Social and Intercultural Competence 

A program to enhance social, methodical and intercultural skills within the Business School

It is of great importance for our business graduates to acquire multidisciplinary qualifications, (also known as key qualifications). The quality of the new Bachelor degrees will be judged by industry, whether and to what extent key qualifications constitute an integral part of university education. This will be evident, because a graduate can only be successful in business, if he/she is able to implement his/her special skills in practical situations and demonstrate them effectively.  Our key qualifications are social skills (communication and team work), methodical competence (the power of persuasion and credibility) and also - in times of internationalization - intercultural competence.

Key qualifications will be taught in training seminars in the first and second study phases as well as integrated into the specialized academic modules.  The central idea of SIK is to integrate social, methodical and intercultural competence into the academic program.  SIK aims at developing general decision-making skills, thus enabling students to apply and successfully implement what they have learned in a work-situation (as they would in an internship).  Furthermore students will be supervised throughout their studies (mentoring concept).

At the beginning of the study program the SIK components comprise a business game to introduce students of different educational backgrounds to business decision-making processes. In addition students will attend a training program called “communication and team work”. Small groups supervised by tutors will work on various projects (examining a business case study; combining their academic knowledge with presentation skills).  A presentation training seminar at the end of the 1st semester provides the foundation for assessed presentations in various modules during the study program (again combining academic knowledge with presentation skills).  During the intercultural training sessions in the 3rd semester (some of which will be held in English) German and international students will investigate and analyse intercultural situations in a team situation. Between three plenary training sessions internationally combined small groups will meet up and work together on business-related topics.

Head of Department

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