PLUS X AWARD honours Germany's leading distance learning schools 2026
PLUS X AWARD honours Germany's best distance learning schools
With the special award “Germany's best distance learning schools 2026”, the PLUS X AWARD – one of the internationally recognised innovation prizes – honours educational institutions that set new standards in quality, innovative strength and student support. In an increasingly digital educational landscape, the award offers reliable guidance for prospective students and highlights providers that stand out through sound academic standards, modern learning concepts and structured support.
In 2026 the following distance learning schools were recognised, having held their own successfully in a nationwide study of more than 250 providers:
The best distance learning schools 2026
- AHAB-Akademie
- ALH
- BeautyMed Cosmetic
- DBE Academy
- Deutsche Hotelakademie
- Deutsche Sportakademie
- GrandEdu
- IHK Akademie Koblenz
- ils
- Institut für Lernsysteme
- Impulse
- IST Studienintitut
- IU Internationale Hochschule
- Klöber KASSEL
- manQ
- PARACELSUS
- Rolf-Schneider-Akademie
- Sgd
- Sparkassenakademie Nordrhein-Westfahlen
The basis of assessment: AI-supported analysis and expert classification
The winners were selected on the basis of a comprehensive study involving the German Institute for Product and Market Assessment. A data-based, AI-supported methodology was used, systematically analysing publicly available online sources. Among other things, customer reviews, social interactions and structural and content-related aspects of the providers' web presences were taken into account. On this basis, relevant trends were identified and the providers assessed comparably.
Central assessment criteria
The award is based on a multi-dimensional catalogue of criteria which takes the following aspects into account in particular:
- The academic quality of curricula and course content
- The degree of innovation in teaching methods and digital learning formats
- Student satisfaction on the basis of experience and reviews
- Cooperation and networking with companies and universities
- Sustainability and social responsibility
- Research activity and contributions to professional development
- Digital accessibility and the availability of what is offered
- Promoting diversity and equal opportunity
- Social commitment
- Recognition and positioning within the educational landscape
- Online visibility and findability
The recognised distance learning schools receive the opportunity to use the quality seal “Germany's best distance learning schools 2026” in their external communication.
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