167 first-year students began their studies at the Kronach campus for the 2026–2027 winter semester. The new students are enrolled in six degree programs offered by the universities of Coburg and Hof. This marks a continuation of the campus’s positive growth: What began in 2016 with 22 students in the “ZukunftsDesign” master’s program has grown into a university campus with approximately 550 students today. The Lucas Cranach Campus is supporting this development and helping the universities promote their academic programs and attract more prospective students to Kronach.

“167 first-semester students in a single semester is a strong sign of our campus’s success. The six degree programs appeal to a wide variety of people—from working professionals seeking to further their qualifications to young people interested in digital technologies, business, or autonomous systems,” says Prof. Dr. Tobias Bocklet, academic director at the Lucas Cranach Campus. “Our goal is to highlight this diversity and, together with the universities, inspire even more people to pursue a degree in Kronach.”

Six degree programs with different areas of focus

The 167 new students are spread across six degree programs at Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Hof University of Applied Sciences. The bachelor’s programs in Business Informatics 2.0 (with 52 first-semester students) and Digital Business Models and Technologies (with 44 first-semester students) are particularly popular. Twenty-four new students are starting the part-time “ZukunftsDesign” master’s program, and 23 are beginning the bachelor’s program in Vocational Education in Healthcare. Seventeen students are starting the “Autonomous Driving” master’s program, and seven are beginning the “Smart Society” master’s program.

The degree programs cover a variety of topics and target groups: from training future healthcare educators to digital business models, autonomous driving systems, and the further development of cities and communities. In addition to traditional full-time degree programs, the campus also offers study options—such as “ZukunftsDesign” and “Vocational Education in Healthcare”—that can be combined with full-time employment.

Strengthening the University Campus Together

The development of Kronach as a higher education hub is closely linked to the collaboration between the universities, the region, and the Lucas Cranach Campus. Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Hof University of Applied Sciences bring different academic focuses to Kronach and are continuously expanding their program offerings.

“The fact that Kronach’s higher education hub now offers six degree programs and is home to approximately 550 students is the result of a joint effort. The universities make an important contribution to the region—through high-quality education, applied research, and collaboration with businesses,” says Hans Rebhan, Executive Director of the Lucas Cranach Campus Foundation. “We are very grateful for this collaboration. We want to further strengthen it and help ensure that the Kronach higher education hub continues to thrive in the years to come.”

The LCC will continue to support the universities in the future, particularly in the area of marketing. This includes raising awareness of the degree programs among young people and other prospective students, addressing questions about choosing a major, and highlighting the opportunities for studying in Kronach. After all, well-trained professionals are a key prerequisite for the region’s development.

A long-term goal remains the further expansion of the higher education hub: By 2035 at the latest, more than 1,000 students are expected to be enrolled in Kronach. The 167 new first-semester students are a welcome step in this direction.