The quality of life in Dortmund is enriched by a wide selection of cultural and sports activities (Dortmund is home to Borussia Dortmund), wonderful parks and a city center that offers every possible opportunity to shop, dine and relax. Located in the heart of the Rhine-Ruhr area, Dortmund has an excellent public transport network which connects the city to neighboring cities such as Bochum, Essen, Dusseldorf and Cologne.
ISM Campus Dortmund
Xenia and Tobias guide you through the campus in Dortmund.
City of Dortmund
Once practically synonymous with coal mining and steel works, Dortmund, the biggest city in the Ruhr area, is now famous worldwide for its soccer team, BVB Borussia Dortmund, the Dortmund Concert Hall and the Hohensyburg Casino. In 2008, Dortmund also hosted the Love Parade electronic dance music festival.
While visitors to Frankfurt, Munich and Hamburg immediately experience the flair of the big city, Dortmund today is still characterized by old mining museums and abandoned shaft towers, extensive parks and an urban atmosphere. There is so much to do in the city, including the bars in and around the Kreuzviertel neighborhood, a wide variety of clubs to suit all tastes as well as the cafes at the Old Market (Alter Markt). Outdoor events such as the Christmas Market, “Dortmund à la Carte“ and the “Night of Industrial Culture“ attract many visitors as well. The city is also popular among students because of its cheap rental prices. In Germany’s sixth-largest city, good-quality, low-cost accommodation can be found in student residence halls or apartments either near downtown or not far from the International School of Management.
What is more, ISM students benefit from Dortmund’s central location. Unlike many other big cities in Germany, residents of the Ruhr area don’t just live in “their“ city but in “Ruhr City“ – a huge metropolitan area that covers cities including Dortmund, Bochum, Essen and Recklinghausen. And the people of Dortmund also enjoy traveling to the nearby Rhineland. While “Ruhr City“ is the place to go for rediscovered industrial culture, down-to-earth locals and warm hospitality, Düsseldorf, less than 70 km away, has an international atmosphere with stylish clubs and branches of almost every single international luxury brand. Good transportation links mean that these cities are easy to reach after lectures or for a night out. Shopping in Oberhausen’s Centro shopping mall or Düsseldorf’s exclusive “Kö“ (Königsallee), partying in Essen’s clubs, a quick trip to Cologne’s carnival or Bottrop’s indoor skiing center are all part of student life at Dortmund’s ISM campus. And don’t forget that you can spend a great weekend in nearby Amsterdam.
