About Catholic University Of Applied Sciences North-Rhine Westphalia

About Catholic University Of Applied Sciences North-Rhine Westphalia

The Catholic University of Applied Sciences North Rhine-Westphalia (katho) focuses on quality education, practical training, applied research, and knowledge transfer while seeking to instill a Christian sense of character and personality in its students. With campuses in Aachen, Cologne, Münster, and Paderborn, it is Germany’s largest church-sponsored private university with state certification. Its roots trace back to the Catholic professional schools for social work of the early 20th century, initiated by courageous and highly educated women addressing the social challenges brought about by advancing industrialization. Founded in 1971 by the five Catholic dioceses of North Rhine-Westphalia, the university has a public mission to contribute to the academic education of social workers, theologians, and health scientists. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, training students in social services, health science, and practical theology. In addition to traditional academic programs, katho pursues research projects in each of its disciplines and maintains its own research institutes. Master's graduates have the opportunity to engage in these projects as scientific collaborators, preparing them for their PhD. The university also offers a variety of postgraduate and further education courses. Furthermore, it runs a network of transfer for social innovation, based on a joint project with the Protestant University of Applied Sciences Rhineland-Westphalia-Lippe. Katho's regional dispersion supports the presence of Catholic higher education throughout North Rhine-Westphalia, maintaining close contact with local environments and social institutions to appropriately reflect specific needs. Being held together as one university allows katho to produce synergetic effects in all fields of activity and contribute to solving global problems—a target that a single campus alone could not address.