Instruction towards the Bachelor's degree stands for interdisciplinary, research-focused and practice-oriented education and training. Small learning groups enable individual supervision and promote independent thinking. The department combines business, politics, law, philosophy, psychology and the health sciences in innovative curricula with a high level of practical relevance. Practical reflection, mentoring and projects with external partners strengthen professional focus and responsibility. Fundamental studies supplement the education and training by adding ethical, cultural and social perspectives and promote reflective thinking.

Teaching in the Master's degree programme combines in-depth scientific analysis with industry-related project work and individual research orientation. Interactive formats, English-language modules and close supervision promote analytical excellence and methodological sovereignty. The department emphasises transdisciplinary perspectives that embrace economic, social and ethical questions. Practice projects, international partnerships and colloquia with experts strengthen the transfer between theory and application as well as reflection, leadership skills and responsibility.

Internationality is an integral part of research and teaching. Numerous exchange programmes and collaborations with partner universities worldwide enable mobility and joint projects. There is a degree programme with vocational and academic elements at the University of Victoria. English-language Master's programmes, international visiting lecturers and intercultural modules characterise the study offer. The Faculty promotes foreign language competence, diversity and global perspectives on economics, politics, society and ethics.

Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spanien; Universidad del País Vasco, Bilbao, Spanien; University of Cyprus, Nikosia, Zypern; Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Rom, Italien; Université Paris Nanterre. Paris, Frankreich; Dalarna University, Falun, Schweden; University of Richmond, London, Vereinigtes Königreich; Reitaku University, Kashiwa, Japan; Universidad Panamericana, Mexiko-Stadt, Guadalajara, Aguascalientes, Mexiko

Students and researchers have access to extensive digital resources. In addition to standard databases such as JSTOR, EBSCO, Scopus and Statista, specialised business databases are available. Teaching and research rooms are equipped with modern media and video conferencing systems. Open Source software such as R and campus licences, e.g. for Zoom and Office 365, support data-based work and hybrid teaching formats.

Research at the department takes an inter- and transdisciplinary approach. Central focuses are family entrepreneurship, cooperation from a management perspective, sustainable transformation, digitalisation, health economics and management as well as societal transformation. The Witten Institute for Family Businesses (WIFU), the Reinhard Mohn Institute (RMI) and the Institute for Institutional and Social Change (ISIC) combine economic, psychological, political and ethical perspectives. Research is conducted in a practical, cooperative and networked manner with international partners.

The department understands sustainability and diversity as a guiding principle. It promotes gender-sensitive language, social equity and equal participation, and it promotes women in the academic field. Research and teaching content is focused on sustainable social development within the meaning of the SDGs. The university has been certified as sustainable (ZNU standard): Buildings, travel policies and resource use follow ecological standards. The university's initiatives on gender diversity and sustainable campus management shape teaching, research and administration.