Five Reasons to Study Business in Germany

This article is sponsored by Frankfurt School of Finance and Management (FSFM). Learn more about FSFM.

Growing numbers of companies are relocating their corporate headquarters as a result of globalization; but in a global economy they are not the only ones seeking the best business environment. More and more prospective students are leaving their home countries in search of the best places to live, learn and work.

One destination that has long-proved popular is Germany, which can boast a long and distinguished history of higher education. It is also Europe’s economic leader. Studying business in Germany is, therefore, a rather appealing option for many students.

Located opposite the new headquarters of the European Central Bank in Germany’s financial heart, the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management (FSFM) is one example of the country’s high-quality provision. The school offers an MBA program with a 50/50 split between management and finance.

Tempted to study an MBA in Germany? Here are five reasons you should consider it…

1. The German economy

Students at FSFM and other German schools enjoy the advantage of studying business in a country with the strongest economy in Europe, representing some 21% of eurozone GDP. German unemployment remains one of the lowest in Europe at just over 5% (only Norway has a lower rate), compared to average of 11% across the eurozone.

The strong German economy means a constant influx of educated workers – including many English speakers – who are highly sought in Frankfurt’s finance and business communities. The nation’s GDP has continued to grow in recent years. Despite predictions of ‘protracted stagnation’ in the EU economy, and despite reports in May 2014 that the EU’s first quarter GDP rose only 0.3% (and the US GDP actually declined), German GDP growth during the same period approached 1%.

2. German R&D investment

Germany is also a regional leader in R&D investment. The nation spends over €80 billion (around US$104 billion) annually to assist some 800 public-funded research institutions. With more than half a million R&D professionals, the country continues to attract a top-notch talent pool. What this means for students studying business in Germany, is regular access to professional training, renowned and established universities and German R&D investment.

3. One single market

Germany sits at the crossroads of Western and Eastern Europe, offering direct access to huge potential customer base. The EU has had a single market for more than 20 years, which means that goods, services and capital along with European citizens are able to move freely across the EU's trading block. This single market has not only increased the competitiveness of individual member nations but has also decreased regulations while offering consumers wider choices of goods and services.

This is only one geographic advantage. Despite the country's reunification nearly three decades ago, there remains an economic divide between what were once East and West Germany. This offers enormous opportunities for entrepreneurs who can develop businesses in places in the former, like Berlin (which was split between the two), which has recently enjoyed stellar growth in technology startups, and more recent innovation magnets like Leipzig and Dresden.

4. Innovation and economic freedom

An index charting 186 countries’ economic freedom, published by the Wall Street Journal in conjunction with the Heritage Foundation, reports that economic freedom in Germany is on the rise. The index looks at each economy’s rule of law, how limited their government is, their regulatory efficiency and how open their markets are. In one key component, the study notes that in Germany, “The overall entrepreneurial environment remains one of the world’s most transparent and efficient.”

Economic freedom is partly responsible for why the city has become a seedbed for innovation and entrepreneurial initiative. According to Eurostat, amongst the 28 countries in the European Union more than 40% of all patents are held by Germany. Half of the cities in top-30 metropolitan areas for patents are in Germany.

As Eurostat notes on its website, “Patents reflect inventive activity and they also show the capacity to exploit knowledge and translate it into potential economic gains.”

5. Not all work and no play in Frankfurt

When not at work or school, business students and professionals in Germany have access to a wide variety of diversions. Frankfurt alone can lay claim to 15 museums. Located south of the Main, the river on which the city stands, the ‘museum embankment’ includes buildings dedicated to furniture, design, communications and sculpture. The city offers a cosmopolitan environment in which one third of residents hold a non-German passport and visitors are welcomed. Architecturally speaking, the city mixes the daring and modern with the charming and historical, but for when you need to unwind with a change of scenery you can also head out to the nearby Rheingau wine region and sample some of Germany’s popular Riesling.

3. One single market

Germany sits at the crossroads of Western and Eastern Europe, offering direct access to huge potential customer base. The EU has had a single market for more than 20 years, which means that goods, services and capital along with European citizens are able to move freely across the EU's trading block. This single market has not only increased the competitiveness of individual member nations but has also decreased regulations while offering consumers wider choices of goods and services.

This is only one geographic advantage. Despite the country's reunification nearly three decades ago, there remains an economic divide between what were once East and West Germany. This offers enormous opportunities for entrepreneurs who can develop businesses in places in the former, like Berlin (which was split between the two), which has recently enjoyed stellar growth in technology startups, and more recent innovation magnets like Leipzig and Dresden.

4. Innovation and economic freedom

An index charting 186 countries’ economic freedom, published by the Wall Street Journal in conjunction with the Heritage Foundation, reports that economic freedom in Germany is on the rise. The index looks at each economy’s rule of law, how limited their government is, their regulatory efficiency and how open their markets are. In one key component, the study notes that in Germany, “The overall entrepreneurial environment remains one of the world’s most transparent and efficient.”

Economic freedom is partly responsible for why the city has become a seedbed for innovation and entrepreneurial initiative. According to Eurostat, amongst the 28 countries in the European Union more than 40% of all patents are held by Germany. Half of the cities in top-30 metropolitan areas for patents are in Germany.

As Eurostat notes on its website, “Patents reflect inventive activity and they also show the capacity to exploit knowledge and translate it into potential economic gains.”

5. Not all work and no play in Frankfurt

When not at work or school, business students and professionals in Germany have access to a wide variety of diversions. Frankfurt alone can lay claim to 15 museums. Located south of the Main, the river on which the city stands, the ‘museum embankment’ includes buildings dedicated to furniture, design, communications and sculpture. The city offers a cosmopolitan environment in which one third of residents hold a non-German passport and visitors are welcomed. Architecturally speaking, the city mixes the daring and modern with the charming and historical, but for when you need to unwind with a change of scenery you can also head out to the nearby Rheingau wine region and sample some of Germany’s popular Riesling.