Kühne Logistics University

KÜHNE LOGISTICS UNIVERSITY - KLU: FROM LOGISTICS TO LEADING WITH AN OPERATIONS MINDSET

Funded by the Kühne Foundation KLU is committed to empowering contemporary leaders with a strong operations mindset. Our teaching and research activities blend academic excellence with a hands-on approach preparing our students to tackle real-world problems with a future-oriented approach. Emphasizing digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability, KLU shapes leaders to drive responsible and sustainable change globally.

Our students benefit from an exceptional professor-to-student ratio of approximately 1 to 12, providing them individual support from world-class, highly research-active professors. Integrated internships, participation in student and sports clubs, and international exchanges with prestigious business schools and universities worldwide provide the best environment to gain additional experience and enjoy their student life. This is rounded off with tailored career coaching and partnerships with top companies to ensure a successful career path.

KLU AT A GLANCE

• Established in 2010 as a young, highly dynamic, forward-thinking university

• 400+ students, 30+ professors, offering an exceptional 12:1 student-to-professor ratio

• Strong corporate ties and excellent career prospects, with students working at top companies like Airbus, Deloitte, Lufthansa, McKinsey, and the UN

• Most students are employed within 3 months of graduation, many much earlier

• 60+ nationalities on campus, with ~50% international students and ~30% international staff

• Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, with future campuses planned in Asia, Africa, and the Americas; a campus in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is currently under development

• 100+ international exchange partners, including prestigious institutions like NUS (Singapore), Stellenbosch University (South Africa), & Universidad de los Andes (Colombia).

OUR ORIGINS AND UNIQUE VALUE

KLU takes immense pride in its name, as each letter highlights its unique strengths and value:

• Kühne represents our founder and benefactor Klaus-Michael Kühne, a visionary German businessman whose influence has shaped KLU's powerful corporate network, bridging academia and industry while creating exceptional opportunities for our students and alumni.

• Logistics reflects our origins in driving progress in logistics, operations, and supply chains. While this stays core to our mission, offering students a unique edge through an Operations Mindset, we’ve since expanded into broader management education, earning global recognition with prestigious AACSB accreditation, placing us among the top 5% of business schools worldwide.

• University stands for our faculty’s dedication to producing cutting-edge science. As world-class researchers, they bring the latest insights to students, helping them gain up-to-date knowledge and hone the critical skills of knowledge production. Students learn to differentiate rigorous research from mere opinions, giving them a competitive edge in an era of continuous learning.

CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH AND TEACHING ROOTED IN AN OPERATIONS MINDSET

OUR TOP-NOTCH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Bachelor's Programs

• BSc in Business Administration with major specializations in: Digital Management | International Management | Supply Chain Management | Sustainable Management

Master's Programs

• MSc in Business Analytics & Data Science
• MSc in Global Logistics & Supply Chain Management
• MSc in International Management

Executive Programs

• MBA Leadership & Supply Chain Management (part-time)
• Master in Sustainable Management & Operations (part-time)
• Certificate & Customized Programs Tailored to Corporate Needs

Prep & Intro Programs

• Business Foundations Program (Studienkolleg) | Immersions Programs | Summer Schools

Ph.D. Program

LEADING WITH AN OPERATIONS MINDSET

As a global leader in business education, we stand out by empowering students to become responsible leaders with a strong Operations Mindset. Rooted in our logistics and supply chain tradition, this mindset emphasizes key qualities such as data-driven decision-making & leadership, resilience, and a strongly results-oriented approach focused on “Getting Things Done.”

OUR WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH, CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE, & COMMUNITIES

KLU’s world-renowned faculty conducts research across all management disciplines, supported by 50+ PhDs and Postdocs. They collaborate with prestigious institutions like Columbia Business School, Erasmus University Rotterdam, ETH Zurich, INSEAD, MIT, Penn State, and TU Munich. Research projects are funded by national and international organizations such as the EU, German Ministry of Education and Research, the German Research Foundation, DAAD, the UN World Food Program, and several well-known industry partners.

Faculty expertise is clustered in excellence centers such as the Hapag-Lloyd Center for Shipping & Global Logistics, the Center for Humanitarian Logistics & Regional Development (HELP Logistics), the Center for Sustainable Logistics & Supply Chains (Kühne & Nagel), the Food Supply Chain Management Research Group, and the KLU Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center.

Additionally, KLU nurtures communities around key competence areas like Digital Transformation & AI, Entrepreneurship & Start-Ups, Sustainability, Leadership & Management, and Logistics, Operations & Supply Chain Management, offering valuable platforms for continuous learning and engagement.

SEALS: AACSB (2024) | CHE (2023) | Wirtschaftswoche Research (2022) |Study satisfaction (2021)

Below you find the 6 steps which lead you to be a student at KLU.

1. You apply online.
2. You receive your admission kit.
3. You return your signed study agreement.
4. You receive a welcome e-mail from Student Services including the link to our student intranet.
5. You follow the enrollment guide in the student intranet and send the required documents to Student Services.
6. You start at KLU. On-campus you will receive your student ID card & enrollment certificates.

Welcome on board! We are very much looking forward to getting to know you.

As an international student, you will have to get a visa and residence permit for the period of your studies in Germany. All new residents of Hamburg have to register within one week after moving in - it doesn’t matter whether you are an international or a German student.

Applying for a residence permit takes quite some time and preparation. To make your planning easier and provide some orientation please find below our overview on what you have to do if entering the country for the purpose of the study. Not all steps apply to everyone but depend on your nationality amongst others.

The detailed information below will help you through the process of visa application, registration, and application for a residence permit in Hamburg.

Visa process overview

Non-EU applicants, please note: The visa process takes up to two months, starting on the date of acceptance by KLU. Please keep in mind that there are a lot of other organizational matters to deal with when planning your study abroad. We recommend non-EU applicants apply at KLU five months before the commencement of studies and apply for a visa right after having received acceptance by KLU.

Visa details

In general applicants for university studies have to apply for a student visa in order to enter Germany and study in Germany.

This does not apply for:

• Citizens of EU,
• Citizens of other European countries (Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland),
• Citizens of Andorra, Australia, Brazil, Canada, El Salvador, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, Republic of South Korea, and the United States of America may apply for a residence permit ("Aufenthaltstitel") after arriving in Germany.

Nationals from the countries mentioned above do not require a visa to enter Germany. Applicants from all other countries need a visa for entering Germany and studying in Germany. A tourist visa does not entitle the holder to register as a student. Visa applications must be made well in advance at the local German embassy or a German consulate.

There are two kinds of applicable visas:

• Student applicant visa,
• Student visa.

The following documents have to be presented:

• Visa Application,
• Valid passport,
• 1 biometric passport-sized photo,
• KLU admission letter,
• Proof of sufficient funding (bank statement e.g.),
• Proof of health insurance valid in Germany.

For details on visas, please contact the German embassy or consulate in your country.

Registration & Co.

After arriving in Hamburg, you will need to register at any service center in Hamburg or the Hamburg Welcome Center (HWC). It doesn’t matter whether you are an international or a German student – all new residents of Hamburg have to register within one week after moving into a new apartment or room.

KLU students find all relevant information and forms in the student intranet by KLU.

Residence permit

In order to be allowed an extended residence in Germany, non-EU citizens have to apply for a residence permit immediately upon migrating to Germany. It is essential that you always have a valid residence permit during your stay in Germany. As a rule, this permit can be extended as long as your purpose of stay is still valid.

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) provides detailed information about residence permits.

KLU students find all relevant information and forms in the student intranet by KLU.