News

On October 31, 2022, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management celebrated the opening of its new industrial building at the Schwanenhöfe complex in Düsseldorf with Dr. Stephan Keller, Mayor of the City of Düsseldorf, in attendance. The new Executive Education Learning Center and so-called “Bogenhalle” now offers managers and executives that are seeking shorter educational formats instead of a full study program at WHU an even more attractive learning atmosphere with 1,600 m2 tailored to their needs. Both Customized Programs, tailor-made for companies, and Open Programs for individual participants, will use the new Executive Education Learning Center to host their programs.

The building, made of steel, concrete, and glass, which was originally a factory floor for Henkel before being used by the fashion brand G-Star RAW, completes the grounds of the Schwanenhöfe on the northwest side. After a complete renovation, it now boasts two lecture halls, eight group workrooms, a meeting space on the upper floor, a catering and bistro area downstairs, and a glass courtyard for a little relaxation. Behind the spacious and open reception area, the wall of green moss creates a modern, feel-good ambiance and brings a bit of nature into the studio-like building. On the steel girder above the reception area stands a piece of art by Stefanie Welk: a human figure constructed of sheet metal strips reflecting courage and dynamism. Visitors will also catch sight of some colorful and powerful paintings on the upper floor. On loan from the artist Bernd Schwarzer, these pieces focus on Europe and the war playing out in Ukraine.

The WHU Foundation financed the acquisition and renovation of the building. In his speech, Dr. Toni Calabretti, Chairman of the Foundation, took the audience back to 2009, when the decision was first made to open a second location for the school and to do so in Düsseldorf. He showed his joy at how quickly the Bogenhalle, with construction work starting only in March of this year, was able to be converted.

“I’m thrilled that our Executive Education Program has found a new home in this radiant building and its inspiring atmosphere,” said Professor Markus Rudolf, Dean of WHU. “WHU has always committed to excellence and must expand its offerings in order to compete with other top business schools around the world. The addition of this modern academic space for continued managerial education will help us achieve our goal.”

Executive Education at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, with a variety of cooperative open programs already globally recognized by the Financial Times (#15 in the 2022 Ranking), continues to diversify its portfolio. WHU knows that it is more important than ever for any executive to take a 360° view of their field of practice to prepare themselves for the future. A core part of that is paying mind to how an industry can and ultimately does evolve—and understanding the potential strategic changes that new technology may bring. To date, the world of sports has secured itself a connected future and earned the reputation of being an industry well ahead of the curve. On October 3, WHU Executive Education will debut the new Transformational Technologies: Applied Lessons from Sports course running as a part of the MIT xPRO series. This brand-new curriculum uses the sports industry as an example of where the world of business is headed.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, MA (USA) started offering their xPRO series of courses in 2016, seeking to combine a student’s business acumen with the technical expertise necessary for the future. In line with this approach, this new asynchronous course, developed together with WHU, is the first of its kind to center around the sports industry and how it has adopted new technology—including virtual reality, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things, and Web 3.0. Designed for business professionals across all industries, the program will show how technological breakthroughs could forever change the way business is conducted and enable participants to apply this freshly gained knowledge to their own professional lives.

Professor Sascha L. Schmidt, holder of the Sports and Management Chair at WHU, is spearheading the course and explained, “This is a chance for business professionals to learn more about today’s technology revolution—and how it affects both their private and professional environment.” Upon successfully completing the course, participants will receive an official certification from WHU and MIT xPRO.

Those interested in enrolling in the program can find more information on the official course website.

In recent years, there have been substantial shifts in the medical profession, and today’s practicing physicians increasingly need to consider aspects of business, financial planning, and leadership in their daily routines. Typically, such topics are not a part of their medical training, neither while studying nor while interning. As such, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, in conjunction with MLP School of Financial Education, has conceived a specialized Executive Education program for physicians scheduled to start on October 1, 2022.

The Advanced Management Programm für Aerztinnen/Aerzte [Advanced Management Program for Medical Doctors] is a compact, intensive course that combines interactive online trainings and in-class sessions, the latter of which will be hosted first on WHU’s Duesseldorf campus and then later on MLP’s campus in Heidelberg. The program has been tailored to fit a medical professional’s often tight schedule. The modules, which are held exclusively in German, will enhance a participant’s ability to make managerial decisions within the context of the medical profession.

Over the course of two in-person modules, reinforced by a series of shorter online workshops, participants will take a comprehensive view on a wide range of topics that touch upon everything from practical matters (e.g., taxation, finance, and the sale of practice) to more recondite subjects (e.g., leadership skills and coping mechanisms). “WHU and MLP SoFE are confident that these highly specialized experts will benefit from all that is on offer. We want to ensure that we address their specific needs with this new curriculum,” says Executive Education Director Rebecca Winkelmann. “With a mix of face-to-face and online sessions, we offer physicians a distinctly flexible format with the latest insights from health economics and leadership.” Those interested in enrolling in the program should submit their applications through the program website by mid-September at the latest.

WHU is one of Germany’s top business schools, specializing in all topics relevant to finance, entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing, and much more. With a series of open enrollment programs already globally recognized by the Financial Times, as well as numerous partnerships with institutions both inside and outside of Europe, Executive Education at WHU continues to expand its course selection. From programs in advanced management skills and specialized coaching to branding and negotiations, WHU’s catalog has been designed with today’s leaders and managers in mind.

Prospective participants can find out more information here.

The winner of the first Generation CEO Young Talent Award is Franziska Bednarz from Airbus Operations GmbH. In addition to the award, she will receive a 50% partial scholarship for the part-time Global Online MBA at WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management.

The final round of the Generation CEO Young Talent Award was held last week for the first time and in digital format. The four finalists had to prove their professional know-how, personality, and leadership skills in interviews with the jury, consisting of representatives from Generation CEO and WHU.

"It was a really difficult decision for the jury," reports jury member Dr. Rebecca Winkelmann, Director of the WHU Center for Responsible Leadership & Managing Director Executive Education. "We are very pleased to join forces with Generation CEO to present the Talent Award, and thus jointly contribute to the talent development of women."

"One of Generation CEO's goals is to seek out and promote top female talent. We are pleased that with the Generation CEO Young Talent Award, we can support young, talented women in their career path together with WHU," added jury member Diana Schramm, Managing Partner at SARIVA GmbH.

What is the Generation CEO Young Talent Award?

The Generation CEO Young Talent Award is an annual competition for top female talents, which WHU organizes together with the Generation CEO network with the aim of promoting young female talents and giving them visibility as "role models."

Both WHU’s Open and Customized Programs receive excellent placements in the renowned Financial Times Executive Education Ranking for 2022

The market for continued managerial education is one that is highly competitive all across the world. With a wide range of offers and differences in quality, those interested take their cue from the renowned global Financial Times Executive Education Ranking, which also takes participant feedback into consideration. Only a few German business schools active in this field make it onto this list of best universities.

WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, which offers executive education programs through its campus in Düsseldorf, has made its first appearance in the overall ranking. In the most current Financial Times Executive Education Rankings for 2022, WHU has placed at #28 worldwide and #2 in Germany. This result is the product of a combination between the sub-rankings of the “Open Programs” and “Custom Programs” categories. Participants in the Open Programs need not be enrolled at the school. Rather, they can freely choose from a selection of different courses and bundle them together. WHU’s Customized Programs are specifically tailored to the needs of an inquiring organization—and it is with their recognition that WHU has been able to enter the combined overall ranking.

It is remarkable that WHU’s Open Programs in executive education now stand at #15 worldwide, jumping ahead twenty-two spots since 2020. When looking at schools in Europe, these programs have moved from #20 to #11.

“We are particularly pleased about our program’s outstanding performance in customer satisfaction,” noted Dr. Rebecca Winkelmann, Director of the Open Programs at WHU Executive Education. “We’re already being considered one of the best around the world when it comes to the design and preparation of these courses, and our faculty has much to celebrate.” Winkelmann attributes this positive development to the high-quality further education formats, the high degree of interactivity, a practical focus, and the special networking possibilities for the participants. She sees the resultant rankings as a clear sign that the program’s management team is on the right track.

The Customized Programs WHU has on offer have already reached #57 worldwide and #3 in Germany with its debut appearance. “The conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic were really not easy,” said Dr. Heike Brost-Steffens, Director of Customized Programs. “Companies are still somewhat reluctant to book high-quality, Customized Programs. We are all the more pleased that our long-standing collaborations are being complemented by new partnerships with other companies seeking to benefit from WHU’s excellent research, pedagogy, and practical focus.”

Professor Markus Rudolf, Dean of WHU, also expressed his delight at the news: “Given that executive education is one of WHU’s strategic fields of growth, I am very happy about this positive development. It gives me confidence in the future.”

A detailed look at the results of the Financial Times Executive Education Rankings for 2022 can be viewed here.