Founding of the Kühne Logistics University

The Kühne School of Logistics and Management GmbH, whose sole shareholder is the non-profit Kuehne Foundation, is founding a private independent university: The Kühne Logistics University (KLU) – Wissenschaftliche Hochschule für Logistik und Unternehmensführung.

The founding President of the University is Dr. Wolfgang Peiner.

The Kuehne Foundation and the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg (TUHH) have agreed, within the context of the founding of the KLU, that the former Kühne School will be released from its alliance with the TUHH. From now on the KLU will be part of the Hamburg cluster for logistics research institutes, which, in addition to the TUHH, also includes the Fraunhofer Center for Maritime Logistics and Services (CML).

Further, the KLU will cooperate with other Hamburg universities.

The next five years will see the KLU develop two international non-consecutive Master’s Programmes, a Bachelor’s Programme, and a continuing education programme. The profile of the KLU will be completed with a PhD fellowship programme as well as international and interdisciplinary research.

The central theme of the KLU is Business Management with a particular focus on “Logistics”, in its economic, technological and international aspects. It is thus intended to serve as exemplary education for qualified management and leadership in complex circumstances.

The KLU plans to launch its teaching activities in October 2010 with the first non-consecutive Master of Science programme in Global Logistics. The Programme includes a period of study at one of the Asian, European or American partner schools.

The Kühne School’s successful Executive Programmes will continue and be expanded. State recognition will shortly be applied for from the Education and Science authorities of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, and discussions to date on this matter have been promising.

The Kuehne Foundation is currently examining potential locations for a dedicated building for the University in the HafenCity of Hamburg. The Founding President is Dr. Wolfgang Peiner, a trained freight forwarder and chartered accountant, who for many years was the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gothaer Insurance Group. He was also Finance Senator of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, a post which he held from 2001 – 2006 and in which capacity, he was also a member of the Science Council for five years. For three years he has been a member of the University Council of the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg. Among other mandates, Dr. Peiner is a member of the Board of Directors of the Kuehne + Nagel International AG as well as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Germanischer Lloyd.

Dr. Markus Baumanns of Schumacher&Baumanns GmbH, is leading and supporting the development of the KLU. As Managing Director of the Bucerius Law School from 2001 to 2006, Dr. Baumanns was responsible for establishing Germany’s first private university of law, and from 2006 to 2009, he was an executive member of the board of the Ebelin and Gerd Bucerius ZEIT-Stiftung in Hamburg. Together with Dr. Jeanny Wildi-Yune, Dr. Baumanns is also in charge of management of both the Kühne School of Logistics and Management GmbH and the KLU.

Karl Gernandt has been chosen to be the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Kühne School. He has been a delegate of the Board of Directors of Kuehne + Nagel International AG and of Kühne Holding AG, as well as member of the Board of Trustees of the Kuehne Foundation in Schindellegi (Switzerland) and Managing Director of the Klaus-Michael Kuehne Foundation, Hamburg.

“The Kuehne-Foundation wants to increase the attractiveness of the globally active industry of Logistics as an academic subject and as a field of research, and also to help strengthen the standing of the academic stronghold of Hamburg against international competition,” says Klaus-Michael Kuehne, the sole donor of the Foundation.

About the Kuehne Foundation

The non-profit Kuehne Foundation, which is headquartered in Schindellegi, Switzerland, was founded in 1976 by the Kuehne family and is entirely supported by Prof. Dr. h.c. Klaus-Michael Kuehne as the donor. The principal aim of the Foundation is the furtherance of education in the fields of Transportation and Logistics. Additionally the Foundation supports humanitarian, social, medical and cultural projects. Development funds of some 100 million Swiss Francs were provided by the Kuehne Foundation between 2001 and 2009.

If you would like further information, please consult the following websites: www.the-klu.org (will be available after March 15, 2010) www.kuehne-stiftung.org Contact: Kühne Logistics University Dirk Laschke Public Relations Phone: +49 40 30 333 1055 Fax: +49 40 30 333 1059 dirk.laschke@kuehneschool.de