Sustainable building is based on globally established targets for environmental protection and resource preservation. Since October 2011, the Steinbeis Transfer Institute for the Building and Property Industry has been offering qualifications for implementing the Assessment System for Sustainable Building (BNB). On successful completion of the program, participants earn certification as “Technical Expert for Sustainable Building (SHB).”
This training course teaches scientifically established principles and evaluation tools for the construction of sustainable buildings. The program is closely based on the Assessment System for Sustainable Building (BNB). The system was developed by the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS). It evaluates new building projects in terms of “central dimensions” and “cross-sectional dimensions.” The central dimensions include environmental, economical, socio-cultural and functional aspects, while the cross-sectional dimensions can be understood as relating to the technical and process quality. The quality of location is also added as additional information.
Graduates of the program can offer projectspecific assessments of sustainability requirements in the designing and construction of buildings, in addition to consulting on market implementation. As evidence of the spectacular building quality, the certified technical experts can have their sustainability assessments inspected by the independent compliance examination board of the Steinbeis Transfer Institute. If the inspection results in a positive rating, a certificate and a seal of approval from the BMVBS can be conferred on the building owner.
The second training course begins on May 5, 2012 and includes 13 days of seminars and 2 days of examinations.
Bernd Landgraf
Steinbeis Transfer Institute for the Building and Property Industry (Berlin/Dresden)
The School of Governance, Risk & Compliance (School GRC) at Steinbeis University Berlin held a graduation ceremony in December for the fifth year of graduates of the MBA program specializing in Governance, Risk, Compliance & Fraud Management, as well as for students newly qualified as Certified Investigation Experts (CIE) and Certified Compliance Experts (CCE).
The importance of this training and the responsibilities the compliance agents and fraud investigators will assume in companies, organizations and public administration were underscored in the keynote speech at the graduation ceremony. It was also reiterated how important it is that graduates are equipped with the expertise their companies need and that they make good use of it.
Speeches held by Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Johann Löhn, president of Steinbeis University Berlin, and Prof. Gerd Neubeck, head of corporate security at Deutsche Bahn (the Germany national railway), honored the work completed by the graduates during their studies. The director of School GRC, Birgit Galley, hosted the festive event. In addition, a Steinbeis Oscar was conferred for Best Instructor, Best Graduate, Best Master’s Thesis with Implementation Potential, and Best Academic Master’s Thesis. The event was held in the old lecture theater at Berlin’s Medical History Museum of the Charité. The inspiring location has rustic yet stately charm and is a great place for hosting festive events like graduation ceremonies. School GRC has been offering degree programs, individual workshops, and Corporate University courses specializing in governance, risk and compliance since 2004.
Service personnel form a pivotal connection in the interface between companies and clients. Convincing customers, professionally receiving feedback from third parties and communicating effectively with departments are key to companies fostering innovation and sustainability. The qualification as a “competence service master” is offered by stw unisono training+consulting GmbH to prepare service staff for this challenging task.
Service providers don’t have a good reputation in Germany. In some industries the situation is dire. Pointing people in the right direction, staying on the ball and reacting quickly keeps the company in the driver’s seat. But it requires empathy and authenticity. The first training module of this program looks at flowcharts, service blueprinting and suitable strategies. Each participant is given a methods map to pinpoint themselves and localize their own personal goals. The roadmap to success is then developed in the group.
If service is tailored to customers, there are many ways to get them enthusiastic about it. In fact, there are some powerful ways to shape the exact point when customers first encounter a service, the “moment of truth”. One technique called “vignetting” involves presenting a complete profile of the product with alternative concepts or scenarios. In established companies, after sales services can be a recipe for success. “It’s often the small things that contribute to enduring customer relations,” explains Prof. Dr. Arndt Borgmeier, lecturer on the competence service master program. These can include anything from surprising the customer with a gift after a sale to offering a complete service package.
“This isn’t about the old idea of serving clients, but more about asking how to better support customers and work with them to come up with best-fit solutions,” says service expert and instructor, Gerd Xeller. “This doesn’t mean going through the motions. Enduring customer relations are based on quality, good service and trust. And that can easily be broken.” The participants receive a practical training in which they are asked to successfully synthesize the goals of the customer with those of the company. Service management systems that aid internal and external transfer entail good teamwork. Outdoor exercises on the ropes course foster experiential teamwork and allow each participant to gain a better understanding of their own and others’ perceptions of themselves. This establishes a powerful basis for the subsequent communication training, where participants learn the steps involved in nonviolent communication and problemsolving methods. They learn to identify conflict and use it to bring about change, to handle customer complaints from a solutions- oriented standpoint and to deal better with angry customers.
Lea Itze
stw unisono training+consulting GmbH (Ulm)
Award for master’s degree program
The government initiative “land of ideas” honors 365 innovative and trendsetting projects each year – projects that are seen to contribute to Germany’s continued competitiveness. Embodying the unique combination of theoretical content and practical transfer offered by Steinbeis University Berlin, the Master of Science in International Management program was bestowed an award in 2011 and has been named one of the 365 “select locations”.
The winners from Baden-Württemberg were honored in July, in Stuttgart’s New Palace in the city center. As part of the reception, each initiative had the opportunity to present itself and accept a certificate, bestowed by the minister-president, Winfried Kretschmann. The director of studies, Anne Bauer, presented the degree program and accepted the award on behalf of the School of International Business and Entrepreneurship (SIBE) at Steinbeis University Berlin, which runs the degree program. Under the auspices of Germany’s President, Christian Wulff, the competition focuses on ideas and projects that actively shape Germany’s future.