University of Cologne initiates international collaborations that rear future leaders

Country Business Reports interviews and articles by Discovery Reports www.discoveryreports.com

The University of Cologne’s management, economics and social sciences faculty (WiSo faculty) is developing programmes that address the growing interest among contemporary business school students to obtain an international career. The unconventional business school understands students’ aspirations as it also provides them with global contacts and experiences through its interdisciplinary programmes. Renowned in Germany, the EQUIS-accredited school offers cutting-edge, integrated study and research programmes for students and executives.

“Our programmes provide the perfect combination of practical and interdisciplinary approaches that ensure students get an excellent job in an international setting,” says Dr Gunther Zander, managing director, WiSo faculty.

As the only German university offering the top-ranked CEMS master in international management programme, the school nurtures strong links with leading companies and globally accredited industry and educational institutions to continually develop a range of exemplary master’s and bachelor degree courses. A key collaboration is the executive MBA programme developed with the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. The programme intends to fill the gap in further education.

“Our master’s study programmes are designed to become double master’s degrees when offered with other partner institutions,” Zander says. “We are internationalising all of our programmes to successfully gain and retain international partnerships and networks.”

Providing internships anchored on research perspectives, the university also specialises in modern research studies such as digital transformation and design and behaviour of markets and organisations. It is making all of these study possibilities available to a wider market as it seeks to double its international student population this year. Switching almost all of its master’s programmes into English, the university encourages more enrolments from China and the rest of Asia.

“We are not a typical business school, as we follow a multi- and interdisciplinary approach,” Zander says. “We proudly focus on our traditionally excellent research roots, and we are on a journey to become an international partner in educating the future leaders in Asia and the world.”

University of Cologne
www.wiso.uni-koeln.de