The Pop Academy Baden-Württemberg is already receiving more than ten-fold applications for its 60 freshmen university places. It will also soon be extending its profile to include the Master’s degree courses “popular music” and “music and creative industries”.

2.77 million euros of the 6.66 million euro investment for the over 1 600 m² extension of the university building, needed to incorporate these new courses, will be financed with aid from the EU’s structural development aid scheme “regional competitiveness and employment 2007 – 2013”. Almost one million euros will be endowed by the state of Baden-Württemberg. On July 29, District President Dr. Rudolf Kühner handed over the grant notification of this aid, amounting to 3.7 million euros, to Mayor Michael Grötsch and to Pop Academy Baden-Württemberg directors Prof. Hubert Wandjo (Business Director and General Manager) und Prof. Udo Dahmen (Artistic Director and General Manager).

“Mannheim is intent on promoting itself as colorful, diverse, exciting, experimental, proud of its tradition and never boring. The Pop Academy contributes strongly to this accurately depicted image”, Dr. Rudolf Kühner enthused. Mayor Michael Grotsch added, “The expansion of the Pop Academy Baden-Württemberg is an important step towards establishing Mannheim as center for the music and creative industries”.

As center of excellence, networker and trigger for innovations, the Pop Academy Baden-Württemberg is the only institution of its kind throughout Europe.