Paderborn has long enjoyed a distinguished history as an important seat of learning. The city's theological faculty was founded back in 1614 and is the oldest university institution in Westphalia. Today Paderborn's 15,000 students have the choice between the University (established in 1972) and four other colleges and universities- an impressive proof of the city's academic reputation.

Paderborn is also holding its own where the current trend towards further education and training is concerned. The former dominance of academic research in educational establishments is gradually being matched by the widely documented and rapid developments in a more practical approach to education and learning. Paderborn's numerous institutions allow for a practical, productive blend of theory and practice in the workplace.

Be that as it may, the opportunities for further education and training are not solely restricted to the younger generation of students! Paderborn also boasts a wide range of vocationally oriented institutions devoted to those who wish to broaden their knowledge and skills by enrolling on a course of evening classes. The Adult Education Centre, the Liborianum (college affiliated to the archbishopric of Paderborn) and the city's divisional branch of the Open University in Hagen all offer full- or part-time workers the opportunity to learn at the end of the working day.