D-Schools 2007

Hochschule Pforzheim*

Pforzheim, Germany

75 students, both grad and undergrad
Design

Partnerships
Academic: RISD, UIAH (Finland), ENSCI Les Ateliers (France), NID (India), Hongik University (South Korea)
Business: Course clients have included the former DaimlerChrysler.
Top Employers: frog design, IDEO, BMW, Porsche

Claim to Fame: Famous alumni include Michael Mauer, head of design at Porsche; Peter Faasbender, head of design at Saab; Thomas Ingenlath, head of design at Skoda; and Claus Potthoff, head of exterior design at Audi.

Signature Programs: Pforzheim's design program places students in project studios to design products for companies. The school is now looking to expand its offerings in marketing and management studies. In its graduate studies, Pforzheim takes students with backgrounds in design, sponsored by corporate employers to learn the ties between design and business. This year, they will be launching a creative design Masters with a focus on design leadership.