IU Group N.V. Newsroom

Empowering people to grow – with high quality, future ready education for everyone

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:53:06 +0100

Our mission at IU is very simple, and it is very personal to me: we exist to democratize education so that more people can grow.

Not as a slogan on a wall, but as a promise to real people: if you have the drive to learn – whatever your background, your age, your grades, your postcode – there must be a real path for you.

By removing traditional barriers, equipping our students with digital first skills, and aligning study programs with what employers actually need, IU expands opportunity, strengthens social mobility, and directly addresses Germany’s critical skills shortages.

1. Improving access & social mobility

In 25 years, IU has grown from a small private university into Germany’s largest university, with around 130,000 students in more than 200 programmes. But the real story is who those students are:

Over 70% come from non academic families.
Around 16% study without a traditional Abitur, often via vocational qualifications and work experience.
Over 20% of our students are raising children or caring for relatives while they study.
And 84% say they would not have the opportunity to study without IU.

So when we talk about “democratizing education”, it is not an abstract ideal. It is about real people – nurses, social workers, AI engineers, software developers, parents and career changers – who now have a university badge on their CV and a genuine chance for upward mobility.

2. Boosting workforce & addressing skills gaps

IU is one of the country’s largest providers of critical talent:

The biggest share of students in Social Work study at IU – every year, thousands of our graduates go on to work in youth welfare offices, schools and social services.
At the same time, we are the largest educator in digital and AI related fields – from business informatics and data science to cyber security and IT management – areas where Germany is missing tens of thousands of specialists.

By opening doors for non traditional learners into these fields, we directly support Germany’s social infrastructure and its digital transformation: more qualified social workers for vulnerable communities, more IT and AI talent for an economy under pressure to modernise.

3. Graduate quality

A university should be judged on what its people can actually do. That is why we care deeply about independent evidence. In a very recent, soon to be published independent study, German employers were asked how IU graduates compare to graduates from other universities. Their answers were unambiguous:

89% see our graduates as more engaged and more practice oriented.
85% say they prefer IU graduates in recruitment.
64% rate IU students as the most attractive candidates in the market – eight percentage points above the benchmark for all other universities.

This is not our self assessment. This is what the people who hire our students are telling us. It is also why 89% of our students believe that their investment of time and money into education has been very much worth it – significantly more than at private competitors and especially more than at German public universities where tuition is free.

Our quality is also visible in regulation: we have just been re accredited for our quality system for the longest possible period – until 2033. That is a strong external signal of our long term commitment to high quality education.

On top of that, in an independent survey of people who have studied at more than one university and can compare services, 91% say IU provides better support, 91% say IU has better teaching, and 86% say IU helps them better to reach their full potential.

4. Innovation in learning

In the last 15 years we have game changed education with many world firsts – always with one goal: to empower more people to grow with the most personalised, high quality education. We have been:

The world’s first university (in 2011) to let you start your degree any day.
Among the first to roll out online degrees at scale in Germany – now in over 100 degree programs, including Social Work, Psychology, AI and more.
The first to enable students to write exams immediately, 24/7, the moment they feel ready.
The first university worldwide to roll out a GPT 4 driven learning companion for all students – and we are improving it continuously.

Today, our most important obligation is not just to change how people learn, but what they learn in a world shaped by digitisation and AI. Future proof education is not just more content; it is different content:

the ability to be more productive with AI – responsibly and ethically;
critical thinking and problem solving;
collaboration, communication, resilience;
learning how to learn – again and again across a lifetime;
making ethical and values based decisions in complex situations.

We evolve our curricula and our learning tools around these future skills, while providing the best possible academic grounding. That is why we are proud that 90% of employers say the AI and digital skills of IU graduates are as good as or better than those of other universities – and 88% of our students agree that IU prepares them better for this new world.

There has never been a time in which agility is more important for universities and educators, given the seismic shifts that work, life and learning are experiencing – and we embrace that responsibility.

On criticism – and how we respond

We have always faced criticism given the fundamental changes we pushed forward. But in recent months, we have seen more critical reporting about IU than ever before. As CEO, I have read these articles carefully. Some of the criticism is fair, some is, in our view, unbalanced. All of it matters.

We are not perfect. When you grow quickly and push into new territory, you will make mistakes and you will elicit criticism from more conservative sides. Some of that criticism we need to weather if we want to democratise and improve education.

But whenever a student is affected, I want you to know this: we care deeply. Every day, students and alumni write to me directly. Some messages are full of gratitude. Others are angry or disappointed. I read them. My colleagues and I follow up. We try, case by case, to understand, to fix, and to learn.

We are investing heavily in:

better support,
clearer processes,
faster responses, and
more transparency about who we serve and how successful they are.

We want to be judged not by how loudly we speak, but by how reliably we deliver for our students – especially when something goes wrong.

What gives us confidence is what our students tell us when they can compare. In a recent independent survey of people who have studied at more than one university:

91% say IU provides better support,
91% say IU has better teaching, and
86% say IU helps them better to reach their full potential.

Being a trailblazer means you will be challenged. That is not a problem. In fact, it is part of our job. What defines us is not that we never stumble, but that we listen, take responsibility, and do the work to get better.

A thank you – and an invitation

None of this would be possible without people. I am deeply grateful to our faculty and staff, who bring tremendous expertise and an extraordinary growth mindset to this mission every single day. You are willing to rethink courses, fix processes, try new things, admit when something doesn’t work, and try again. Thank you.

I want to thank our more than 15,000 corporate partners, who trust us with their talent pipelines, offer real projects and dual positions, and challenge us to keep our programmes relevant.

And to our 130,000 students and the many tens of thousands of alumni: you are the reason we exist. Your courage to learn – often alongside work, children, and everything life throws at you – is what gives this whole project meaning. Your success in companies, schools, hospitals, start ups and public institutions is the strongest argument for this model.

To everyone watching or reading – students, parents, policymakers, colleagues, critics, partners – I have one invitation: If you believe, as I do, that talent is distributed more fairly than opportunity, then join us in this work. If you believe, as I do, that education is part of the solution to almost every major challenge we face, help us to democratize it. Ask hard questions. Look at the facts. Hold us to our mission.

Because in the end, it is simple: we are here to democratize education so that more people can grow. If we keep that promise – together – the real story will not be about IU. It will be about the lives changed because someone, perhaps someone like you, finally got a fair chance to learn.

- Dr Sven Schütt, CEO of IU Group & IU International University of Applied Sciences, on 28 November 2025

Steve Hill joins LIBF as new Vice-Chancellor and CEO

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:00:00 +0200

London, 10 June 2024. LIBF, an innovator in distance learning and online degrees, welcomes Steve Hill as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer. He will succeed Alex Fraser, who announced today he will step down as CEO after nine years and remain at LIBF as a senior advisor. Starting July 2024, Hill will lead LIBF’s vision and mission, bringing with him a wealth of experience in digital education and strategic growth, both in the UK and international markets. The new VC and CEO at LIBF is passionate about creating access to education for all through the use of technology and digitalisation. Beginning his career in International Banking and Finance, he later transitioned into Higher Education. His extensive commercial and international business experience then led him to be the CEO of the Open University Worldwide and Chair of FutureLearn. Hill later founded several edtech organisations. His organisations work with universities in helping them expand their access to education for everyone through digital education, which perfectly matches with LIBF's approach to democratising education.

“What makes LIBF so attractive for me is the long-standing history and heritage of this rich institution, as well as the societal contribution of a skilled workforce, equipped in using AI and technology. I find the mission of democratising education highly energising, and purpose driven. I want to do my best to positively contribute to LIBF’s mission in preparing future leaders with the skills and expertise needed for the current workforce, combining 140 years of heritage with pioneering educational technology”, says Hill, who also embraces the need and use of AI in education. “In education, flexible and personalised learning will be strengthened by AI, and moreover, in some areas create new opportunities. By allowing students to adapt their learning journey to their individual needs, it best prepares them with the latest industry knowledge and practical skills for their next professional steps.”

“We extend our deepest gratitude to Alex Fraser for his outstanding leadership and dedication to LIBF and its thousands of students served during his nine successful years of service”, said Dr Sven Schütt, CEO at IU Group, the parent company of LIBF. “We appreciate your long-continued guidance, and it is great that you will support LIBF in the future as a senior advisor.

We want to extend a warm welcome to LIBF’s new CEO, Steve Hill, whose proven leadership and steadfast dedication to higher education and edtech make him the perfect fit at LIBF, offering exciting opportunities in academic excellence. Steve is very passionate about edtech and making higher education accessible to everyone, which is at the core of IU Group’s vision and mission. We’re excited for Steve’s stewardship and journey in making LIBF the UK’s largest degree awarding body”, added Schütt.

The impressive track record of Steve Hill includes significant roles like CEO of Open University Worldwide, Founder and CEO of Skills Based Learning Ltd. and Higher Ed Partners Ltd., Chairman of FutureLearn, as well as the Global Commercial Director at Thomson Reuters. Hill’s extensive background includes experience in the UK, US, Asia, as well as the EMEA region. He holds a degree from The Open University in business and management and is a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

ABOUT LIBF

Since its foundation in 1879, LIBF has been at the forefront of providing world-class education and training. Today, our qualifications equip students round the world with the skills they need for successful careers. It is one of only a few professional bodies in the world to have Taught Degree Awarding Powers and is an innovator in distance learning and online degrees.

With a focus on vocational training, LIBF delivers a broad range of qualifications and programmes to support individuals at each stage of their careers – from entry-level to advanced professional qualifications. Since 2023, LIBF has been part of IU Group, Europe’s largest edtech company and proprietor of Germany’s largest university, IU International University of Applied Science, as well as the University of Fredericton in Canada. Further information at: www.libf.ac.uk

Press Contact

LIBF
John Roman, International PR Manager
press@libf.ac.uk

Rethinking education: IU Group wins international thought leaders for advisory board

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 12:26:00 +0200

IU welcomes Dr. Frank Weise, Prof. Dr. Tobias Bonhoeffer, Ambassador Kamissa Camara, Dr. Karina Montilla Edmonds, Raffaela Rein, Lucy Stonehill and Jimmy Wales as board members.
The distinguished group of experts from science, business and politics share IU’s vision for future-oriented higher education, promoting educational equality and the key qualifications of tomorrow.
The advisory board members will accompany IU on its way to becoming a leading global education provider.
The first advisory board meeting took place yesterday on 30 June 2022.

Erfurt, 01 July 2022. IU International University of Applied Sciences is strengthening itself with a newly constituted advisory board, to support its mission: providing education that is accessible for all through digitalised, personalised learning to impart the skills that will be key tomorrow. The advisory board of Germany's largest university will include outstanding thought leaders from science, business and politics: Dr. Frank Weise, former Chairman of the Board of the Federal Employment Agency in Germany, Prof. Dr. Tobias Bonhoeffer, neurobiologist and researcher of learning processes, Ambassador Kamissa Camara, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Digital Economy and Planning of the Republic of Mali,
Dr. Karina Montilla Edmonds, Global Head of Academies and University Alliances at the software company SAP, Raffaela Rein and Lucy Stonehill, entrepreneurs in the field of digital education, and Jimmy Wales, co-founder of the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia (for further information about the advisory board members, please refer to the Appendix).

Strategic support for a global education mission

With the expertise and diverse experience of its members in central strategic fields of IU, the advisory board will comprehensively advise the university in its further development – including the strategic orientation of IU, its study formats and the university’s global growth. IU's goal is to further expand its creative power as a driver of progressive higher education both in Germany and internationally and to establish itself as a globally relevant provider of digital education (EdTech). Dr. Frank Weise will chair the IU Advisory Board. This was decided by the members at yesterday’s constituent meeting of the board.

"IU has set itself the goal of nothing less than the education of the future, thereby addressing one of the fundamental questions of our time – for society as a whole and for each and every one of us. The technology-driven transformation of our economies will only be successful if we provide the right offers for all our talents to learn throughout their lives. In order to stay together as a society, we must ensure that everyone has a fair chance to achieve social participation through education. The IU already offers many convincing answers to this. Together with my colleagues on the advisory board, I look forward to supporting them on their further journey," says Dr. Frank Weise.

Digital innovation for new educational opportunities

At the state-approved IU International University of Applied Sciences, students can learn in a self-determined way – when, where and how it suits their personal needs and possibilities – with the help of a digitally supported learning environment. This is made possible by specially developed proprietary platforms such as the virtual campus and the IU Learn App. Many IU students would not be able to study at a traditional university, as they are dependent on income from their employment, for example, or on maximum time flexibility due to family commitments. At IU, students can choose from a variety of study models, combine online and face-to-face courses and customise their study content. IU's proprietary teaching and learning platform sets standards with its end-to-end digitalisation from content creation to delivery. At the same time, IU is pushing ahead with its continuous further development, increasingly also relying on the integration of artificial intelligence in order to meet individual educational needs even better and to enable optimal learning experiences and results.

Dr. Sven Schütt, CEO of IU: “At IU, we rely on technological advancement to fulfil a deeply human purpose: to enable each and every one to grow and develop individual talents. This shared mission makes us strong as a team; our success as EdTech-innovators thrives on creativity, diversity of perspectives and mutual inspiration. That's why I'm particularly glad that we've been able to attract such bright minds and inspiring personalities from many different fields to keep challenging us from the outside as well and to set new impulses.”

Profiles of the members of the IU Advisory Board

Dr. Frank Weise was Chairman of the Executive Board of the German Federal Employment Agency from 2004 to 2017 and simultaneously Head of the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees between 2015 and 2016. Dr. Frank Weise is one of Germany's leading experts on the future of education and employment and has also been involved in recent years as a board member of the non-profit Hertie Foundation and as President of Johanniter-Unfall-Hilfe.

Prof. Dr. Tobias Bonhoeffer is Director at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence (in foundation). The German American scientist works intensively on the cellular foundations of learning and memory. With his ground-breaking research, he reveals the biological foundations of learning and how new information can be processed more effectively. Besides his directorship of at the Max Planck Institute, he holds professorships at the Ludwigs-Maximilians University, Munich, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim and the University of Capetown.

Ambassador Kamissa Camara was Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Mali and the youngest person to hold that office as well as Minister of Digital Economy and Planning. In 2016, she advised Hillary Clinton in her US presidential election campaign. Today, she is involved with “The United States Institute of Peace”. Ambassador Kamissa Camara, born in France, is a political and intellectual translator between Africa and the West and is particularly committed to global educational justice.

Dr. Karina Montilla Edmonds lives in California and works at the interface between science and business at the software company SAP. She promotes knowledge transfer between research and the private sector and aims to attract young talent to careers in technology. Previously, Dr. Karina Edmonds was responsible for cooperation with universities in the field of machine learning for Google.

Raffaela Rein is an EdTech-expert and a formative protagonist in the European start-up, VC and tech industry. In 2018, the business magazine Forbes named her one of "Europe's Top 50 Women in Tech". With Career Foundry, Raffaela Rein founded Europe's largest online training platform in the field of user experience design.

Lucy Stonehill, being the founder of BridgeU, literally builds bridges between school, higher education and professional life, using data-driven decision-making to support students in post-secondary planning. Her EdTech-company uses artificial intelligence to advise students in 139 countries on academic prospects and supports them in applying to universities worldwide.

Jimmy Wales is a US entrepreneur and strong advocate for the democratisation of knowledge. With the founding of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales has realised his vision of a comprehensive, neutral platform that unites the world's knowledge, leverages collective intelligence and is freely accessible.

ABOUT IU INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES (PART OF IU GROUP)

With more than 130,000 students, IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is the largest university in Germany. The private, state-approved educational institution with its main campus in Erfurt brings together more than 250 bachelor's and master's programmes under one roof, which are offered in German or English. Students can choose between dual studies, distance learning and myStudies, which combines online and face-to-face events, and design their studies independently with the help of a digitally supported learning environment. In addition, IU enables further training and promotes the idea of lifelong learning. The aim of the university is to give as many people as possible worldwide access to personalised education. IU started operations in 2000 and is now represented in more than 35 German cities. It cooperates with over 15,000 companies and actively supports them in the development of their employees. The partners include Motel One, VW Financial Services and Deutsche Bahn. Further information at: iu.org.

IU International University of Applied Sciences expands management team

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 10:56:00 +0100

Erfurt, 19 January 2022 - IU International University of Applied Sciences (IU) is expanding its management team. Effective immediately, Dr. Carmen Thoma is a member of the executive board of Germany's largest university. The economist has been working at IU since 2014. Since mid-2019, she has been responsible for distance learning as Chief Operating Officer (COO). She will be the third member of IU's Executive Board, alongside Rector Prof. Dr. Holger Sommerfeldt and CEO Dr. Sven Schütt.

"IU International University of Applied Sciences is continuously growing, a major role is played by how the study programme is organised. We want to give many people access to education as easily and flexibly as possible. Carmen Thoma is committed to doing just that. She has made a significant contribution to making IU the largest university in Germany, soon to have 100,000 students. Together we will continue to drive forward the digitalisation and internationalisation of IU," says Dr. Sven Schütt, CEO of IU.