature of WHU are the results in the categories “Reputation” and “Innovative Teaching”. In the “Reputation” category, WHU not only achieved first place in Germany among four programs, but also took 14th place in Europe and 27th place worldwide. Compared to 2024, WHU has improved a remarkable 28 places in this category. The “Innovative Teaching” category also brings the university first place in Germany, 8th place in Europe and 13th place worldwide, which demonstrates WHU’s commitment to innovative and future-oriented education.

Program structure and graduate prospects

The Master in International Business program was introduced in the winter semester of 2021 and is designed to optimally prepare students for leadership positions in various business sectors. A central element of the program is that students spend a semester abroad and have access to internship opportunities in international companies. This not only enables in-depth academic training, but also practical experience that is extremely useful when looking for a job.

The employment rate of graduates exceeds 94%, which is well above the international average of almost 75%. This rate illustrates the strong network and excellent career opportunities that WHU offers its graduates. The former students often find employment in management consulting, industry or banking, which underlines the high quality of the training and its practical applicability, as in another report by Kellogg is highlighted.

Ranking methodology and context

The QS International Trade Ranking takes into account a variety of factors, including research performance in international business, and is based on more than 9.52 million citations from 575,000 academic papers from 1,875 universities. This comprehensive data collection creates a solid context for evaluating and understanding programs worldwide. In terms of rankings, WHU is one of the few European schools to perform so outstandingly in multiple categories, both in terms of its Trade Program Content and Graduate Outcomes. These aspects show that WHU not only offers first-class teaching, but also places a strong focus on the career development of its students, as stated by EduRank confirmed.

WHU is therefore not only a leader in Germany, but also positions itself internationally as an excellent training center in the field of international business. The program's continuous improvements and successes are an indicator of the strategic steps the university is taking to secure and further expand its educational quality.