1982: Recognition by the Federal Government as Germany's first private university. Early supporters of the university include
Alfred Herrhausen,
Gerd Bucerius,
Reinhard Mohn and the
Bertelsmann Foundation. 1984: The degree programmes in economics and dental medicine are established 1990: The
German Council of Science and Humanities reviews the university and grants it public funding support for buildings. 1993: The Institute of
Fundamental Studies receives Faculty status. It will become a core element of the Witten/Herdecke identity as every student regardless of his subject has to take courses offered by the faculty, thereby gaining interdisciplinary skills and reflexive capacities. 1995: Students of the university found the StudierendenGesellschaft Witten/Herdecke, a student association which introduces and until today operates an innovative inverted generational-contract payment model for student fees. The model avoids social selection in the admission process by enabling students to repay their tuition according to their own financial capacities after they have embarked on their professional careers. 1996: The status of Witten/Herdecke University as a model university is underlined by a second review through the German Council of Science and Humanities. The state government follows recommendations to subsidize Witten/Herdecke University with public funds and the university establishes a degree programme in Nursing Science, the first of its kind in Germany. 2001: The Witten/Herdecke University is accepted as a member of the
German Rectors' Conference. 2005: The university converts all of its diploma programmes to
bachelor/
master programmes, accredited by the summer term of 2005. 2006: The university is urged to undergo a notable expansion of research and teaching at the Faculty of Medicine. In July 2006 the
German Council of Science and Humanities approves the revised concept of the medical curriculum. 2007–2009: Witten/Herdecke hosts the Witten Lectures in Economics and Philosophy, with the purpose of "fostering philosophical reflection upon and proposing solutions to major economic and political issues". The series brings laureates of the
Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences such as
Kenneth Arrow,
Thomas Schelling, and
George Akerlof to Germany's first private university. 2008: The university undergoes its most severe crisis since its foundation. Internal problems, the general economic crisis, loss of major sponsors and withdrawal of public funds culminate in a threat of insolvency. In December 2009 the State Ministry of Innovation, Science, Research and Technology announces its intention to withdraw funding. Students and professors of the university protest outside the state parliament in
Düsseldorf. 2009: Major internal restructuring efforts and a new shareholder agreement with new partners secure the financial stability of the university and its academic development. 2010: Implementation of new degree programmes: The interdisciplinary
Bachelor programme "Philosophy, Politics and Economics (B.A.)" and the Master programme "
Family Business Management (M.Sc.)". 2011: The
German Council of Science and Humanities reaccredits Witten/Herdecke University for a further 7-year period in response to extensive revisions since 2005/06. 2021: The new building and extension of the university was inaugurated on 1 October 2021. The current
President of the European Commission,
Ursula von der Leyen, gave a speech on site as a prominent guest of honour. 2024: Witten/Herdecke University is accredited by the German Council of Science and Humanities for the maximum possible period of 10-years. The very positive assessment emphasises, among other things, that the university has repeatedly succeeded in introducing innovative elements into the design of studies and teaching since its foundation, which have often served as models for other universities. Both the interdisciplinary study model of ‘’Witten Didactics‘’ and the concept of the obligatory Studium fundamentale can still be regarded as characteristics of the university. Furthermore, the council recognises that the university succeeds in encouraging a high level of student participation in university development and quality assurance processes and projects. == Colleges and degree programmes ==