As a result of its varied history, the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK Berlin) is both a young institution and an old one. The university’s current structure has developed over the decades since its founding in 1975 as “Hochschule der Künste” (HdK); in November 2001 the institution was renamed “Universität der Künste Berlin,” or Berlin University of the Arts. Taking into account its predecessor institutions, however, UdK Berlin has a history of more than 300 years, going back to the founding of the Brandenburg-Prussian Academy of Arts in 1696.

The “Hochschule der Künste” was created by the merger of two arts academies, the “Hochschule für Bildende Künste” and the “Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst” in what was then West Berlin. Both academies had been close neighbors since 1902, when they began using the building complex at the corner of Hardenbergstraße and Fasanenstraße in Charlottenburg, which is still in use today.

With its four colleges, Fine Art, Design, Music and Performing Arts, approx. 4,000 students, and 300-year history, Berlin University of the Arts is not only the biggest arts university in Germany but also one of the few in Europe able to look back on such a rich tradition. More than 70 study programmes cover the full artistic spectrum.

The university model that unites all the arts and related scientific disciplines under one roof is unique in Europe. Interdisciplinarity, top-ranking professors, excellent international networking and, above all, its great artistic quality make the UdK Berlin into one of the most attractive art universities worldwide. Presenting around 600 events each year, Berlin University of the Arts is also an important location for cultural events in Berlin.