At IU International University of Applied Sciences, research is more than an academic pursuit - it's a driving force behind innovation, industry collaboration, and real-world impact. As a German state-accredited institution and leader in vocational education, we are committed to lifelong, application-oriented research that responds to the challenges of today and tomorrow.
Our academic community brings together experts in IT, engineering, business, human resources, logistics, and hospitality. Working hand in hand with government bodies, industry partners, and global organisations. Together, we explore solutions, drive progress, and create knowledge that matters.
Research at IU doesn't happen in isolation, it fuels our teaching, enriches our programmes, and empowers our students to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Most recent studies
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IU Publications
Explore what’s next in learning
Curious about the future of education? Our IU Trend Studies, self-published publications of IU, dive into how digitalisation, student perspectives, and real-world changes are shaping the way we learn. Insights that come straight from our students, professors, and partners.
Plus, our IU Discussion Papers give faculty a platform to share fresh research and bold ideas across disciplines—keeping you at the forefront of what’s next.
Subject areas
Our academic teams explore a wide range of topics - from artificial intelligence and sustainability to education, business, and health. What unites all our work is a shared mission: to generate knowledge that addresses real-world challenges across society and industry.
Explore investigations in our key research areas and see how we’re helping shape a more innovative, sustainable, and connected future.
Human Resources
Tourisim & Hospitality
Transportation & Logistics
IT & Engineering
Marketing & Communications
Young Talents @ IU
At IU, we’re proud to recognise students who go above and beyond in their academic journey. Each year, we honour exceptional work with awards like the Best Thesis Award and the Diversity Award, which celebrates theses that explore and champion the topic of diversity.
And for those who publish their Bachelor's or Master's thesis in academic or professional journals, we offer a €500 publication grant - a recognition of both impact and excellence.
Diversity Award
At IU, we’re proud to recognise students who go above and beyond in their academic journey. Twice a year, we award the IU Diversity Award to outstanding Bachelor’s, Master’s, and MBA theses that explore and champion the topic of diversity across all study formats, including dual studies and distance learning.
The award aims to increase public awareness of diversity research and its societal relevance. Topics may include Gender & Queer Studies, Inclusion, Ethnicity, Racism, and related fields.
The Autumn 2025 IU Diversity Award was awarded to Jenny Elisa Pabst for her Master’s thesis in Pedagogy, Educational Counselling and Management (M.A.). Her research advocates for equitable inclusion in Hamburg daycare centres and highlights the importance of diversity-sensitive leadership in inclusive personnel development.
Best Thesis Award
At IU, we believe exceptional work deserves to be celebrated. Each year, we present the Best Thesis Award to students whose Bachelor’s or Master’s theses stand out for their academic excellence, originality, and practical relevance.
This award highlights the dedication and impact of our students’ research and encourages future graduates to push boundaries, explore bold ideas, and contribute meaningful knowledge to their field.
Read more about our latest winners below!
February & September 2025
Best Thesis Award
Samira Yerima Bako – Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Financing Decision of Healthcare Firms – An Empirical Study of BRICS Countries
Samira’s thesis addresses a highly relevant and widely debated topic in corporate finance. Applying advanced econometric techniques with full reproducibility and transparency, the research earned recognition at the highest academic level. In addition to its methodological rigor, the study provides valuable policy insights using World Bank financial system indicators. The thesis has been developed into a publishable research paper and is currently under review at Financial Innovation, a Top A-ranked journal in finance.
"I learned how to look at healthcare from a different angle. I plan to use this knowledge in the future, whether in research, consultancy or when working in healthcare administration. This would not have been possible without the help of my supervisor Prof. Kunal Saigal who was very supportive and gave me strict and direct guidelines and was there for me when I needed him. I would also like to thank my husband for pushing me to do this MBA."
Aditi Jahagirdar - M.Sc. Artificial Intelligence
Assessment of Using Synthetic Data in Brain Tumor
Segmentation
This thesis extended beyond the academic setting, resulting in a co-authored scientific publication, which can be found here. The research investigates synthetic data generation to support brain tumor diagnosis, a topic of significant academic and societal importance. The work has attracted interest from major medical technology leaders, including Siemens, where it has been recognized as a promising approach.
"My thesis advances medical imaging techniques and contributes to critical patient care. I sincerely thank my supervisor, Prof. Dr. phil. Sameer Joshi, for his invaluable guidance throughout the process, which ultimately led to the publication of our work. I am also grateful to my family for their constant support while I balanced this research alongside full-time professional responsibilities. A special mention to my baby girl, whom I was expecting during this time. This journey reflects my resilience and persistence in achieving long-term goals."
Research projects
IU is actively engaged in innovative research through third-party funding, cooperative projects, internal start-up grants, and incubator initiatives. These efforts reflect our commitment to practical, impact-driven research.
Our projects are supported by leading institutions, including:
The European Union
The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
The European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESA – ESTEC)
Stifterverband – Innovation in Higher Education Teaching
To support research at every stage, IU has built a three-pillar structure:
IU Research Incubator – early-stage support
IU Research Centre – cross-disciplinary collaboration
IU Research Institute – long-term academic research
Together, they create a vibrant environment where ideas grow and innovation thrives.
TAPAS - Tailored Automated Pain Assessment Systems
How can personalised AI-based models improve automated pain assessment by adapting to individual physiological responses with minimal data?
Award-winning education at IU
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