Mission
HTWG is a University of Applied Sciences. In 1968 a decree of the Ministries of Education and Culture of Germany’s federal states (Länder) accorded the universities of applied sciences equal standing with universities, including technical universities. Like traditional German universities, the universities of applied sciences are supported by public funds and are under the jurisdiction of the federal state (Land) in which they are located. Both have institutional autonomy under German law - that is, freedom in teaching and research and academic self-administration are guaranteed.
The German Federal Framework Act for Higher Education (Hochschulrahmengesetz) accords the universities of applied sciences responsibility for applied research and development as well as academic, application-oriented instruction, and the transfer of this knowledge to business, industry and the public sector. In contrast, the traditional universities emphasize basic research and the preparation of the next generation of scholars.
The explicit linking of theory and practice has strengthened the universities of applied sciences in their respective locations and made them an ideal provider of continuing education for practicing professionals, which is the third part of their mission.