Founded in 1994 by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the German Rectors' Conference as a non-profit limited liability company, it is best known to the public for its published university rankings.

The institution was founded as a gGmbH by the Bertelsmann Stiftung and the German Rectors' Conference in Gütersloh on 9 February 1994 and commenced operations on 1 May 1994.

The members of the advisory board include Walter Rosenthal, Carsten Könneker, Anne Lequy and Birgitta Wolff.

[4] CHE has been criticized for lobbying the media, politics and society to increase the acceptance of tuition fees and "elite" universities.

Since CHE is largely financed by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, which is the majority owner of Bertelsmann, critics doubt the sociopolitical neutrality and non-profit nature of the institution and assume that CHE's policies are significantly influenced by the interests and ideas of the media corporation.