In this course you will discover the key variables of leadership, their relation to innovation and how they stimulate workplace happiness and increased performance.?Supported by a mix of lectures, working on a group assignment and a company visit, students will work together and analyse relevant factors for an innovation supportive working environment. During the course students will apply these insights?outside the classroom and will work together with real-life companies in the Utrecht area.?Within this course you will be coached in small teams. The teams will be as varied as possible to provide a rich experience for the participants.

This course will provide both theoretical background and hands-on experience with business process management (BPM), improvement and innovation. On the one hand it is important for organisations to have grip on their processes, and to continually evaluate and improve their processes in an evolutionary way; Information Technology (IT) can play a supporting role in this. On the other hand, innovative IT can play a disruptive role for businesses. In this course both aspects will be illustrated and discussed.

This three-week course will focus on Europe as a place to do business. You will explore the challenges faced by European companies, the solutions they find, and gain insight on how business cultures in the European Union influence the decision-making processes. The focus is on new business models, corporate social responsibility, sustainable innovation, and creative approaches to brand identity – all strategies used by European companies to prepare for the future.

During this course we will discuss the various causes of stress and ways to deal with that stress effectively. The course is based on decades of evidence based and practical research and tools. We take a personal approach and you will learn what your coping styles are and how of can make yourself more effective.

This track offers two different yet complementing approaches to the world of business from a European perspective. First, you will be introduced to the European Union?and its historical, social,?and economic developments as well as its future challenges. Next, we will widen our view and look at the?European Union as a?business network. You will discuss the economic future of Europe, take on exciting?case studies and visit Milan?where you will be immersed in the Italian culture and economy. In the end, you will have gained multiple new insights into the practice of doing business in Europe!

This track offers three?different yet complementing approaches to the world of business from a European perspective. First, you will be introduced to the European Union?and its historical, social?and economic developments. Next, we will widen our view and look at the?European Union as a?business network. A visit to Milan, fashion capital of Europe, is included. Lastly, you will obtain hands-on practice in running a company;?using your knowledge of?the past weeks. In the end, you will have gained multiple new insights into the practice of doing business in Europe!

Innovation is key for companies to adapt to a rapidly changing business environment and is arguably the most important factor for long-term organisational success. During this track we will introduce you to the drivers and challenges of innovation in Europe and how people and organisations handle these. You will gain experience, insights and in-depth knowledge of innovation in Europe. We will look at different perspectives of innovation, on an individual level as well as on an organisational level, for you to explore innovative supportive features of leaders, organisations and processes.

Are you a possible successor in the family business, or do you want to start your own business? Are you interested in buying a company? During this course, upcoming entrepreneurs are prepared for buying, purchasing a share or taking over a complete SME business. You follow the modules: Acquisition and Entrepreneurial qualities, Tax and legal aspects, Due diligence, Strategic plan after acquisition and innovation, Psychological barriers and Financing and Valuation. We work with real cases and companies that are for sale. We will visit at least one real company during the course that was recently for sale or was sold.

Today’s environment requires organisations to continuously change?policies, processes or practices -?changes often organised as projects: unique, temporary efforts, performed by multi-disciplinary teams. Projects need dynamic project managers that structure complex tasks, keep an overview and have great social skills.?This course prepares you for all this by combining theoretical background with a practical approach to project management. You will learn about leading project management methods, work on project simulations in teams. Part of the assessment is the PRINCE2? Foundation Exam; you can earn the official certificate.

A central element in the dynamic capabilities of an organization?is its ability to successfully transform existing assets and resources into new capabilities. Projects are key instruments to this rapid organisational change. However, the traditional ‘plan & control’ approach to project management does not fit the dynamic and flexible approach that successful organisational change requires. The solution to this problem can be found in ‘Agile project management’. This course covers the Agile approach to projects from its conceptual foundations to the different methodologies and practical applications.

Financial news is dominating the headlines. The financial and banking system had and still has a great impact on the economic situation in the world. Sparked by the financial crisis, the role of banks is changing, and new financing models are slowly gaining traction. During this course we will provide you with an action-based way of learning by letting you take management level?decisions within a simulated environment, learning the ins and outs of running a retail bank.

Since the credit crisis in 2008, banks haven been focused on improving their image and balance sheets. The standards for providing loans have been raised to such an extent that Small and Medium Sized companies (SMEs)?can hardly fund new investments. Start-ups are having?difficulties in raising funds. This trend will continue and therefore SMEs are increasingly sourcing their funds in alternative ways. Other financial institutions too are introducing new and innovative models. In short, the financial world is changing, and?new models of financing are becoming more popular. The Covid-19 crisis has made this transition even more necessary.

Financial technology, often shortened to FinTech, is an umbrella term for innovative technology in the financial sector. This summer course focuses on two disruptive technologies: blockchain and machine learning. It provides you with both the theoretical foundations as well as with hands-on experience. Overall, it will be a pleasant mix of understanding the technologies and discussing the new possibilities that it has to offer?the financial sector.

This course focuses on the value of knowledge, innovation and entrepreneurship in European business and will familiarise students with the interplay between science and technology and the commercialisation of knowledge and design. Building business models from an in-depth understanding of the gap between innovation and business in Europe. You will explore innovation challenges faced by European companies, gain insights on how governments and business cultures in the European Union influence innovation, and discover the traits of innovative ventures and people.

We see an increase in the need for socially relevant innovation; to boost our networks, activate our communities, and contribute to a healthier society. We invite you to join our ‘learning-by-doing’ lab, focused on getting things done for a project that matters. We will aim to change the way you look at the world; more opportunity-oriented and less problem-focused. Enter Design Thinking; a creative, holistic, multidisciplinary approach based on strong fundamentals where co-creation takes central stage.?To achieve this, we've set-up the innovation lab.

Plan, implement and evaluate an international brand marketing strategy within a realistic simulated environment. In this course, participants work as a marketer in a small decision-making unit of a manufacturer within a competitive industry. Your goal is to improve your firm's long-term?financial performance. The performance of your team will be evaluated via a multi-factor, balanced scorecard evaluation system that includes financial, operational, and customer-facing performance metrics. Will you be in the winning team at the end of the week?