The Akademie der Saarwirtschaft (ASW gGmbH) – the dual education institution of the htw saar (University of Applied Sciences) has been offering dual studies for over 30 years. Now the ASW is expanding its range of courses.

Today’s ASW gGmbH in Neunkirchen/ Saar began offering dual study programmes in 1991 as a vocational academy. Since 2021, the Saarland higher education institution has been part of the htw saar (University of Applied Sciences) in Saarbrücken. Since 2021, the ASW, as the „Academy of the Saar Economy“, has been offering three-year Bachelor’s degree programmes in the fields of: Business Administration ((BWL) Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)), Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.)), Business Informatics (Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)) and n Industrial Engineering (Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng.)) for the htw saar. From the winter semester 2024, the ASW will offer a new degree programme: „Integrated Sustainable Building Technology“.

New degree programme from winter semester 2023/ 2024: „Integrated Sustainable Building Technology“.

With the newly designed Bachelor’s degree programme „Integrated Sustainable Building Technology“, the Saarland University of Applied Sciences (htw saar) and the Akademie der Saarwirtschaft ASW gGmbH (ASW) are expanding their dual study programme and offering a dual degree programme in the field of civil engineering and supply technology for the first time.

In order to limit the consequences of climate change, more and more sustainable raw materials and technologies are being used. This development also affects the construction industry as an important part of the overall economy. Here, building and supply technology, such as heating, cooling, air conditioning and sanitary technology, as well as electrical energy systems and gas technology for biogas and hydrogen, play an important role. Increased networking and digitalisation also have an impact on electrical building technology and building automation. Increasingly, qualified engineers are needed for the technological changes in the complex field of building technology. This is where the new degree programme comes in.

The dual Bachelor’s programme Integrated Sustainable Building Technology is an interdisciplinary programme at the interface of civil engineering and supply engineering. The focus is on renewable energy systems, storage and hydrogen technologies and building services engineering in the form of electrical building services engineering, sanitary, heating, cooling and air conditioning technology and building automation. Both integration in new buildings and modernisation in existing buildings are covered. Its special feature is the dual structure, in which competences are acquired at the two learning locations „university“ and „company“, which in combination lead to high professional action and problem-solving skills. The close interlocking of theory and practice is realised organisationally through a clearly structured block phase model and in terms of content through a framework plan for the practical phase that is coordinated with the curriculum.

The programme starts on 2 September 2024. The admission requirement for a dual study programme at htw saar and ASW is the general higher education entrance qualification, the entrance qualification for studies at universities of applied sciences or the subject-specific higher education entrance qualification. Prospective students can apply to companies for a training and study place from September 2023.

Students are prepared for work as specialists and managers in the development of technologies for technical building equipment at manufacturing companies. Further fields of activity can be in the planning and coordination of corresponding projects in planning offices, state authorities and implementing companies as well as in the facility management of large public or private sector buildings or industrial companies.

The standard period of study is six semesters. Graduates are awarded the academic degree Bachelor of Engineering. More information on the degree programme and application deadlines can be found at: https://www.asw-ggmbh.de/studiengaenge/ingt

Proven dual study programmes in business administration, business informatics, industrial engineering and mechanical engineering.

What does it mean for students to study „dual“? The three-year dual Bachelor’s programme at the ASW in Neunkirchen/ Saar has been characterised by the concept of alternating lectures at the ASW with practical phases in the company since its inception. In this way, well-founded professional knowledge is combined with the ability to quickly put it into practice in day-to-day business. Students can obtain a state university degree (Bachelor) after three years and, if they are interested, they can also follow this up with a Master’s degree.

There are many arguments in favour of a dual study programme. First and foremost: attractive salaries. In contrast to a traditional degree programme, students in a dual study programme are paid by the partner company that accompanies them.

Each year there are several theory blocks at the ASW in Neunkirchen. In the remaining time, you gain practical experience in the cooperating company.

At the ASW, dual study programmes are not linked to fixed grades. The prerequisite is a general university entrance qualification (Abitur), a technical college entrance qualification (Fachabitur) (specialist baccalaureate) or a completed master craftsman’s examination. Interested students apply to an ASW practice partner of their choice. The ASW is happy to help with the initial contact with their partner companies.

Through the dual study programme at the ASW, future business economists (m/f/d), mechanical engineers, business informatics specialists and students of industrial engineering acquire valuable practical skills in addition to specialist knowledge, which puts them in an excellent starting position for later employment as a manager.

The educational cooperation with the companies ensures that the needs of the participating dual partners (m/f/d) are also taken into account in terms of content. The following specialisations are offered in business administration: Trade, Industry, Financial Services, Taxation and Accounting, Logistics, Craft Management.

The aim of the Mechanical Engineering Production Technology programme is to train engineers within the three years who acquire a high level of knowledge from industrial practice in addition to the theoretical tools. The dual or two-track training concept at one of the ASW is ideally suited for this purpose.

The increasing penetration of business processes by information and communication technology requires qualified employees with both high business and technological competence in all areas of the economy. At the ASW, future business informatics specialists (m/f/d) acquire broad-based knowledge in both areas. Both previously completed and new learning material are repeatedly introduced into the lessons in realistic group work.

The aim of the Industrial Engineering and Production Management degree programme is to train practice-oriented engineers in three years who have an eye on costs, turnover, the market and technical feasibility in companies at the sensitive interface between technology and business and who coordinate and improve the cooperation between these sometimes competing areas.

After the three-year study programme, graduates (m/f/d) have the necessary knowledge in the field of mechanical engineering, business administration and overarching subject complexes, such as: Project Management, Logistics, Controlling, Technical Sales, as well as fundamental professional experience that cannot be acquired in this specific form in any other degree programme. „A dual study programme at the ASW represents the ideal combination for performance-oriented and performance-ready young people between an education that is as scientifically sound as it is practice-oriented. Our goal is to produce capable and resilient young managers with professional and emotional competence,“ says Prof. Dr.-Ing. Andreas Metz, Managing Director of ASW gGmbH. „A dual study programme at ASW is an investment in the future for both students and companies,“ add Prof. Dr. Thomas Kunz, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Kohlrusch and Prof. Dr. Christof Graf, who are also responsible for advanced and continuing education courses at ASW.

Advanced and further training courses for the „ASW Fachwirt(vocational baccalaureate?)  „.

In 2005, the first one-year ASW advanced and further training course in the field of marketing was launched. Since then, several courses of this kind have been developed and have become established in the Saar-Lor-Lux region. Each successfully completed advanced and further training course is certified with the degree „ASW Fachwirt(vocational baccalaureate?)  “ in the respective areas of „Marketing“, „Controlling“, „General Management“, „Purchasing/ Logistics“, „Retail Management“, „Industry 4.0“ and „Human Resources“. Since 2020, the new, purely digital teaching format in the area of „Digital Marketing“ has also been established. The „ASW Fachwirt (vocational baccalaureate?) Digital Marketing & communication management “ is one of the newest and most successful „ASW Fachwirt (vocational baccalaureate)“ continuing and further education programmes. (cgraf) – Info: https://www.asw-ggmbh.de/fachwirt/info

Contact: ASW gGmbH – Akademie der Saarwirtschaft, Zum Eisenwerk 2 66538 Neunkirchen, www.asw-ggmbh.de

06821 / 9 83 90 – 0 (Mon. – Fri. 8:00 to 16:30) info@asw-ggmbh.de