Friedrichshafen on the shores of Lake Constance in Baden-Württemberg in the border triangle between Germany, Austria and Switzerland is the birthplace of the Zeppelins and a popular destination for tourists from Germany and abroad. Friedrichshafen has some 59,000 inhabitants. Traditionally, it is an industrial town in which people work whose daily life demands a high level of qualifications. The town is home to leading corporations like ZF, Zeppelin, MTU or EADS. The international airport connects the economic region of Friedrichshafen to international air traffic. The town has also made a name for itself internationally as a location for trade fairs. A further considerable sector of the economy is tourism.
With a view to the future, the home of the Zeppelins is increasingly making its mark as a centre of education. Education is the key to long-term success, both for individuals and for the economy and society. The educational landscape in Friedrichshafen has changed dramatically in recent years. The town not only invests in its infrastructure, but also finances after-school care to enable employees to reconcile the demands of a career and family. In this way, it helps to promote Friedrichshafen as a business venue.
It also puts money into developing its schools: At the beginning of the 2010/2011 school year, the lower secondary-level schools (Hauptschulen) were transformed into “Werkrealschulen”. Friedrichshafen is home to numerous private schools that round off the choice of education. In addition, it supports educational programmes for children, for example it organises "knowledge workshops” and the “Children’s university”. Learning should be
fun for all ages. Friedrichshafen’s kindergartens for pre-school children follow the motto “fördern und fordern” (challenge and encourage). It is never too early to start learning independently.
To make life-long learning as exciting and attractive as possible, the town offers a wealth of opportunities. Reading is not only a good way to learn facts, it also helps to improve children's vocabulary and expression. k42, the media house on the lake in the middle of town offers a vast reservoir of knowledge that can be consumed on site or taken home.
Friedrichshafen is making a name for itself in the region as a town of education. Some 750 young people study at the Friedrichshafen campus of the Cooperate State University and 850 at Zeppelin University (ZU), a private, officially recognised university on Lake Constance. Zeppelin University was the first private university to be given the right to award doctorates by the state of Baden-Württemberg. This puts Friedrichshafen in a league with
other university towns in Baden-Württemberg. The Fallenbrunnen, a former barracks, are being converted into a commercial park and university campus for the Zeppelin University and the Cooperative State University. To keep the “grey matter” active, the Friedrichshafen adult education college vhs offers a wide range of courses for all ages.
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