The comparatively high location-related costs in Germany force local companies to continuously develop their technological lead. This advantage in innovation, which is based on specialized know-how, can only be maintained by continuously updating the relevant knowledge. This is the only way to justify higher (production) costs. The emerging economies, too, have realized this and increase their investment in education accordingly. In addition, countries like China, India and South Korea raise their spending on research and development on a massive scale to sustain the economic upswing in the long term. Business owners, employers and employees have to face this growing competition and keep up with the high pace of innovation. At the same time, the shelf life of technology-related knowledge decreases more and more rapidly. The knowledge acquired during formal education, be it at vocational or university level, is no longer enough to last for a whole working life. Besides being a nice pastime, lifelong learning has become an investment in the increasingly knowledge-oriented society, which is essential for keeping our standard of living in the long run.
The Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences has made further scientific education one if its central concerns. Its affiliated Institute for Executive Education (IAW) and its offers are distinguished by high quality and flexibility and are thus particularly tailored to suit the needs of working people. Especially in the field of engineering, the University has extensive expertise in delivering solutions to frequently occurring problems. It provides a wide range of further education opportunities, which cover all areas of tertiary education – further education courses leading to a master’s degree, qualification programmes providing university certificates, courses in the context of the International Summer Academy, seminars tailored to individual companies’ needs, or public lectures in the framework of a university forum or after-work courses.
By offering master’s programmes, Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences offers committed next-generation leaders and managers from all levels an opportunity to acquire a top-level degree while continuing to work full-time, which is a precondition for improving their career prospects.
Die Hochschule Ingolstadt hat sich die wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung zu einem zentralen Anliegen gemacht. Das dort angegliederte Institut für Akademische Weiterbildung (IAW) und dessen Angebote zeichnen sich durch hohe Qualität und Flexibilität aus und tragen damit den Anforderungen von Berufstätigen in besonderem Maße Rechnung. Die Hochschule bietet gerade im technischen Bereich mit ihrer Fachkompetenz Lösungen für häufig nachgefragte Problemstellungen. Das Angebot ist breit gestreut und trägt allen Feldern der Weiterbildung einer Hochschule Rechnung – Weiterbildungsstudiengänge mit Masterabschluss, Qualifizierungsprogramme mit Hochschulzertifikaten, Kurse im Rahmen der International Summer Academy, maßgeschneiderte unternehmensspezifische Seminare oder öffentliche Vortragsreihen im Rahmen des „Hochschul-Forums“ oder der „Hochschule am Feierabend“.
Mit dem Angebot an Masterstudiengängen bietet die Hochschule Ingolstadt dem engagierten Führungsnachwuchs sowie Führungskräften aus allen Management-Ebenen die Möglichkeit, berufsbegleitend einen Abschluss auf höchstem Niveau zu erwerben und so die Voraussetzungen für den beruflichen Alltag zu verbessern.
At the Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences, students can acquire an MBA degree in five different courses while working full-time.
In addition to the technology-oriented master programme “Applied Computational Mechanics”, the following four MBA programmes can be studied: “IT Management”, “Gesundheitsmanagement” (Health Management; in cooperation with the “Klinikum Ingolstadt” hospital), “Personal- und Organisationsentwicklung” (Human Resources and Organization Development), and “Compliance and Corporate Governance” (with Daimler AG).
The knowledge transfer between the University and companies is optimized through what is referred to as “Corporate Programmes”, which are developed to suit each particular company’s requirements. Depending on the company’s current situation and in line with the company’s preferences, the IAW prepares targeted seminar contents to be dealt with in the Corporate Programme. This includes anything from workshops to seminars to complete master programmes for individual organizations such as Daimler, Edeka, Klinikum Ingolstadt, Pfleiderer, Siemens et cetera.
People not willing to spend so much time can acquire university certificates by attending seminars and qualification programmes that last between two and ten days. Special attention is given to the International Summer Academy. In collaboration with the “Greater Munich Area” (GMA) university network, the Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences uses this event for building international contacts. For the first time, in 2010 the International Summer Academy will take place in Malaysia and Brazil in cooperation with renowned universities from these countries. This challenging offer aims to provide interested working people an opportunity to participate in English-language further education programmes of a high international level. The subject matters include mainly economic and engineering issues. In 2010, the focus will be on “Sales & Marketing”, “Leadership-Responsibility-Change” and “International Automotive”.
Since the beginning of 2009, the special ambience of the stylishly renovated study centre in the historic Old Town of Neuburg on the Danube has contributed to promoting intensive teamwork and individual performance. Step by step, an increasing number of master’s and university certificate courses as well as Corporate Programmes are being held in the new centre. The building, which was particularly redesigned for continued education purposes, offers ideal preconditions for the Institute for Executive Education.
Above all, participants benefit from our university’s longstanding experience of qualifying working people and from its practical orientation. All courses offered by the Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences are among the best in CHE rankings, and the University is ranked No. 1 with regard to practice orientation. This makes it the most successful university of applied sciences in Germany. In addition, all professors and lecturers have a practical background. With their experience and expertise, they help participants extend their knowledge base. Small groups of participants and course or group-related tests or project work instead of written exams also add to the efficiency of the courses.
Previous participants and corporate clients, including, but not limited to, international car manufacturers, attest to the excellent quality of both our courses and our seminars and time and again award us new contracts for further education programmes. The Institute for Executive Education is your partner for L3 (life-long learning).
The author, a professor for Human Capital, has been the vice president of the Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences since 2007. The lawyer and graduate in business administration studied at the Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich and gained experience in the field of human resources in leading positions at BMW, Daimler, EADS and Dresdner Bank.
