In the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences (Fachhochschule Südwestfalen) is a renowned research university. It is one of the biggest of its kind in North Rhine-Westphalia with more than 14,000 pupils. Iserlohn is home to the corporate office and one of the four campuses. It also has a subsidiary in Lüdenscheid and three additional campuses in Hagen, Meschede, and Soest.
It provides over 52 bachelor's and master's degrees overall in subjects like engineering, agriculture, the natural sciences, information technology, and business management. Both full-time students and working adults can take courses there. It also allows people who want to combine education with vocational training.
Here the main areas of research include Aluminium Technology, Applied Digital Image Processing, Automation of Metalworking Processes in the Automotive Industry, Soil Ecology / Soil Protection, Computational Intelligence and Cognitive Systems, Decentralized Power Supply, Digital Audio Broadcasting, Digital Signal Processing, Finite Field Calculations, Fuzzy Technology, Gerontechnology, Integrated Supply Chain Management, Corrosion Protection / Surface Technology, Plastic technology, Lightweight Construction and Aluminium Technology, Life Science Analytics, Mechatronics, Nanoscale Materials, New Lighting Technologies, New Technologies for Electrical Power Generation, Reduction of Pollutant Emissions, Sensors / Actuators, Production Processes and Production Design, System Engineering and Management, Forming Technology, Environmentally Compatible Production Automation, Environmentally Compatible and Appropriate Agriculture / Sustainable Agriculture, Comparative City Marketing Research and Water Management / Environmental Engineering.
The South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences includes four campuses, one in Lüdenscheid, one in Hagen, one in Meschede, and one in Soest (the seat). The university is a firm believer in individualized attention and small classes. The university is renowned for its welcoming atmosphere for students.