International Business (IB) is one of the elite programs offered under the European School of Business (ESB) in Reutlingen University. The graduates of this dual-degree program receive both a Bachelor of Science, earned during the three years at Reutlingen, as well as a Master of Business Administration, rewarded after an additional year at one of the IB’s partner universities.

The Merger

In May 2008 the former Faculties School of International Business (SIB), European School of Business and Production Management merged to form the ESB Business School. The ESB now unites 20 programs with partner universities from all over the world, which offer a wide spectrum of management training for preparing future graduates in the fields of business administration and industrial engineering.

ESB is recognized as one of Germany’s leading business schools. The IB program has repeatedly earned top placing in the major national rankings over the past few years before the merger, which is also a tendency for the ESB Business School as a strong entity after the merger.

IB History

The International Business program at Reutlingen University has nearly 40 years of experience in practice-oriented education in international business. SIB was originally established as a department of business administration in 1971 and offered only one program, Außenwirtschaft – International Business AW. This was the first degree program in international business to be established at a German university.

In 1997, a second degree program, International Business - IB was introduced. This was one of only two in Germany to be established as a pilot double-degree program under the auspices of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). Shortly afterwards, the department changed its official name to the “School of International Business” (SIB).

From the modest beginning in the early 1980’s, SIB’s links with partner universities throughout the world expanded rapidly.

From 2003/2004, in the framework of the European Bologna Agreement, Reutlingen University emphasized its international orientation by phasing out the traditional German degree of “Diplom” and introducing the internationally familiar Bachelor’s and Master’s degree structure. SIB was at the forefront of this development and at an early stage introduced a new Bachelor of Business Administration degree as well as two Master of Business Administration programs.

For more information please visit the official ESB website: http://www.esb-reutlingen.de/