Studying. With a purpose.

This article is part of KLU's anniversary magazine celebrating our 10th anniversary (see page 28). Have a look at the whole magazine.

Back in September 2010, when KLU was founded, there was an official ceremony at Hamburg’s venerable City Hall – in a magnificent banquet hall, and including the appointment of the first professors, followed by a formal dinner. It was all very impressive – but it’s not what I remember most about the day: it was also the first contact with our, with “my” students. Some universities can look back on centuries of tradition. But founding a new university is something truly unique. As a rule, the formal founding is preceded by several years spent establishing the structures and administrative processes, and recruiting professors, before the first classes can finally be taught. But it’s different at KLU: from the first day of its existence, students have been directly involved, and at the heart of all we do.

We’ve grown continually since that September, and over the years we have introduced new degree programs and accompanied more and more students to graduation. All of this was only possible by working in close collaboration with our students, through formal and informal feedback, countless one-on-one talks, and active input. This direct connection can also be seen in the extent to which our students associate themselves with the university. They share in every step of its development and drive us to keep going. As such, our high student satisfaction scores are hardly surprising. The numerous prizes, top honors in university rankings, and above all the high percentage of students who would recommend us to a friend, confirm the success of this strategy. At KLU, you aren’t just one small part of an anonymous, mass-production system; you have a name, a face, and a great deal of personal contact. This bond reaches far beyond graduation, regardless of where the next steps in their careers take our alumni. And the careers they pursue are highly diverse, both in the type of work and geographically; from start-ups to major conglomerates, from NGOs to investment banks – there are no “standard alumni” or “uniform careers” at KLU.

Why not? Because of yet another unique aspect that has been part of KLU from the outset: our diversity. From the beginning, KLU has had an international focus, just like our hometown of Hamburg. Our very first group of graduates included representatives from four continents; today, our student body includes more than 50 nationalities. The focus has always been on looking outward, and orientating our goals on the world’s leading businesses. Excellence also counts when it comes to student selection – though we’re not just looking for good students, but for good people, individuals who want to do more than just go with the flow, and who can help form their graduating class into a community for life.

Every fall, before graduation day, my desk is full of thick folders with the graduation certificates inside, and this anniversary year is no exception. As I sign each certificate I read the name and think back to the selection talks, and our first classes together. I feel a sense of pride that another group has successfully graduated, and at the same time am curious to see where the graduates’ lives will take them from here on: there’s a world full of opportunities open to them – and KLU is their gateway.