ProCredit Academy

Transcription

ProCredit Academy - ProCredit Holding

ProCredit Academy
A Training Centre for ProCredit Bank Managers
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Contents
The Significance of the Academy
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Expectations towards our Students
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Faculty Leadership at the ProCredit Academy
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Banking and Finance
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Humanities
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Environment and Communication
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Programme Structure
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The Introduction Courses
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The Campus
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The ProCredit Academy in Fürth with its three-year programme of courses has been in operation
since January 2006. But what exactly is this Fürth Academy? A specialised MBA programme? An elite
management school? A course to promote corporate identity? None of these answers, taken on their own,
provides a satisfactory or sufficient explanation.
The significance of this Academy, which is the central component of a progressively structured
training programme for ProCredit staff, can only be fully understood if one takes account of the special
nature of the ProCredit banks and their parent company, ProCredit Holding. What makes them special is
both a formal and a practical dimension.
ProCredit banks are not “home-grown” local banks with local owners, where everyone speaks the
local language and shares the same local culture; yet they are also not part of a large banking conglomerate (such as Raiffeisen, Société Général, Intesa or Santander) with a corporate culture that has been built
over a long period and with strong financial roots in the country of the parent company.
In contrast, the ProCredit group of banks originated in a conscious decision by several owners, none
of whom come from a national or international commercial banking background. As a consequence, the
need to construct our own institutional, linguistic and ideological framework – in other words, to create
an identity for ourselves – was much greater for us than for other financial institutions. But in addition
to this formal reason there are other factors of a more practical nature which make us a special case.
A bank with a development policy mission is not simply a commercial bank with a different marketing strategy. Rather, it is a bank which is continually forced to seek a balance between the conflicting
goals of profitability on the one hand and social impact on the other. The concrete manifestations of
this conflict may take different forms at different times and in different local contexts. The profits to
be earned from microlending and the overindebtedness which possibly results from it are just the most
recent expressions of this ongoing conflict.
Precisely because this underlying conflict, or perhaps one should say this underlying tension,
constantly needs to be reassessed, our training programmes are designed not to provide our staff with
narrowly specialised technical skills alone, but rather also to familiarise them with the social dimensions
of an economy, and to impart values and principles. For some classical economists and the currently
prevailing neo-classical economic theory, our broad approach probably appears unnecessary or even
absurd. Neo-classical economic theory simply asserts that profit maximisation in the private sector leads
to maximum benefit for society. The latest financial crisis should have made it clear to everyone just how
nonsensical this assertion is.
That is why we cannot leave the training of our core staff members to the MBA courses offered
by universities, the majority of which are known to embrace most of neo-classical theory and thus turn
a blind eye to the social and historical aspects of economies, though some might at best offer optional
courses in business ethics.
ProCredit banks have to live up to the expectations of at least three different groups: their owners,
their customers and their staff. The content of the courses offered at our Academy must take all of these
groups into account and must transmit the corresponding values.
Of course, at the Fürth Academy we primarily address the management staff of the ProCredit banks.
Nonetheless, we do not wish to see ourselves as an elite school. For one thing, the term “elite” is too exclusive and tends to encourage individual arrogance; for another, we would like to offer the opportunity of
personal and professional development to a broader group of employees, rather than focus solely on the
formation of a management cadre. This inclusiveness should not, however, cause anyone to lose sight of the
high standards that the students are expected to meet in terms of performance and commitment.
Standing at the entrance to the Academy is a copy of a statue commemorating the Four Musicians of
Bremen, the heroes of a German folk tale (www.fairytales4u.com/story/four.htm). The message of the story,
and the one that we too aim to convey, is captured in the terms heterogeneity, solidarity and modesty. In
that respect, it forms a link to the way we see our role as financial intermediaries, and also our social mission. Like many other symbols, it aims to capture our corporate identity in an image.
The corporate culture of the Academy can be summed up in the concepts of tolerance and curiosity, rational thought and scientific method, solidarity and friendliness, values and principles. Ultimately,
staff members are selected for participation in the course on the basis of their bank’s assessment of their
performance and personal development to date, and their achievement in the courses held at both the
Regional Academies and the English Language Centre. The aims of the ProCredit Academy are to generate
even greater comprehension of and identification with the company among our staff, to win their active
commitment to serving as multipliers of our values and our business policy, and – if the circumstances allow
– to prepare them for the assumption of even more challenging responsibilities within the company.
If we bear in mind that our group of banks evolved out of a commitment to development aims and
that this idea has taken on different concrete forms in different countries,
it becomes obvious just how much the group depends not only on the
support of the owners but also on the local staff members who represent
that idea in their respective countries – and certainly not only at the top
management level. This, above all else, is the significance of the Fürth
Academy: it is there to foster the commitment of our staff at many levels
of our banks and to convince them of the value of the work we are doing.
Ultimately we hope that it will make them immune to the enticements of
competitors who are not willing to invest in training themselves, but have
no scruples about poaching our already well-trained staff with offers of
bonuses. So far our efforts to instil loyalty and dedication in our leading
staff have been very successful.
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If we would like to be a “different” bank, a more responsible bank, we also have to convey this
in terms of more extensive expectations from our staff. This is even more important with respect to
our managers. Particularly for management positions, we expect our colleagues to be committed to a
humanistic world view and, in addition to indispensable technical expertise, to also have a high degree of
emotional intelligence that is embedded in a value system. We distance ourselves from the value system
that formed the basis for orthodox neo-classical economics, whose concept of humanity has long since
been revealed in practice as being unscientific, anthropocentric, hostile to the community and ultimately
far too short-sighted. In contrast to this way of thinking, we take a heterodox approach and incorporate
many other disciplines into our considerations. In taking this approach, we try to contribute to the effort
to restore economics to what it always was: political economy.
About 30% of our employees have had to pass a demanding selection process and the subsequent
six-month Young Bankers Programme (YBP) in order to work for us. These represent just over 2% of the
original YBP applicants. In the course of their professional development, together with their senior colleagues, they attend compulsory courses for Service Centre Heads (two weeks), Branch Managers (four
weeks) and a one-week ethics course. All senior managers must speak English well, and for this purpose
they attend courses that build on one another in our three academies. Prior to attending the management academy in Fürth, applicants should generally have already completed the one-year course at the
regional academy in Veles, Macedonia or Fusa, Colombia.
Many of our students are familiar with the passive approach that typifies authoritarian societies and institutes of learning, an approach characterised by listening, biding one’s time, and imitating.
Attending a regional academy already makes it clear that we promote a different kind of learning. We
expect strong involvement and lots of interaction from our students. Those who shy away from expressing
a standpoint on something presumably do not have one; those who shy away from stating their opinions
openly and honestly are probably not open and honest in other aspects of their lives; those who are
reluctant to accept with open arms the multicultural challenge that Academy life necessarily involves are
probably chauvinistic in other respects too.
It is not so important to be good at all the subjects on offer. That is precisely why we do not see
ourselves as an elite school in the traditional sense. However, what is very important is the willingness
to engage and participate. Only if students take this approach will they be able to really experience the
value of this training course and the process of critical self-reflection of their own role in this company
that the course is designed to set in motion.
Admission to the Fürth Academy entails a preliminary selection process in every ProCredit bank as
well as a month-long Introduction Course in Fürth, in which logical and verbal skills as well as grouporiented behaviour and social intelligence are emphasised.
Upon admission to the Academy, the employee embarks on a cycle of 18 course blocks of two
weeks each; the content of these courses is briefly summarised in the following pages.
Successful completion of the Fürth Academy course does not automatically guarantee a career at a
ProCredit bank. At best, it is a necessary but not a sufficient precondition. We have deliberately chosen to
make this opportunity for skills development and personal development available to a broadly diversified
range of staff, in order to help build our corporate spirit and our special way of banking and communicate these values to a large group of colleagues.
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The courses offered by the ProCredit Academy fall into three main areas, each led by the responsible director. These individuals are responsible for both overall co-ordination of their teaching staff and
the courses offered, and for evaluating the students and providing them with feedback.
Director, Banking and Finance (Blue)
Borislav Kostadinov
Director, Humanities (Red)
Rolf Kreitel
Director, Environment and Communication (Green)
Sandrine Massiani
Borislav Kostadinov, born 1976, is a member of the Management Board
of ProCredit Holding and is also on the supervisory boards of a number
of Eastern European ProCredit banks and ProCredit Bank Germany. He is
responsible for Group Credit Risk and is at the forefront of group-wide
efforts to establish and develop an Environmental Management System,
which includes Green Finance. Mr Kostadinov started his career with the
group in 1999, working as a loan officer, bank adviser and branch manager
in his native Bulgaria before going on to become Deputy General Manager
and later Chairman of the Board of Directors in Serbia and General Manager
in both Macedonia and Albania. Mr Kostadinov holds a degree in Economics
and Business Administration from Sofia University.
Rolf Kreitel, born 1977, has been a member of staff since 2006. Mr Kreitel
was recruited to develop the Humanities Curriculum as an equally important part of the Academy’s programme and an element that differentiates
the Academy from other management training institutions. He is Director
of Humanities and a member of the management team. Mr Kreitel has
a degree in political science and history from the Goethe University of
Frankfurt as well as a Master’s in public administration from the German
University of Administrative Sciences in Speyer.
Sandrine Massiani, born 1971, is responsible for Group HR and Group Audit
and is a member of the supervisory boards of several ProCredit banks in
Eastern Europe. She has been in charge of the overall co-ordination of HR
policies and activities since 2011. Previously, as Regional Co-ordinator for the
ProCredit banks in Africa, she oversaw the strategy and operations of these
institutions and served on their boards. Prior to joining ProCredit in 2003, Ms
Massiani worked for the international network of BNP Paribas. After
graduating with a degree in financial management, she studied development
finance at the University of London, and political science and international
relations at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris, France.
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Banking and Finance
Banking and Finance
The topics included in the Blue Curriculum do not just represent a list of technical subjects that all
bank employees, regardless of their position, should be familiar with. Rather, they are about gaining a deeper
understanding of the meaning and the relevance of the scope of figures and reports. This requires specific
knowledge of mathematics and reporting, which is provided during the initial courses at the Academy.
Participants are expected to become confident at using numbers and statistics to support their ideas
and findings and the messages they wish to convey. They discuss the structure of our financial reports and
the meaning of each individual position. But to acquire a real understanding they must also develop the
ability to analyse the reports critically. This means being able to identify the relationships between specific
reporting positions, ask the right questions about the information they contain, propose hypotheses about
the reasons behind certain findings, and cross-check their assumptions. Basing judgments and management
decisions merely on indicators without analysing the reason behind value changes is much too simplistic. The
interpretational limits and the possible contradictions of steering a company by using indicators is the subject
of the respective courses.
Based on financial analysis, the question of financing will be addressed from the perspective of both
the institution and the investors who provide it with equity and debt capital. Choices between investment
and financing alternatives are influenced by expectations about profitability, cash repayment and the possible influence on management. The participants’ previously acquired knowledge about profitability calculations, discount modelling, reporting analysis and the “time value of money” concept will be applied in a
different context, and the discussion will be broadened to include a new dimension, namely risk. The concept
of risk increases the complexity of analysis and decision-making. By evaluating the potential impact of risk
events, participants must find ways to prevent and limit both the risks themselves and their possible negative effects.
The challenge is to steer a company successfully, taking the interacting spheres of cost, price, efficiency, responsibility and risk into account. To accomplish this, participants must create measures that
ensure that the company’s overall business strategy is applied and that the achievement of certain business
targets is monitored. In this context, participants will discuss our client strategy in detail. As an exercise they
will develop a business strategy for different types of banks and will convert their strategy into concrete
figures. Through this exercise they not only learn about the technical aspects of producing such a plan, but
they also have to ensure that their business plan is consistent and is presented in a credible manner.
We must avoid falling into the trap of allowing numbers and reports to create a separate world for
themselves, an independent microcosm that seems to follow its own rules and rationale. We should never
forget that, behind all the numbers, calculations and models, the science of economics can only paint a
limited picture of socio-economic reality as a whole. That is why it is so important to discuss economic
theories against the background of their social roots, to study the history of lending and to analyse not only
the social implications of lending operations, but also their environmental implications.
Banking and Finance
Dr Anja Lepp, born 1958, has been a member of staff since 1985. Dr Lepp was
a member of IPC’s management team from 1995 before becoming a manager
at ProCredit Holding in 2008. She is also on the supervisory boards of the
ProCredit banks in Ukraine, Armenia and Bolivia. In addition to her management functions at ProCredit Holding’s and IPC’s head offices in Frankfurt,
Dr Lepp has carried out several long-term assignments in Eastern Europe and
Latin America, serving as a project manager of financial institution-building
projects in Peru and in Kazakhstan and as a manager of ProCredit Bank
Ukraine.
Dr Antje M. Gerhold, born 1967, is a member of the Management Board of
ProCredit Holding and is also on the supervisory boards of several ProCredit
banks. Prior to joining ProCredit Holding, Ms Gerhold was a Managing
Director in the Commerzbank Group. Here she was responsible for the
restructuring of the branch network in the private and business client segment in Germany and, as a divisional head in the Central and Eastern Europe
segment, for strategy, business development, finance and funding. Before
joining Commerzbank, she was a management consultant at an international consulting firm and a university research and teaching assistant. Antje
Gerhold holds a PhD in economics.
Alois Knobloch, born 1971, has a degree in business administration and
business education from the Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. He
joined the staff of ProCredit Holding in 2005 and was part of the team
which set up the ProCredit Academy in Fürth. He became the training coordinator for Latin America in 2010 and manager of the Regional Academy
in Colombia in 2012. His main responsibilities were developing the curricula
for technical topics at the Academies as well as giving lectures in mathematics, statistics, investment and finance, accounting, cost management
and economics. Mr Knobloch has held the position of Head of Finance and
Controlling at ProCredit Holding since March 2014.
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Humanities
Humanities
At the very heart of the Humanities Curriculum are a number of ambitious goals that go far beyond
the mere dissemination of knowledge. Students undertake a study of history in the humanist tradition and are
encouraged to broaden their minds. The thrust of the programme is to foster the same qualities that define
the great Enlightenment thinkers of the 18th century, specifically intellectual rigour and the courage to
question received opinions and traditional world views. We hope to arouse students’ curiosity and to embark
on an exciting journey in search of the facts. To meet these aims, we have developed a course of study that
considers the development of human civilisations in the context of the human condition. According to this
perspective, human beings are seen as products of a long cultural and even longer biological evolution, and
at the same time as drivers of history, pursuing their needs and using their capacities for both co-operation
and competition. This course sets out to identify and discuss the environmental conditions for human
development, and to examine the major stages of human history. This approach is based on the firm belief
that history is unable to explain anything when it is arbitrarily divided into distinct areas or periods of time,
or if it remains nothing more than story-telling. Given this motivation, it is necessary to follow a timeline
that extends from the origins and evolution of life on Earth, through the development of the first complex
human societies and civilisations, to globalisation in the 21st century. While the 18 topics covered follow a
loosely chronological order, they are very much interrelated and continually build on each other in terms
of content. Furthermore, they afford students new perspectives over time, enabling them to make both
informed comparisons and overarching statements in the fields of historical and sociological analysis.
The overall aim of the curriculum is to facilitate a detailed discussion of contemporary relationships
between economic, political and ideological systems. By studying history as a science, we incorporate
the related disciplines of sociology, politics, economics, philosophy and theology, and thus the analysis
of historical events serves merely as a platform for interdisciplinary discussions of complex issues. For
instance: How is power established in political and economic arenas, and in what ways is it used? How
are states and empires formed and organised? What is the basis for collective value or belief systems, and
how do governments legitimise and enforce these ideologies? The teaching methods promote individual
participation: explanations are not simply presented to the class, but are arrived at primarily as the result of
discussions. Students are challenged to search for answers whether they are in class or interacting in smaller
working groups. Nevertheless, their ideas and convictions must be sufficiently well-founded to stand up to
the criticism of others since the emphasis remains on learning and study of the material in a group setting.
Constant challenges, both in an academic and a social sense, are posed by a wide range of projects that
include essays, case studies, presentations and simulations. By striving to ensure that students play an active
part, we give them the scope to ask questions and to offer a meaningful contribution. The focus is not on the
accumulation of abstract knowledge, but rather on the development of a sound understanding of the topics
covered as well as the ability to present and respond to complex ideas. Our aim is that students throughout
the courses will continuously construct their own intellectual frameworks in order to meet questions and
dilemmas related to their private and public lives at home. In this way students will emancipate themselves
from traditional or preformulated doctrines and develop their ability to think autonomously.
Humanities
Denise Griffey, born 1982, is a teacher in the Humanities department at
ProCredit Academy. She gathered extensive teaching experience at the
School of History and Archives in University College Dublin, and taught a
variety of history modules ranging from the medieval to the modern period.
She also served as a research assistant on the Iberian Book Project. She is
a member of the European Reformation Research Group (ERRG), as well as
the Society for the Study of French History. She obtained a BA in European
Studies as well as a Master’s in History from the University of Limerick in
Ireland where she specialised in art and society in Renaissance Europe and
gender history.
Dr Claus-Peter Zeitinger, born 1947, is the Chairman of the Supervisory
Board of ProCredit Holding and founder of IPC. Carrying out numerous
missions in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa, he gathered extensive
experience in the field of development finance and institution building.
He has written a number of studies on subjects relating to target grouporiented lending. At the Academy he teaches anthropology, ancient history
and history of religion. Dr Zeitinger obtained a PhD in economics at the
Goethe University of Frankfurt in 1977.
Brodie Adamson, born 1981, joined the ProCredit Academy in January 2011
as a lecturer in humanities. His main responsibilities now are developing
and facilitating the Introduction Courses at the ProCredit Academy. In this
role and together with ProCredit management, Mr Adamson participates in
the selection and preparation of candidates for the Academy programme.
He also instructs the first three blocks of history during the initial year of
the Academy. He obtained an MA in Economic History from the University
of Auckland in New Zealand and a BA (Hons) in World History from the
University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada. Before joining the
ProCredit Academy, Mr Adamson taught courses in world and American
history at the University of Auckland.
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At the heart of ProCredit as a socially responsible banking group is a strong commitment to have a
positive and sustainable impact on the environment in which we are operating. One key component of this
vision is to actively address, at least in the countries where we operate, the environmental issues that have
become so acute, especially in the last 50 years. A second component is to create a working environment
with our customers and our staff that is characterised by respect, integrity and open communication. These
key components of the ProCredit identity require a deep understanding of the fundamentals and values
we stand for and a credible and effective way of communicating with our clients and our staff. The Green
Modules comprise a total of 11 courses running through the three-year curriculum, conducted with the support of experienced colleagues from ProCredit and IPC. The aim is to encourage and enable the participants
to engage in, discuss, assess, acquire the necessary understanding of, and assertively apply our approach to
three areas: environmental issues, working environment and communication.
The courses on our approach to environmental management are set up to provide participants with a
deep understanding of the causes of global warming, the effects of climate change and the characteristics
and sustainability of the different types of energy, thus enabling them to assess independently and critically
the ongoing international political debates around these issues. The students are presented with and discuss
the institutional environmental management system of the group. Strong focus is put on the need for our
staff to have a high level of awareness about environmental issues, and on the advanced policies that have
been established in the ProCredit banks in the last few years. The students not only gain an in-depth understanding of the why and how of our approach to environmental management but are also enabled to pass
on this knowledge to their staff and colleagues in their respective banks.
When addressing our approach to staff development and management, the focus is clearly put on the
role of managers in creating an environment in which our employees thrive, develop and feel emotionally
attached to the institution. In that context the key elements and rationale behind our values-driven, longterm approach to staff recruitment and development are thoroughly discussed. Over the three years of the
curriculum, students are put into situations where they directly experience the challenges of permanent
communication and constructive feedback, but also the benefits in terms of fostering commitment, openness and integrity in our staff and enabling them to grow personally and professionally over time.
In the courses concerned with our approach to communication, special attention is paid to the
responsibilities of managers in facilitating effective communication among their staff and colleagues, not
only in their own teams but also in their respective banks as a whole. Managers are led to critically assess
their own style of communication based on an understanding of general principles but also and above all
on practical exercises. Through this, they gain an understanding of how crucial their daily approach to communication is in building relationships and sustaining the motivation of their staff. Last but not least, the
elements that make communication towards our clients coherent and credible are discussed in detail.
Given our values-driven identity and constant drive to improve ourselves as an institution, we have
to continuously communicate on where we are heading and why. This requires a strong capacity to transmit, in one’s own words, not only technical knowledge but also our non-negotiable humanistic values and
principles, and our broader understanding of the contexts of our lives and work in an honest, permanent
and self-reflecting way. This is what we expect from our managers and staff.
Gabriele Heber, is a co-founder and co-owner of IPC, and a Managing
Director of the company since 2004. She has played an active role in IPC’s
projects since 1981, initially in the area of renewable energies and later as
a consultant to financial institutions on MSME financing with a regional
focus on Africa and Latin America. Since 2008 she has been responsible for
the business area of environmental and energy financing worldwide and
co-ordinates the project of implementing a three pillar environmental
management system at the ProCredit banks. She holds a degree in chemistry
and has completed post-graduate studies in development finance, sociology
and international relations at the Goethe University of Frankfurt.
Andrea Kaufmann, born 1960, has been working for the ProCredit group
since 2004, first as an IPC employee, and currently as Head of Group Marketing
and Communications at ProCredit Holding. For many years previously she
worked for various global agencies as a consultant for international brand and
corporate communications, developing and implementing integrated strategies
and campaigns, and supervising the launch of new corporate identities. As a
trained banker with a Master’s degree in marketing communications, she
combines her solid theoretical knowledge with practical experience in the
financial sector.
Mareike Wolter, born 1984, is a specialist in adult learning and train-thetrainer courses. She joined IPC’s Education and Skills Development Team in
2010. During her studies she acquired valuable practical experience working
for various organisations as a trainer. Her main strengths lie in the
development of training concepts, taking into account the important role
played by cultural environments. She has gained both academic and
practical experience in Germany and Eastern Europe and possesses a good
command of several languages. At the Academy she teaches communication
skills and several topics focusing on management skills.
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Programme Structure
Year 1
Block I
Block IV
Basics of Financial Mathematics and Statistics
Analysing real-life problems with mathematical models, drawing conclusions from large sets of data and presenting them by
using statistics, discussing the financial and economic impact
of discounting effects and marginal considerations
Teacher: Boban Kostadinovski
4.5
Financial Analysis
Analysing the financial statements of the banks and the holding company, learning about the allurement and the limitations of assessing and managing a company by using ratios,
linking operational results with financial performance
Teachers: Jana Donath, Robert Holzmann
5
The Origins of Human Civilisations:
The Social Cage in Ancient Egypt
Emergence, existence and downfall of state and civilisation
in the Nile Valley from 4000 to 1200 B.C.E.
Teacher: Brodie Adamson
5.5
Oikos and Polis in the Archaic and Classical Age of
Greek Civilisation
Greek modes of economic and political organisation
Nation-building during the epic struggle between the Greeks
and Persians
5
Teacher: Denise Griffey
Block II
Block V
Financial Reporting
Learning the way businesses present their performance using
financial statements, finding out what kind of information
the recipients of such statements can gain and what they are
typically interested in, discussing the benefits and limits of this
information as a support for decision making
Teachers: Alois Knobloch, Markus Müller, Robert Holzmann 5
Introduction to Philosophy
The origins of Greek philosophy
The Presocratics, the Sophists, Socrates and the
Practical Turn in philosophy
Plato, Aristotle; further influences
Teacher: Alejandro Fontcuberta
5
The Origins of Human Civilisations:
The Sources of Social Power in Ancient Mesopotamia
State and empire-building in Mesopotamia from
4000 to 600 B.C.E.
Alexander the Great and the Age of Hellenism
Universalism and individualism under divine kings
Stoicism, Epicureanism and mystery religions as
outgrowths of the Zeitgeist
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5
Block III
Block VI
Climate Change and Climate Politics:
An Environmental Capacity Building Course
Causes of global warming; Effects of climate change;
Mitigation and adaptation; International climate policy
Teacher: Carina Dunker
Risk Management and Prevention of Financial Crime
An introduction to risk management with a special focus
on financial risk management, operational risk management
and the prevention of financial crime
5
Teachers: Anja Lepp, Janosch Witte
The Catastrophic End of the Bronze Age and the
Dawn of the Iron Age
Indo-European migrations
The Sea Peoples phenomenon
The new order of the Middle East
Zoroastrianism, and the coming of the Greeks
Public Feedback
Giving meaningful and constructive feedback
Understanding how others see you
Excursion to Paris
3
5
Management: Internal Communication as an Institution
The manager’s responsibilities in regards to communication
Ensuring effective communication
The role of communication in motivation
Communication as strategy
Teacher: Mareike Wolter
5
2
Block VII
History of Religion: Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity
The emergence and spread of global and dogmatic mindsets
From polytheistic “maintenance of cosmic order” to an ethicisation of religion and normative monotheistic belief
Teachers: C.-P. Zeitinger, Denise Griffey, Rolf Kreitel
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Programme Structure
Year 2
Block I
Block IV
ProCredit as an Employer: Our Approach to Staff Development
What are the key features of our approach to recruitment and
staff development? What is expected from ProCredit employees? What type of working environment makes employees
thrive and identify with the institution?
Teachers: Sandrine Massiani, Julia Pruhtovich, Ana Okleska
4
Investment and Finance
Evaluating investment and finance decisions using financial
statements, marginal consideration and discount modelling,
comparing debt and equity financing, discussing the role of
risk and risk diversification in your decision-making process
Teachers: Robert Holzmann, Alois Knobloch
4
The Rise and Decline of the Roman Republic
Political transformation and development: from monarchy
to republic
From city-state to Mediterranean empire: Roman imperialism
Social conflicts, popular politics, dictatorship and revolution
6
The High Middle Ages: Transformation, Crisis, Disaster
and Renewal
The evolution of feudalism
Church/state tension and the church as monarchy
Expansion of Christendom and the crusading movement,
religious dissent and persecution
6
Block II
Block V
Cost Controlling
Seeing cost controlling in the light of strategic profitability
considerations, managing the usage of resources and increasing
efficiency by knowing the behaviour of costs and by
monitoring their drivers
Teachers: Alois Knobloch, Robert Holzmann, Achim Freund
4
Internal Controls and Internal Audit
A hands-on approach to designing and evaluating
internal control systems in banking processes
Teachers: Marion Bouillie, Sandrine Massiani
3
The Roman Empire and its Fall
Augustan Rome and the crafting of the Principate
Governing the empire: provincial administration, retrenchment
and the legionary economy
Political and social decay, the “barbarian” invasions
and the rise of Christianity
5
Renaissance and Reformation
Birth of a new society
New ethics and ways of thinking
Politics, economy, religion and religious wars
Teacher: Rolf Kreitel
6
Excursion to Rome
Excursion to Florence
Block III
Block VI
Energy Politics, Water and Waste
Depletion of resources
Water consumption and water scarcity
Alternative energy resources and energy efficiency
Waste management
Teacher: Gabi Heber
Management of Credit Risks
What does credit risk management mean for us?
The right kind of people in credit risk
High loan portfolio quality and responsibility in banking
Teachers: Borislav Kostadinov, Eriola Bibolli,
Rumyana Todorova, Adela Leka
5
New Horizons: European Expansion and the New
Transatlantic World Economy
Discovery, conquest and annihilation of the New World
Consolidation of state system and the emergence of
national economies
5
4
Understanding the Dark Ages: Civilisations of the Early
Medieval World
Rise of the Carolingian Empire and development of the
Papal-Frankish alliance
Emergence of new political orders and the search for
governable political units
Christendom and the emergence of feudalism
Islamic conquests: rise and development of the Caliphate
5
Public Feedback
1
17
18
Programme Structure
Year 3
Block I
Block IV
Group Strategy and Business Management
How can we become the preferred bank for very small, small
and medium-sized businesses in our markets? Understanding
our business model, our client profiles, our services and our
institutional set-up in order to achieve our institutional goals.
Teachers:
Antje Gerhold, Emilia Spirovska, Ilir Aliu, Andreea Enache
5
Business Planning
Dealing with current market situations, given limitations,
resources on hand and strengths obtained in order to break
down your strategic vision into concrete and achievable plans,
developing coherent objectives considering both internal and
external factors
Teachers: Alois Knobloch, Achim Freund
4
The Enlightenment Period and its Philosophy
Establishing the secular mindset and the foundation of the
liberal perspective
The ideas of individualism, human rights and democracy
The Abyss of History:
The Totalitarian Regimes of the 20th Century
The crisis of the old order
The rise of secular and pseudo-scientific ideologies
The perversion of the social contract and the loss of humanity
4
5
The Choice for Europe:
Economic and Political Integration of the EU
1
Excursion to Weimar and the Nazi Concentration Camp
Buchenwald
Block II
Block V
ProCredit: Management in Practice
Reviewing concepts and tools for “people management“
Assessing the quality of your communication skills as a
manager
Teacher: Mareike Wolter
Meet our Software Provider: Quipu
Software and services designed for ProCredit banks
Teacher: Gian Marco Felice
2
The Cave and the Light - History of Moral and
Political Philosophy
Teachers: Rolf Kreitel, C.-P. Zeitinger
3
Climate Change in a Global Political Context
Simulation of a United Nations summit on climate change
Policy-making in a complex global environment
Teachers: Carina Dunker, Rolf Kreitel
4
Revolutions: The American Union of Republics and
the French Revolution
The renaissance of the republic as a political concept in
the New World
The Proclamation of Human Rights
Totalitarian terror in France
Public Feedback
3
6
1
Block III
Credible Communication
The role and importance of coherent and credible messages
Understanding and addressing our clients successfully
Developing and managing a corporate image and language
Teacher: Andrea Kaufmann
3
The Industrial Revolution, Imperialism and the Emergence
of the Organised Mass Society
The different paths to industrialisation in Europe and the US
Institutional foundations of the modern economic world order
The social and political implications
4
The ProCredit Approach to Environmental Management
Energy markets, energy efficiency & renewable energy sources
Environmental management systems
ProCredit’s three-pillar approach
Teacher: Borislav Kostadinov
3
1
19
Rome
Bringing History to Life: Our Excursions
Paris
Florence
20
The Fürth Academy Introduction Courses, running four times per year over a one-month period,
are meant to give candidates a taste of Academy life and to help them understand what is expected of
Academy participants. It is a mirror into which the candidates can look in order to form an initial selfassessment. The course also imparts the necessary tools to succeed in the Academy. Organisational and
structural aspects are focused on in order to give students the means to juggle multiple tasks in condensed periods of time. Analytical and critical faculties are developed, tested and honed. Students learn
to evaluate difficult subject matter and swiftly form critical opinions.
The course also seeks to create a stable foundation on which we can construct subsequent models
of humanity. All theoretical models of human behaviour, whether philosophical or socio-economic, begin
with a set of general assumptions about humanity. Every major scholar who investigated the human
condition, from Aristotle, to Adam Smith, to Kant, to Marx, had their own answer to the question “who
are we and what is human nature?” However, most of these great thinkers did not base their foundational
assumptions on material facts, but rather on pure intellectual discourse. The Introduction Course seeks to
combine observed facts and educated discussion, to create scientifically defensible foundations on which
we can develop subsequent models and hypotheses.
In order to achieve this goal, we must understand not only humanity, but also our place in the
natural world and the universe. This field of study is called Big History. It tackles the story of our universe not with mathematical formulas and scientific experimentation, but instead as a narrative journey
launched from the shoulders of generations of scientists from every field of human inquiry. We do not
know all parts of this story, and perhaps we never will, but through carefully guided examination of the
evidence, coupled with educated debate and discussion, we can construct a detailed understanding of
the human story.
In order to tell this story, we must rewind back 13.7 billion years. Students will explore the beginnings
of our universe, and some of the fundamental laws which govern it. They will gain an understanding of the
Earth’s place in the cosmos, and the twin mechanisms which govern life on Earth: evolution and genetics.
With a sound natural basis in place, the course will dive into humanity, seeking to reconnect our species
with nature. Students will explore such topics as the evolution of the human brain and societies, the link
between biological and cultural evolution, and consequently, for better or for worse, humanity’s near total
conquest of the planet.
Although humans are at the centre of the story, they are not celebrated. This course will challenge
most, if not all, of the participant’s preconceived assumptions about humanity and the universe. Frequently,
the evidence will point in directions that at first are puzzling, then troubling. Strict materialistic principles lie
at the heart of the course, and no point of view or perspective is safe unless arguments can be made using
empirical facts. All assumptions which are based on the notion of superhuman intelligence or a creator will
be rejected. However, not only the believers will be disturbed. All those who view humanity as the pinnacle
of evolution, or who hold humans to be supremely rational beings, or who resist seeing the biological and
evolutionary roots of even the most cherished human behaviours, will have their assumptions shaken.
In the spirit of intellectual inquiry, the Introduction Course is very participant-focused. Students are
required to take partial ownership for their own learning and developmental process. Presentations, both
spontaneous and with preparation time, written assignments, and intensive discussions are the hallmark
of this discovery-learning approach. Meaningful participation is key: the more a candidate engages with
the course, the more they will take away from it. The condensed nature and the wide breadth of topics
make this course a challenging experience. However, with a positive attitude and an open mind, students
will not only prepare for the Academy but develop both personally and professionally.
21
22
The Campus
The Campus
The Infrastructure of the ProCredit Academy
The Academy is situated in beautiful, tranquil surroundings in the heart of Germany’s Odenwald
region and is a one-hour drive from Frankfurt Airport and ProCredit Holding’s headquarters.
The Academy welcomed its first group of participants in January 2006; it now has a total of 100
bedrooms (all en-suite), seven seminar rooms and a large dining hall. In addition, there are three lounges
with fireplaces where informal conversations take place. Two computer rooms offer access to the Internet,
and extensive common areas provide space in which to spend free time. Sport and leisure activities are
also offered.
The entire hotel team strives to make the participants’ stay a pleasant one and to take guests’
individual wishes into account.
Pelin Uyar is the office manager at the Academy. She is responsible for arranging arrival and departure schedules and for liaising with the banks to organise
visas for the participants. Together with the service and housekeeping staff, she
makes sure that everyone has a bed to sleep in and that the seminar rooms are
equipped with all the necessary teaching materials. In addition to her administrative duties, Pelin looks after participants’ individual needs and concerns.
She supports them in everything from retrieving a lost suitcase to arranging a
doctor’s appointment.
Chef Melanie Schmitt and
The service area is the
her team cook fresh, well-
responsibility of Zekiye
balanced meals every day.
Alkan. Together with her
The dishes are placed on a
team, she looks after the
self-service buffet and salad
guests’ well-being and
bar, allowing participants to
ensures that every guest
pick and choose as they like.
feels at home from checkin to departure.
Jan Meiss is responsible
Every day, Mina Kukavica
for technical support and
and her team of cleaners
transportation. He deals
see to it that everything is
ably with all major and
sparkling clean and ready
minor technical and logis-
to use again.
tical issues.
ProCredit Holding
Hammelbacher Str. 2
Rohmerplatz 33-37
64658 Fürth-Weschnitz, Germany
60486 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
phone +49-(0)6253 - 20 08-0
phone +49-(0)69 - 95 14 37-0
fax
fax
+49-(0)6253 - 20 08-200
+49-(0)69 - 95 14 37-168
email info@procredit-holding.com
carbon neutral
natureOffice.com | DE-198-825134
www.procredit-holding.com
print production
© ProCredit Academy 2015
ProCredit Academy

ProCredit Academy - ProCredit Holding

Transcription

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