WHU Welcome Week

Outdoor fun, new hoodies, and a whole lot of information about all things WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management—from the school’s programs and its campus in Vallendar to all the opportunities the surrounding area has to offer. The annual Welcome Week, held over the final days of August, sees WHU greet newcomers to its bachelor- and master-level programs.

And it was a busy week, with the school’s 465 new students (256 BSc; 209 MSc) getting to know one another at program-specific orientations, workshops on teamwork, language proficiency exams, presentations from the school’s various service departments, and team-building events. 

“You are one of WHU’s most special cohorts,” said Professor Christian Andres, Dean of WHU, addressing the students and nodding to the school celebrating its 40^th anniversary this year. He wished them much success, promising that they “would gain the knowledge and essential skills needed to achieve something great and truly change the world.”

Professor Christian Hagist, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, also made note of how special this year is, both for the school as well as for the students themselves. “Today marks a milestone for our school and the start of an exciting new chapter. I can hardly wait to see how you will contribute to our lively academic community,” he said, welcoming the students to campus.

Among those students is Shruthi Sankaranarayanan (MSc 2026). Hailing from India, the Master in International Business–student has only been living in Germany for about one month. But she was able to experience quite a bit by the end of the week. She attended a canoe trip and a hike, allowing her to make early connections with her new classmates from all over—Germany, China, and from her home country. She noted how helpful they and the organizing team behind the Welcome Week had been. And she particularly appreciates WHU’s master programs being “some of the few that even accept students from differing academic backgrounds.” That openness is allowing Sankaranarayanan the chance to study business administration after having previously earned her bachelor’s degree in engineering.

The week-long event took place on and around the school’s Vallendar campus. Its diverse agenda—replete with social and cultural events and orientations—was the result of the collective efforts made by students and student representatives, program representatives, alumni, as well as members of the school’s faculty and staff. The school’s administration would like to extend its gratitude to all those who participated for their commitment, without which the Welcome Week would not have been possible.