Registration open from March 25 until April 8, 2024
As a student of MCI I The Entrepreneurial School®, you not only enjoy a profound study program in your relevant discipline, you also have the unique opportunity to participate in one of our interdisciplinary electives from a wide range of inspiring topics.Our multidisciplinary curricula allow you to "look beyond" your own study program and work together with students from other disciplines. Prepare yourself for an educational adventure that will transform your perspective and ignite your intellectual curiosity!
If you have any questions about the electives, please contact the office management of your study program.
1
Overview
Get an overview of the electives and their contents
2
Selection
Find your four favorite electives from the total offer
3
Prioritization
Prioritize your four electives on the registration site
4
Assignment
We will assign you to one of your four electives
5
Notification
You will receive an email with the final allocation
Why choose this course?
This course offers the opportunity to acquire in-depth, practical knowledge on family business, regardless of whether you are a student studying business administration or a non-specialist student, and irrespective of whether you come from a family business background or not.
The special practical relevance is achieved through a unique network of family businesses that has evolved at the MCI Family Business Center. Some of these businesses will be visited during our field trip. Family firm knowledge opens up a variety of career opportunities for graduates, since family firms are the dominant corporate form worldwide.
Who is your lecturer?
Prof. Anita Zehrer graduated from Innsbruck University, Austria with a PhD in Social Sciences and received her post-doctoral lecturing qualification at the Catholic University of Eichstaett-Ingolstadt, Germany. Currently she is Professor and Head of the Family Business Center as well as Head of Research (Management & Society) at the MCI The Entrepreneurial School ®. Additionally, she works as both, Certified Business Coach and Mediator.
Language
English
Student workload
5 ECTS (including 1-2 ECTS asynchronous self-study)
Assessment
The final grade comprises the following two parts:
Mode
On-Campus: Monday till Friday during the day | synchronous (+ further teaching units asynchronous)
Date
November 11 – 22, 2024
Contents
Learning Goals
The course will explore the three systems of a family business, the family system, the business system and the ownership system and their interactions – functional and dysfunctional. Participants will be introduced to the basic issues of family business, and guided through the structures and procedures for successful family enterprises.
Upon completion of this elective course, students will be able to:
REGISTER HERE
Remember, you have to choose a total of four electives!
This course offers a deep dive into social entrepreneurship, empowering students to address societal and environmental challenges innovatively. It combines theoretical knowledge with practical experience, including ideation, development, and pitching of social enterprises. Students will explore various business models, engage in creative problem-solving, and prepare to become effective social entrepreneurs. The course is ideal for those seeking to make a positive impact in sustainable ways, while learning from real-world case studies and lots of experience.
Etienne Salborn is a MCI Alumni, changemaker-maker and social entrepreneur. He founded SINA (Social Innovation Academy), enabling disadvantaged youth and refugee communities in Africa to unleash their potentials and become social entrepreneurs. SINA self-organized and freesponsible learning spaces distribute leadership and empower the youth to become the change they want to see.
Mixed: 2 weekends on-campus (Friday afternoon + Saturday) + 1 weekend online | synchronous (+ further teaching units asynchronous)
November 8 & 9, 2024November 15 & 16, 2024November 22 & 23, 2024
REGISTER HERE Remember, you have to choose a total of four electives!
Having a brilliant business idea is just the beginning; the key to success lies in your ability to effectively sell that idea. Launching a startup is a milestone, but only a select few achieve real success. Your journey hinges on effective communication, the perception of investors, and the trust within your innovative team. Mastering the art of public speaking and interview skills empowers you to sway your audience. The ability to discern honesty builds a foundation of trust for your innovative venture. Meanwhile, mastering your voice becomes the instrumental tool in persuading potential investors. This course is your gateway to acquiring these tactical entrepreneurship and innovation skills, strategically equipping you for the dynamic journey of business success.
Yevgen Bogodistov is an enthusiastic researcher, teacher, and practitioner with a diverse focus. Having ascended to the role of Chief Operating Officer in a Ukrainian mid-sized enterprise, Yevgen has forged a successful career as a practitioner. He also served as a project coordinator at the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation in Kyiv, orchestrating numerous seminars dedicated to communication, creativity, and value-driven behaviour.
Assignment 1: Mastering Presentation Skills – Apply trained presenting and voice tools learned in class to deliver a compelling video presentation. 2-3 minute video, 40%.
Assignment 2: Analysing Deceptive Public Speaking – Apply lie detection principles to analyse a video of a public speaker displaying potential deceptive behaviour. Written assignment, about 1500 words, 60%.
In this course, Yevgen aims to blend his practical expertise and research insights seamlessly. His goal is to provide students with contemporary knowledge and skills essential for emerging entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs—individuals championing their ideas within their respective organisations.
Stress Reduction in Public Speaking – learn strategies to reduce stress and enhance composure during public speaking engagements.
(if time and desire permit) Apply strategies to prevent conflicts and enhance communication efficacy, ensuring smoother interactions in professional settings.
Starting a company is a serious endeavor under uncertainty and requires sacrifices to go around—so why not minimize the risk?
That's the goal of this course, which is designed for students of all experience levels who are interested in starting an own business.
Rather than inventing new concepts, this course assembles all the tools that have already established track records of success in entrepreneurial practice. It integrates them together in an easy to access and prescriptive road map to get your business up.
Thus, if you ever thought about turning an idea into a business but did not know where to start, this course gives you a clear structure. As a cherry on top, you will work with some of the latest AI-tools which serve as co-pilot to deliver results faster, but also to sharpen your instinct and engage your creativity.
As Head of Startup Coaching, Christian Klusmann and his team support approx. 300 startups at digitalHUB Aachen on entrepreneurial challenges, such as team building, business models and financing. During his studies of industrial engineering at RWTH, he founded an (unsuccessful) e-learning startup himself.
Since his doctorate at the University of Kassel, he has worked as an external lecturer to pass on his practical entrepreneurial knowledge.
quiz
+ individual assignment regarding the venture creation process (framework)
+ group assignment regarding your new venture (pitch)
This course is designed for (future) entrepreneurs who want to build great ventures. For more than a decade, methods such as Lean Startup or Effectuation, have been part of the canon for founders around the world. However, with the rise of AI, the process of venture creation becomes faster, cheaper, and more efficiently.
For this reason, the course AI-Driven Entrepreneurship:
During this course, students will also:
This elective transforms your approach to change, enhancing your entrepreneurial and future-thinking skills. You will develop futures literacy through diverse tools and techniques, increasing your resilience in complex and rapidly changing environments. Its interactive, student-centered nature demands your engagement and openness to new ideas. You will learn to shape, not just anticipate, the future, by honing your critical, creative, and strategic thinking. Completing this course equips you to be a forward-thinking pioneer, ready to create positive world change with innovative solutions.
Optional: Be a part of a futures research project of the UNESCO Chair in Futures Capability for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Details will follow in the course.
Antje Bierwisch: 20+ years in applied futures research, innovation management, and entrepreneurship, expert in futures thinking, creativity, certified LEGO Serious Play facilitator, chairholder of UNESCO Chair in Futures Capability for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Juliana Pattermann: background in business education and business English, research and teaching activities focused on futures studies (especially futures literacy) and learning
Online: 2 evenings each week + Friday afternoon each week | synchronous (+ further teaching units asynchronous)
The ability to make prudent economic and financial decisions is a crucial skill for successful entrepreneurs and self-reliant citizens alike. In the elective "Principles of Entrepreneurial and Personal Finance", students will learn how to effectively manage personal finances and develop key entrepreneurial financial skills. The course covers essential topics like budgeting, investing, and retirement planning, while also delving into business-focused areas such as cash flow management, start-up funding, and investor relations. This holistic approach equips students with the knowledge and tools necessary for sound financial decision-making in both their personal lives and entrepreneurial ventures.
Michael Razen is a Professor of Finance and Head of MCI’s Business & Management Department. In his research, he investigates how we can improve our economic and financial decision-making. Aside from his academic teaching, Michael has also developed the financial education program “FiT – Financial Training” and currently heads the Scientific Committee of the National Financial Literacy Strategy for Austria.
Michael Rauhofer has been working as general manager in the industry, establishing Austria’s largest incubator for high tech start-ups and works now in the field of Company pension schemes and financial advisory services for SMEs, private clients and institutional investors. He earned his degrees at TU Vienna, Donau University Krems and at Harvard Business School. Michael also teaches Entrepreneurship at MCI.
Florian Blösl is a research & teaching assistant at MCI and an external PhD student at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, focusing on the effects of proactive decision-making in entrepreneurship and finance. With a background in banking and wealth management, his professional experience has significantly influenced his academic research.
Quizzes and group presentations
Upon completion of this elective course, students will:
Martina Kohlberger: extensive practical experience in people development, researcher and lecturer, certified systemic coach, theatre enthusiast
Oliver Som: 20+ years in applied innovation & future research, expertise in creativity and agile project management, jazz musician and composer
Alexander Jahn studied biotechnology in Berlin and Busan, pharmacy in Seoul and worked as a senior researcher as well as a lecturer in Korea. He was active in FabLabs, is a proponent of interdisciplinarity, avid user of CAD and CAM. His research focuses mostly on bioprocess engineering in the area of microalgae and cell culture
5 ECTS
Presentation
Choosing this elective will provide you with insight in two topics:
Bernhard Hollaus is leading the research cluster health technologies at MCI and serves as professor in sports technologies. Before that, Bernhard was contributing to the development of study programs in mechatronics, medical and sports technologies. He also led several research projects with many partner institutions. Prior to joining MCI, Bernhard did his studies in electronics and sport science at Technikum Wien and University of Innsbruck.
Jasper Volmer, with a bachelor's in architecture & Structural Engineering and a master's in mechanical engineering from the University of Technology Eindhoven, brings valuable expertise. Previously a FLS Engineer Drive Laser and a Scientist at Philips Research, he now contributes to MCI. Starting as a project member in the Mechatronics Department, he transitioned in 2023 to become a Teaching & Research Assistant, specializing in Sports Technology within the Medical Technologies Department
Project Work
Choosing this elective will provide you with insight in two topics: You will receive an introduction to the sector of health technology, which is a fast-growing market in developed countries, with the growth of the industry being further driven by the aging of the society.
On the other hand, the course is designed as a hands-on workshop where you will have the opportunity to design and manufacture a wearable device yourself. This includes building a sensor circuit, design and additive manufacturing of the mechanical housing and programming the software. No prior technical skills are required for this course, but it is designed as an introductory course which allows to get to know some basic skills used in engineering.
Therefore, this course provides a great opportunity to create digitized medical device hardware and software, even without prior technical skills, leveraging a basic understanding of health technology.
Daniel Sieber, Professor and Head of Department for Medical, Health & Sport Technologies, has 15 years of experience in the medical device industry, and served as an Executive Research & Development Manager and Scientific Director. Since 2022, he leads the MedTech department, contributing to both teaching and research in his domain.
Yeongmi Kim is currently a professor in the department of Medical & Health Technology, MCI. Her principal research interests are sensory-motor rehabilitation, assistive technology, medical robotics, human computer interaction, and haptic feedback interfaces. She obtained her PhD in Mechatronics from GIST in 2010 and worked as a postdoctoral Researcher, research associate at ETH Zurich at the Rehabilitation Engineering Lab, and University of Sheffield. In 2015 she joined MCI as a Lecturer; she became a professor in 2018.
Eva Graf is Senior Lecturer at the department of Medical & Health Technologies at MCI. Eva has a background in mechanical engineering and graduated from Technical University of Munich. Prior to joining MCI, she worked as a project engineer in the development of minimally invasive medical devices with a focus on the early development stages of new products.
In a knowledge-based and technology-driven economy, Intellectual Property (IP) holds paramount importance for companies of all sizes. IP Rights (IPRs) are crucial assets, integral to corporate strategies, and their effective management is key to creating value.
This course offers a comprehensive understanding of various IPRs, emphasizing their significance for innovative companies. It guides you through the steps involved in protecting your creations/ideas and provides insights into available support services for future entrepreneurs and business professionals dealing with IPRs.
Dr. Natacha Estèves holds a PhD in Law from Sciences Po Law School. She has received her Master Degree in International Economic Law from the Panthéon-Sorbonne University in Paris. She has been a post-doc researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Innovation & Competition in Munich. Her research focuses on open usages of patents. She is currently Innovation Hub manager for Ulysseus at the MCI.
Presentations and a written assignment
This course provides you with an overview of Intellectual Property (IP) and equips you with essential skills for navigating the IP landscape. In this course, you will:
Tourism is a dynamic and fast-growing industry that plays a significant role in both local and global economies. It has a strong impact on communities and the environment while also providing numerous opportunities for sustainable growth. This elective is an excellent choice for students who want to gain a broad understanding of the tourism industry and its trends and challenges, and who want to develop skills and knowledge that can be applied to a wide range of careers. It also enables students to reflect on and learn from their own travel experiences and the region they live in.
Prof. Hubert Siller is the Head of the Department of Tourism & Leisure Business at MCI. His current research and consulting focus is on leadership & management, sustainable destination development and international winter sports markets. Hubert Siller accompanies personalities, companies and institutions from the tourism & leisure industry in strategic issues and is an official board member of the Austrian Tourism.
Dr. Birgit Bosio is a Lecturer at MCI Tourism. Her research and teaching focuses on international tourism trends, service design, customer experience, Alpine tourism, and sustainability & tourism. Dr. Bosio is also in charge of the Tirol Tourism Research (www.ttr.tirol) project, the central knowledge platform for tourism in Tirol.
Jannes Bayer, MA, is a Senior Lecturer at MCI Tourism. As a sports scientist, his research focuses on sports tourism, outdoor recreation, and sustainable destination development. Jannes Bayer is also the coordinator of the study programs at MCI Tourism and part of the Sports Research Lab Tirol.
Project Work in groups
Students benefit from valuable knowledge that is expected of future managers and from the necessary soft skills needed to succeed. Besides introducing sustainability through an economic, social and transformational lens, the format teaches methodological and practical skills in an unconventional way. Students learn valuable skills for all areas of life that are becoming increasingly important from a recruiting perspective: critical thinking, discussion skills, systemic understanding (meta-perspective) and personal responsibility. The most important thing: it will be fun!
Hannah Gratzer:Expertise in future-oriented topics (Sustainability, Communications, Leadership, Gen Z). Self-employed as a Business Coach, Consultant and Trainer. Currently teaching at FH Wien, FH Burgenland, University of Salzburg.
Lena Stern:Expertise in a wide variation of sustainability & related topics like Transformation, Communication & Circular Economy. Consultant for Sustainability, Transformation & Cultural Change at one2zero GmbH. Former sustainability manager at IKEA and ÖAMTC.
No conventional final examination. Grading is based on critical analysis of the topics and reflection tasks afterwards through presentations and group discussions
Deep Dive:
Sustainability is a critical issue in today's world, and understanding its various dimensions is essential. This elective offers practical insights and real-world applications, making the learning experience highly relevant and immediately applicable.
Scandinavia is renowned for its progressive approaches to sustainability and circularity. This elective provides a unique opportunity to experience these approaches first hand.
Important information: While the agenda is organized by the lecturers (Weißbriacher & Degischer), the students must organize and pay for travel and accommodation.
Daniel Degischer holds a position as Senior Lecturer at the Department of Management & Law at MCI. His research interests are in the field of strategic management & sustainability. He has published in academic journals, and has been track chair for the Knowledge and Learning track at the British Academy of Management Annual Meetings since 2016. Moreover, he has been guest lecturer in the MSc program International Business at TU Dublin and at EGADE, Tecnologico de Monterrey.
Sabine Weißbriacher is an Assistant at the Department of Management & Law at MCI. She has an academic background in business administration and corporate governance. She accompanied projects in the field of responsible management, sustainability and social impact at MCI.
Project work
We will embark on a transformative journey to Copenhagen, the heart of sustainability. Our study trip offers first hand insights of the world's most sustainable city, as ranked by the Environmental Performance Index (EPI). We will
Ahead of the tour, students will receive input on
STUDY TOUR PROGRAM
This course seeks to develop critical thinking skills and an in-depth understanding of corporate development and transformation to make students the change-makers of tomorrow. Students will develop a theoretical and practical understanding of transforming organizations and societies and will:
Choosing 'Making Value Chains Efficient and Sustainable' is pivotal for students navigating the evolving business landscape. This elective merges efficiency and sustainability, addressing the pressing need for environmentally conscious practices. Through real-world case studies, students gain practical insights, acquire analytical skills to identify and rectify inefficiencies. The course molds graduates into holistic problem-solvers, adept at driving positive change. In a job market valuing eco-responsibility, this elective positions students as sought-after professionals capable of streamlining processes and championing sustainability.
Prof. Dr. Martin Pillei is Head of the Department and Director of Studies in Industrial Engineering & Management at MCI. He holds a doctoral degree from the Department of Chemical- and Bioengineering at Friedrich-Alexander-University (FAU) Erlangen-Nuernberg/Germany. His expertise in research and teaching focuses on mechanical process engineering and energy & material flow cost accounting. He has strong industrial expertise with more than 50 successfully finished industrial R&D projects.
Report written as Executive Summary
Ecological and economic influence on material and energy flows. Assessment of the environmental aspects and potential environmental impacts associated with a product or production process.
Students will choose this elective because it will enable them to better understand the changes necessary to tackle the contemporary challenges the world is facing, and show them different ways of approaching these challenges. They will have the opportunity to collaborate and co-create solutions for authentic local and global challenges with students from different disciplines and develop a mindset of transformative agency that allows them to envision positive trajectories for the future.
Mag. Regina Obexer, M.Ed. is a senior lecturer and Head of the Center for Responsible Management & Social Impact at MCI. She coordinates activities and initiatives in the fields of responsibility, sustainability and ethics across MCI. Her teaching and research interests are at the intersection of digital education, education for sustainable development, and responsible management education. She is passionate about supporting learners in developing knowledge, skills and agency to tackle the pressing issues of our age.
Mag.iur. Julia Waldegger, MSc is a lecturer at the department Business Administration Online at MCI | The Entrepreneurial School. She has an academic background in law, political science and organization studies and focuses on algorithmic management and its consequences in her research. She endeavours to weave themes of responsibility, sustainability, and ethics in her educational approach.
Students will be assessed based on
Daniel Tunç Mcguiness received the B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Turkey, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Liverpool, U.K., where he studied macro-scale molecular communications both experimentally and theoretically. In his B.Sc., he took a final-year specialization in solid-rotor induction motors with ITU. He is currently a Lecturer with Management Centre Innsbruck. His focuses are on molecular and nano-communication systems, electric machines and robotics.
1 Project (100%)
This course will take you from the fundamentals of programming to using Python for a variety of applications:
Recommended literature for the course is as follows:
Students should choose this course because it addresses the challenges in the financial industry related to its digital transformation. Students will be able to engage with digital innovations in the financial industry critically and better understand business models within the financial industry. The course provides concrete recommendations for later professional practice in companies and as consumers of financial services. The environment for imparting knowledge and skills is also research-oriented and largely dispenses with elements of frontal teaching, instead relying heavily on impulse lectures, working on case studies and conducting empirically market and competition analyses.
Univ.-Doz. Dr. habil. Tim Alexander Herberger: Associate Professor and Chaired Professor (Entrepreneurship, Finance and Digitalization) and Head of Master Study Program Management and Leadership at Andrássy University Budapest (since 09/2018); PhD 2012; Habilitation 2023; since 2017 lecturer in the online master program Corporate Governance and Finance. Research and Teaching Focus: Finance; Financial Intermediation; Digital Finance; Intangible Assets; Sport Management
Student Research Project and Presentation
This course prepares you for a job market in which humans who know how to use AI replace those that don’t. We see path-breaking, AI-enabled technologies, such as ChatGPT, Bing, or Bard, develop with unprecedented speed. We can perceive them as threats or opportunities – but we can no longer deny their existence. The knowledge and skills acquired in this course will enable you to understand how AI can support you individually to become more effective in your own studies and work as well as companies to increase competitiveness, but also shed light on AI’s “dark sides”.
Sabrina Schneider is a professor for strategy and innovation at the MCI’s Business & Management department. Her research and teaching interests center around digital technologies’ impact on strategy and work. She is particularly interested in human-AI collaboration and the consequences for human work. Prior to joining the MCI faculty, Sabrina gained more than >10 years of work experience in industry, consulting, and academia in finance, strategy, innovation, and technology management. To study, work and research, she has lived in many European countries (Denmark, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Sweden, UK) and abroad (New Zealand, US, Chile, Singapore).
Group presentations
Blockchain and cryptocurrencies are two of the most bespoken topics of the last years. Nevertheless, curricula lacking courses with current independent data and knowledge. This course provides students with distinct knowledge about blockchain from a sociotechnical, economical, technical and le-gal perspective and provides insights in the new crypto economy and Web 3.0. Students are guided to reveal the most current questions like:
As the main coordinator of this elective, Thomas Dilger, BA MA teaches and leads various research projects on different aspects of IT governance, corporate budgeting, crypto-accounting, Web 3.0 and corporate finance. Besides his current position as Senior Lecturer, he teaches at several other universities, e.g. University of Omaha Nebraska | Executive Master of Science in Information.
Aleksander Groth PhD is a full-time lecturer at MCI and holds a Diploma Degree in Business Management, with a specialization in Service and Strategic Management. His core lectures are in the field of human-computer-interaction, with a focus on digital behavior, applied project work, as well as methods courses in quantitative research and user-centered studies. He held courses at MCI and at the University of Omaha in Nebraska, USA.
Arno Rottensteiner, BA MA holds a Master’s degree in Management, Communication & IT and gained international experience during an educational stay at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Currently, he is pursuing a PhD in Strategic Management with a research focus on understanding drivers and barriers of organizational openness of SMEs.
The following point structure determines the exam grade for this course.
Component Percentage
MC-Exam 50%
Paper/Case Submissions 50%
The MC-exam consists of 20 questions and exercises, duration 30 minutes. The date of the exam will be set 1 to 2 weeks after the last session. The exact date will be communicated at the first course day.
The cases/papers are going to be all the content learned in class and will be submitted in-dividually. 50% of the total grade. The due date of the assignments is communicated in each session by the respective lecturer.
Upon completion of this elective course students:
Are you interested in understanding how Artificial Intelligence is increasingly used to improve value chains, automate tasks or build entirely new business models? In this course you will receive an interactive and gamified introduction to the principles of Artificial Intelligence. Through demonstrations and group discussions, you will learn what Intelligent Agents are and how they can help improve modern business processes. In doing so, you will experience the potential AI technology can bring to the table but also understand its limitations and potentially challenging application fields.
Prof. Dr. Stephan Schlögl is a member of the MCiT faculty focusing on Human-centered computing, particularly investigating the use and adoption of AI applications.
Prof. Dr. Reinhard C. Bernsteiner is a member of the MCiT faculty focusing on Information Systems and Smart Technologies, particularly addressing challenges of Big Data and Information Engineering.
Prof. Dr. Christian Ploder is a member of the MCiT faculty focusing on Operational Excellence, particularly tackling challenges of technology-supported process optimization.
Group tasks with final presentation incl. oral exam
This course covers the following topics:
Upon completion of this elective course,
The relationship between digitalization and democracy requires in-depth consideration. This course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of both the political landscape and technological innovation. This knowledge will enable them to recognize the potential benefits of technology while critically assessing the associated challenges, always keeping the basic principles of democracy in mind. A central part of the course is a three-day field trip to Vienna, where students will visit various institutions and interact with decision-makers at different stages of the policy cycle.
Important Information: While the program is organized by the lecturers, it is the students' responsibility to organize and pay for travel and accommodation.
Peter J. Mirski is head of the study programs Management, Communication & IT and Digital Business & Software Engineering. He is an honorary professor at the University of Omaha, Nebraska. His teaching focuses on innovation management, IT governance, strategy and strategic management. In his role as Chief Information Officer, he also serves as the head of MCI's central IT Services Department.
Magdalena Posch works as an assistant in the Management, Communication & IT degree program. As a PhD candidate in political science, she focuses on democratic structures, parliamentary processes and political communication.
Portfolio (40), Written Exam (60)
This elective course addresses the violation of universal human rights. Conflicts, climate change, and inequality have exposed billions of people to economic hardships and poverty. Authoritarianism and patriarchal structures have denied the rights of women and ethnic and sexual minorities. Due to multidimensional poverty every year more than 5 million children die before they reach their 5th birthday. Billions of people are living on less than US$ 2.20 a day without access to health services and quality education. In many countries, migrant workers’ rights are massively violated. In this course, students will learn the structural causes behind human rights violations and what can and must be done against them.
Belachew Gebrewold is a professor of International Relations and the Head of the Department and Studies of Social Work and Social Policy at MCI. His main research areas are social policy, African politics and conflicts, and migration. He was also a member of the steering committee for the preparation of the United Nations Global Compact for Regular, Safe, and Orderly Migration preparatory process in 2017. Moreover, he was a member of the Migration Council of the Austrian Ministry of Internal Affairs from 2014 until 2017.
ILV (Group Work and Presentation)
Wei Manske Wang: Originally from Shanghai, holds a Bachelor's degree in Germanistik from China and pursued Business Administration in both Diplom and Master programs with Honors, attaining a PhD in Economics in Germany. With 14 years at a Bavarian "hidden champion," she led internationalization projects in Marketing, Sales, Strategy, and R&D. Since September 2020, Wei is a Professor at MCI | DIE UNTERNEHMERISCHE HOCHSCHULE® in Innsbruck, focusing on intercultural understanding. Her global experience emphasizes the interconnectedness of the economy and the crucial role of trust in international business. In May 2021, she initiated the CHINA CENTER at MCI, acting as a bridge between Europe and China. Since September 2023, Wei serves as Secretary General of the AUSTRIAN HONG KONG SOCIETY (AHKS), actively promoting economic relations between Austria and Hong Kong/Greater Bay Area in China.
In our globalized world, students encounter people with different belief systems and from diverse backgrounds. This course will enhance their knowledge of diversity and discrimination, providing them with valuable skills that will also benefit their future professional life. It will support students in understanding and respecting differences, fostering empathy, and imparting strategies for creating inclusive environments, all of which are highly relevant and sought-after qualities in the workplace. The learning from this course contributes to their overall personal growth in an interconnected world.
Robert Koglek, Senior Lecturer at the MCI/Department of Social Work, worked for 12 years as a manager in a non-profit organization in a culturally diverse area in London. He started his career in Germany working with refugees including unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC), families and elderly people. His main research interests include diversity, discrimination, anti-racist approaches and post-colonialism.
Events and festivals come in different shapes and sizes, and they play a significant role in our everyday lives. Some are professionally organized; others just “happen” when people get together and celebrate what is important to them. This elective allows students to develop an understanding of why we attend events, what is involved in organizing different types of events, and how events impact upon communities and society. Students will also reflect on their own event expectations, motivations, experiences and memories, and gain skills and knowledge that can be applied to a range of careers.
Assoc.-Prof. Raphaela Stadler, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer and Researcher at MCI Tourism. She has international experience in teaching Event and Festival Management, and is currently involved in several research projects with event organizations in Austria, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. Her main area of expertise are community events and their impact upon well-being.
Group project work
Note: students will be expected to attend an event/festival during the 2-week Interdisciplinary Elective period. This will most likely be in the evening and/or weekend. The event will be chosen approx. one month before the start of the course.
Wealth accumulation is important for an individual’s long-term financial well-being, playing a crucial role in retirement-planning, large planned purchases or supporting their children. However large volumes of household wealth are held in highly unprofitable savings accounts. For long investment horizons and with only little guidance, vastly more profitable options exist. If used incorrectly, however, risky assets and strategies can lead to large losses, too. This course aims to provide a measured view of the potential benefits and dangers of financial market activity, aiming for concrete practical guidance at all stages.
Moritz Mosenhauer is a Professor at MCI, having commenced his academic career with a Bachelor's degree specializing in East Asian Economies. He pursued a Master's degree in economics at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich, and subsequently, undertook doctoral studies at the University of Glasgow in the same field. His primary research interests encompass experimental finance, organizational economics, and behavioral economics.
Written Exam
We will discuss how to profitably invest available personal savings on financial markets. Supported by empirical evidence, we will place special focus on the following aspects:
Please consider that there are important and interesting aspects that we will (mostly) NOT cover in this course:
Students will have the unique opportunity to deep dive into the ‘Brussels bubble’ and to understand how to shape EU related topics. They will be able to better understand the decision-making processes within the European Institutions and how EU law is reflecting our daily lives. In this context, students will be aware of instruments and tools that can be used to participate in the decision-making process. Last but not least, students will have to unique chance to extend their personal and professional network.
Number of participants: max. 25 Students
Costs: Important information: while the agenda is organized by the lecturer, it is the students’ obligation to organize and pay for travel and accommodation. The lecturer will try to organize some financial sponsoring, without being able to make any legally binding guarantee.
Victoria Pirker holds a degree in political science from the University of Innsbruck and Science Po Paris and has many years of work experience with and within the EU institutions, in particular the European Parliament. She specializes in EU foreign relations and worked as Advocacy officer for international human rights organizations in Brussels. Her motivation is to bring the European Union closer to citizens and to actively engage young people in the policy discussion.
At the end of the course, students will demonstrate the knowledge they have acquired in a written report
Details on the two weeks:
Students will discover how various dynamics transform work environments and career concepts. Upon completing the course, students will be able to proactively plan their careers, considering personal values and individual strengths. The elective will also empower participants to navigate workplace challenges and develop an in-demand skill set that will help them succeed in a professional context. The simulation "Crafting Your Life" will be an invaluable self-experience as students make decisions involving trade-offs between work, personal relationships, well-being, and social impact.
Dr. Teresa Spieß, a professor at the department Management, Communication & IT, is engaged in the fields of Organizational Behavior & Change Management. With interests in the intersection of people and technology, her work primarily addresses the Future of Work within organizations. Her contributions to teaching have been acknowledged through the 2019 MCI Teaching Award and the 2021 Ars Docendi Recognition Award.
Group Work (40%), Individual Reflection (60%)
