The University of Mannheim is mostly accommodated in the baroque castle, which was built by Royal Prince Karl Theodor between 1720 and 1760. Looking at the building today with its 450 meters long front and its six hectare of built space, one would not believe that it experienced vast destruction during the Second World War. However, rebuilding already started in 1947: the outer front, which exceeds those of the Castle of Versailles, was rebuilt according to old plans and the interior was reorganized more suitably.

By founding the "Kurpfälzischen Academy for Sciences" (Kurpfälzischen Akademie für Wissenschaften) on 16. October 1763 the foundation for academic life was laid in Mannheim. The first economical scientific institution was started about 15 years later by the "Großherzoglichen Trade Academy" (Großherzoglichen Handelsakademie).

The real precursor of today's university however was the Commercial College of the City of Mannheim. Its reopening after the Second World War as the "National Economical College" (Staatliche Wirtschaftshochschule) meant the prelude to a gradual expansion of academic supply. The College was finally renamed as the "University of Mannheim" in 1967. The Mannheim Business School emerged from the economic and socio-scientific department.

Famous representatives like Walter Le Coutre and Heinrich Nicklisch founded the reputation of Mannheim as a center of economic scientific education already in early years. After the Second World War professors like Friedrich Heinzel, August Marx, Curt Sandig and Walter Waffenschmidt particularly shaped the development of the faculty.

To date only 34 institutions, not even one percent of all business schools worldwide, have successfully completed the rigorous accreditation process designed by the three most significant accreditation agencies AMBA (London/UK), AACSB International (Tampa/USA) and EQUIS (Brussels/Belgium). Thus far, the Business School of the University of Mannheim is the only institution in the German speaking region having obtained this sought after international triple accreditation. The ‘Triple Crown’ is a high commendation for the School and confirms that it offers first-class management training at the highest international level. Also in the university rankings Mannheim Business School is always up front. The rankings were carried out by nearly every leading German business and news magazine. The faculty regards this rating not only as an honour but mainly as an obligation to continuously evaluate and steadily optimize its educational program in the future.