Copenhagen Business School

History

CBS was established in 1917 by the Danish Society for the Advancement of Business Education (now known as FUHU), which is a private educational institution. During the 1920s the activities were gradually formalised into a separate business school. By 1920 accounting had become the first full study programme. In 1922 the business school was spun off as an independent institution, and in 1927 it moved to new premises at Julius Thomsens Plads in Frederiksberg, where it continued to rent buildings from FUHU. FUHU retained strong influence over the school’s governance for decades through representation in its governing council.

In 1965 the business school became integrated into the Danish educational system as an institution of higher education. From that point its operating expenses were fully covered by the state, and the school was integrated into the national system of higher education while retaining its own legal personality.

From the late 1980s the school undertook a large physical and organisational expansion, gradually consolidating its campus in Frederiksberg. Dalgas Have, designed by Henning Larsen and completed in 1988, gave CBS a modern teaching complex. The opening of the main campus building at Solbjerg Plads in 1999–2000, designed by Vilhelm Lauritzen Architects, brought most activities together within walking distance and created what is now considered the heart of the university.

The school’s identity and name also evolved. Historically known in Danish as Handelshøjskolen i København, it began using the parallel English name “Copenhagen Business School (CBS)” in 1988, reflecting increasing internationalisation of its programmes and partnerships. Since 2003 the English-language name has been the institution’s primary designation, and CBS is today formally counted among the eight Danish universities.

Presidents

Programme structure

CBS offers a comprehensive range of university degrees in economics and business administration. Other programmes combine business studies with social sciences and the humanities, offering education in the fields of IT, philosophy, politics, languages, sociology, communication and others.

The selection of full-time programmes complies with the three levels:

• 3-year bachelor's degree
• 2-year master's degree, awarding the title of Candidatus Mercaturae (Cand.Merc)
• 3-year PhD

CBS also offers part-time and full-time programmes in continuing education:

• Executive Master Programmes
• Full-time MBA
• Diploma programmes and short courses

Exchange programmes

CBS is the Danish member of CEMS - Global Alliance in Management Education and a member of Partnership in International Management (PIM), and focuses on double degree agreements with other top business schools. CBS has exchange and cooperation agreements with 390 universities and business schools around the world, including Bocconi University, Cornell University, University of Pennsylvania, HEC Paris, ESSEC Business School, ESCP Business School, ESADE, among others.

Rankings

CBS is consistently ranked among the top business schools in Europe. According to the QS World University Rankings, CBS placed 15th worldwide in Business and Management Studies in 2025. In the same ranking, CBS’s master’s programmes in management and finance were ranked 13th and 18th worldwide.

According to the Financial Times, CBS was ranked 27th in Europe in 2019. It was also ranked 50th worldwide in the Masters in Management 2020 ranking. The Financial Times further ranked the CBS MBA programme 93rd globally and 28th in Europe.

Notable alumni and faculty

CBS has produced numerous notable alumni in business and politics, both in Denmark and internationally.

• Søren Skou, CEO of A.P Moller-Maersk
• Jonas Deichmann, German adventurer and extreme athlete.
• Lise Kingo, executive director of the United Nations Global Compact
• Fritz Henrik Schur Junior, Chairman of Ørsted
• David Heinemeier Hansson, creator of Ruby on Rails
• Kasper Rørsted, CEO of Adidas
• Hannibal Muammar Gaddafi, son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi
• Jacob Schram, CEO of Norwegian Air
• Lars Dalgaard, founder of SuccessFactors
• Jens-Otto Paludan, former CEO of Universal Music in Denmark

Prominent alumni also include Thor Haraldsson, Tarja Cronberg, Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, Sharmi Albrechtsen, Carl Frederik Waage Beck, Lene Børglum, Michael Brockenhuus-Schack, Soulaima Gourami, as well as several other entrepreneurs and Danish politicians. The school has also prominent faculty members such as Danish organization theorist Nicolai Foss.

Facilities

CBS Campus

CBS is an urban university primarily located in four modern buildings in Frederiksberg, close to the center of Copenhagen. The main complex, Solbjerg Plads, was opened in 2000 and includes 34,000 m2 of student and office space surrounded by gardens and outdoor living space. Designed by Vilhelm Lauritzer Architects, the complex consists of interconnected concrete, glass and tile-sided buildings of varying heights that house student auditoriums, faculty office space, a cafeteria, the main library, a student bar and the campus bookstore.

Dalgas Have, opened in 1989 and designed by Henning Larsen Architects, is the oldest building currently in use. Owned by the Danish Pension Fund for Engineers and leased by CBS, the building includes 20,000 m2 of student classrooms, study space and offices distributed around a three-story 175 m long arcade. At the midpoint of the arcade a two-story semi-circular cafeteria sits below a semi-circular library.

Kilen (The Wedge) was opened in 2006 and includes 10,000 m2 of student classrooms, study spaces, and offices for research and administration. Designed by Lundgaard & Tranberg Architects, the four-story wedge-shaped building features a large oval-shaped atrium that extends the height of the building. The exterior is covered with full-story screens made of wood, matte glass or copper, which rotate in response to the Sun and weather. Kilen has been the recipient of numerous architecture and design awards such as a RIBA European Award in 2006.

Porcelænshaven, the fourth main building that comprises the CBS campus, is leased by CBS from the Danish Society for the Advancement of Business Education. Formerly the Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Factory, the factory has been converted into 20,000 m2 of student classrooms, study spaces, offices, and a student residence. A central feature of the building, a 1,000 m2 main hall used for large events, stands in the old location of the factory kiln hall.

CBS campus buildings reflect characteristic Scandinavian style and have been recognized by Frederiksberg Municipality earning an Award for Good and Beautiful Building in 2006 and 2009. The four main buildings are within walking distance and located along three consecutive stations on the Copenhagen Metro from Lindevang Station (Dalgas Have) to Frederiksberg Station (Solbjerg Plads).

Student life

Student Organizations

CBS has numerous student-led organizations spanning professional fields such as consulting, finance, and politics, as well as interest-based areas including sports, music, and wine.

References

References

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