About the Faculty of Business and Economics

As an internationally renowned research institution, the University of Göttingen is guided by the ideals and educational concept of the Enlightenment. The Faculty of Business and Economics defines this mission statement through the orientation of its research and teaching towards the basic idea of responsible innovation.

This basic idea of an enlightened, responsible innovation activity of economic actors (individuals or organizations) forms the guiding principle of the Faculty of Business and Economics in research and teaching.

Excellent Research with Impact

The economic sciences in Göttingen methodologically trace all decisions and actions back to the preferences of the individual. Consequently, research focuses on the sovereign, even decisive actor, e.g. as consumer or entrepreneur. These individuals drive development and change processes in order to find and implement novel solutions to social problems.

This model of the individual has effects on various levels, namely on the institutional, market, business and economic levels as well as on the global economic level.

These effects are the subject of the research activities of the Faculty of Business and Economics. The researchers work on their research topics using a variety of econometric and experimental research methods on the one hand and formal analytical modelling approaches on the other.

Three Key Research Areas

The diverse research fields of the faculty overlap in the three key areas Governance and Compliance, Marketing and Consumer Science and Global Change and Development.

These research areas transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries. In doing so, they help foster interdisciplinary collaboration across all the subject areas including business, economics, information systems, economic and social history, statistics, and econometrics.

Faculty members are frequently recognized for their research contributions, which are regularly published in top international journals. Moreover, researchers from different subject areas collaborate in interdisciplinary centers such as the Center for Global Migration Studies (CeMig), the Center for Modern East Asian Studies (CeMEAS), the Center for Modern Indian Studies (CeMIS), and the Centre for Statistics.

Academic Programmes that Make a Difference

The Faculty of Business and Economics offers a variety of academic programmes that prepare students for professional success. At the bachelor's level, students can select from business administration, economics, sustainable development studies, business information systems and human resource education.

At the master's level, programmes range from key areas such as management and economic to a more specialized education in information systems, business education, applied statistics, as well as history of global markets. In total, the faculty offers six bachelor's and eight master's programmes.

This portfolio of academic programmes delivers outstanding educational experiences and equips students with the critical capabilities that are highly sought after in the marketplace.

In keeping with the tradition of research-orientated teaching, the focus is on teaching methodological and problem-solving skills. Students apply their knowledge to current business issues and are familiarised with research methods, particularly in the Master's programmes. This enables them to take on challenging tasks in the business world and to gain further academic qualifications through a doctorate.

The Faculty of Business and Economics offers a structured doctoral programme within the Göttingen Graduate School of Social Sciences (GGG). The objective is to bring doctoral students and faculty members together in order to strengthen students' research capabilities and to prepare them for a successful career path in academia or industry.

The vicinity of the Faculty of Business and Economics to other faculties on campus as well as the close cooperation between the university and other research institutions in Göttingen also creates a special Göttingen spirit that makes studying at the Faculty of Business and Economics a special and influential experience for our students.

Truly International Focus

The faculty runs exchange programmes with universities across the globe. Within the Erasmus Programme of the European Commission, students can choose between more than 70 universities.

There are also additional exchange programmes with China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, the West Indies, South Africa, Latin America and the United States.

Overall, the faculty currently offers around 150 exchange programmes in more than 30 countries worldwide providing students with the global mindset needed for today's market environment.

The Faculty of Business and Economics offers different opportunities to earn a double or multiple degree in cooperation with renowned partner universities:

• MSc in Finance, Accounting and Taxes: Double degree programme in cooperation with the University of Ghent (Belgium)


• MSc in Management: Double degree programme in cooperation with the University of Nanjing (China)


• MSc in International Economics: Double degree programme in cooperation with the University of Groningen (The Netherlands)


• MSc in Development Economics: Double degree programmes in cooperation with the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa), the University of Florence (Italy) and the University of Clermont Auvergne (France)


• MA in History of Global Markets: Erasmus Mundus Joint International Master’s Programme “Global Markets, Local Creativities” in cooperation with the universities of Glasgow (UK), Barcelona (Spain), Rotterdam (The Netherlands), Uppsala (Sweden), Bogotá (Colombia), and Kyoto (Japan)

A Faculty with Long-Standing Tradition

At the University of Göttingen, Economic Science has been a core discipline of research and teaching since the university's founding in 1737. Originally, the first curricula offered by the faculty were Insurance Science in 1895 and Political Science (the precursor of Economics) in 1899.

In 1922, the university split Economic Studies from Business Administration and founded the programme Economic Studies of Firms, which later became Business Administration.

In 1950, the University of Göttingen rapidly expanded its Economic Studies of Firms programme. A host of new professorships were created in 1954 and 1955, as well as a full degree programme in Business Administration (Diplom-Kaufmann/Diplom-Kauffrau).

In 1961, a full-time programme of Business Education was launched, which resulted in the degree of Diplom-Handelslehrer/ Diplom-Handelslehrerin.

One year later, the Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences was established. In 1970, the faculties of Economics and Social Sciences were subdivided until the joint faculty was finally dissolved in 1981 and the Faculty of Economics became independent. It is called Faculty of Business and Economics since 1997.

Today, the Faculty of Business and Economics is a vibrant intellectual community of about 3,200 enrolled students, over 30 professors and 6 honorary professors. Additionally, the faculty regularly hosts international scholars.