Key Messages
- Europe’s First Agency-Based University
- Built for the Age of AI and Industry Transformation
- Where Academic Excellence Meets Real-World Practice
SPARKS University Launches as Europe’s First University Embedded in an Agency Ecosystem
SPARKS University of Applied Sciences will commence its academic operations in the winter semester of 2026. The independent university will launch with three bachelor’s degree programs and is currently undergoing the accreditation process. The university was founded by entrepreneur and industry expert Dr. Kai Fehse. Founding partners include HORNBACH and the Serviceplan Group.
Munich, February 19, 2026 – A broad academic education combined with hands-on craftmanship – this Humboldtian principle shapes the vision of the SPARKS University of Applied Science founders. The first semester will begin on September 1, marking the official opening of the university at the House of Communication Munich. SPARKS positions itself as the first European university specifically designed to prepare students for careers in branding and communications within an agency ecosystem.
As a newly established institution, the university and its degree programs – Design & Arts, Copy & Story, and Media & Data – are currently in the accreditation process with the Bavarian State Ministry of Science and the Arts as well as the German Council of Science and Humanities. State recognition is expected by summer 2026.
“SPARKS University is a boutique university for the industry – cooler than traditional universities, more rigorous than creative academies. Our goal is to inspire a passion for thinking while teaching the craft of making, with professors from academia and practitioners from the communications industry,” says Dr. Kai Fehse, initiator and Managing Director of SPARKS University.
(l-r): Dr. Kai Fehse und Sabine Gwinner
The founding initiative brings together Fehse (former agency owner, former CMO of Dr. Hauschka, and PhD in communication science), Sabine Gwinner (Global Head of Creative Operations, Serviceplan Group), Prof. Richard Jung (Professor of Communication Design and member of the ADC executive board), Dr. Dr. Fabian Simmank (human biologist and economist), and Dr. Kiri Trier (CMO and innovation researcher). Together, they developed the university’s concept and curriculum, thereby laying the foundation for the accreditation process now underway.
Partner companies such as the Serviceplan Group and HORNBACH, a leading European home improvement retailer, enable their employees to pursue dual bachelor’s degree programs or professional development opportunities at SPARKS University. The partner network is currently being expanded to include additional brands and media organizations.
Karsten Kühn, Board Member Marketing & People at HORNBACH, comments: “For us as a brand, the professional education and continuous development of young talent is a key success factor. SPARKS University combines academic excellence with real-world relevance – exactly what companies need to meet the demands of modern brand leadership.”
Florian Haller, CEO Serviceplan Group, adds: “Being a founding partner of SPARKS University is particularly close to my heart. Education is a crucial lever in fostering the next generation – innovative and enriched by the active involvement of our in-house expertise, for example in the areas of AI and creative disciplines. Outstanding communication emerges where curiosity, knowledge, and application intersect. That’s why our House of Communication is the ideal campus for SPARKS.”
The English-taught degree programs combine Mind Modules with academic depth, such as psychology, communication science, marketing, or philosophy, and Craft Modules focused on the practical skills of modern communication. Teaching is predominantly virtual. The seminar content is delivered by AI avatars of the lecturers, complemented by regular on-site sessions at the House of Communication in Munich’s Werksviertel district.
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About Serviceplan Group
Serviceplan Group SE & Co. KG is Europe’s largest owner-managed agency group (Source: W&V / GWA 2025). Founded in Munich in 1970, it now employs over 6,500 people at more than 40 locations in 24 countries. In the 2024/2025 fiscal year, the group generated fee revenue of €866 million, representing a 6% increase over the previous year and significantly exceeding the market average.
At the core of the business model is the internationally established House of Communication model, which fully integrates strategy, creation, media, data and technology under one roof and has been rolled out worldwide. 62% of clients receive integrated, cross-group support, enabling consistent execution across the entire marketing value chain.
The Serviceplan Group’s performance has been validated externally on numerous occasions: 19 Cannes Lions (2025) as well as awards for Independent Network of the Year and Independent Agency of the Year. Further recognition includes top placements at D&AD, ADC, Clio, Webby, and Eurobest, as well as leading positions in national and international agency and media rankings. Ad Age ranks the Serviceplan Group among the 15 largest agency groups worldwide. Furthermore, a client satisfaction rate of 87%, achieved for the third consecutive year in 2025 and based on the annual, independent survey of 2,761 clients, confirms the group’s high performance.