Against this backdrop, how can an entire federal state put itself forward as a future-oriented university location? By formulating a clear mission that mobilises and creates meaning through self and external perception. Together with our client, an initiative of universities in a former East German state, we rose to this challenge.

These are universities whose names are less often heard than those of the bigger ones. They are located in small places in eastern Germany and in fact only have one problem: they are relatively unknown. They are not at the top of the education league tables for Germany’s federal states. When WAALD began looking at the state’s university locations, the analysis showed that the educational offers found there provide a lot and promise too little. There are hidden pearls, such as the small academy of arts in a castle offering a range of workshops and studios where students can try things out. Others boast exciting co-operations, their own exhibition galleries, start-up funding or even a test-hospital where medical students can practise on simulating patients. Many of the locations offer low living costs and some even have a dream ratio of one teacher for every ten students. But locational advantages alone are insufficient in the educational competition that exists among federal states. A higher goal is needed, a mission.