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Course catalogue

Find individual courses here or browse the curricula of our graduate and executive programmes.
For the PhD programmes, please find more information here.

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Executive MPA Executive training

Leadership in Local Government

Course-ID: EMPA-E1033
Instructor(s): Bakoyannis, Kostas

Abstract

“Local solutions to global problems” is not just a slogan. In 2024, all politics is local. In an increasingly complex and dynamic world of multiple and overlapping crises, local authorities often find themselves at the eye of a perfect storm. It has become vital to tackle global issues, including questions of growth, the climate crisis, socio-economic inequalities, public health, and the digital transition, from the local perspective. This course helps you to think about these questions like a Mayor and aims to create a learning platform to explore and understand the principles, strategies, and best practices of public policy.

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Executive MPA Executive training

Making Change Feasible: Institutional Change and Reform

Course-ID: EMPA-E1019
Instructor(s): Wegrich, Kai

Abstract

Solving public problems requires change – of policies, institutions, or organisations. But such changes are notoriously difficult to achieve since they create winners and losers and require questioning established practices and believes. In this course we unpack these challenges and explore various strategies to achieve successful policy, organisational, and institutional change. We will use conceptual tools from political science and public administration research to understand real-world cases (some of which you bring to class) and reflect on your personal experiences with change in light of research. The course aims at developing your analytical skills and reflection capacity, i.e. to make you smarter in the way you approach change processes in your own professional context.

 

Main learning objectives:

• Understanding the challenges of policy, institutional and organizational change.

• Developing analytical capacities to understand constraints and opportunities for leading/supporting change.

• Explore strategies for change.

• Strengthen the reflective capacity.

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Executive MPA Executive training

Managing multi-stakeholder processes in partnership settings

Course-ID: EMPA-SC-28
Instructor(s): Weber-Fahr, Monika

Abstract

Working in partnerships and alliances has become a phenomenon of growing relevance, both for public sector agencies and for businesses. One major driver has been the sheer complexity and size of (global) challenges faced by organizations looking to succeed; other drivers have emerged from the benefits of specialization and from regulatory pressures. Whether partnerships and alliances are collaborations in support of common goals – such as joint research, marketing, influencing or solution development - operating in such settings presents unique challenges for the organizations involved as well as for those shaping and operating the settings for collaboration. The course will explore the management challenges emerging when building and engaging with partnerships and alliances, specifically in regard to stakeholder management. Concepts and tools for analyzing, designing, and shaping stakeholder management approaches will be introduced, respectively from the vantage points of sovereign decision-makers (governments and their sub-national entities), private sector entities, and of civil society. Each module will offer opportunities for practical application of analytical and managerial tools by working through challenges that present themselves to existing partnerships and alliances, considering their evolution, progress made, and likely future. Participants will learn how and why specific choices – in terms of organizational setting and management practice - can hinder progress or be a means of introducing innovation into stakeholder engagement processes and shaping effective decision-making. Participants will take from the course a set of tools and analytical approaches highly relevant for designing, assessing, leading, managing and working with a diverse group of stakeholders in (global) partnerships and alliances in private and public settings.

This course is best for you if you are involved in activities that involve stakeholder management - or will involve stakeholder management - ideally in a partnership context. The course is designed to build on - and help you work through - your own professional challenges in stakeholder management/partnership building.

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Executive MPA Executive training

Managing non-profit and non-government organisations

Course-ID: EMPA-SC-26
Instructor(s): Anheier, Helmut

Abstract

The increased importance of nonprofit organizations - as service providers, as vehicles of developmental or humanitarian assistance, as policy advocates and social innovators, and as instruments of government reform and privatization - have moved this set of institutions closer to the center of management studies and policy agendas. The course will briefly introduce the conceptual background, and, for the most part, deal with management topics, models, and practical aspects. The course uses a variety of instructional formats, e.g., brief introductory lectures, exercises, in-class presentations, and a guest lecture.

 

Main learning objectives:

• Become familiar with the role of nonprofit organizations, and their specific management requirements.

• Appreciate the differences in the governance and the management of nonprofit organizations compared to public agencies and business firms.

• Gain initial experience in management tools as they apply to nonprofit organizations

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Executive MPA Executive training

Mediation and negotiation in international affairs

Course-ID: EMPA-SC-21
Instructor(s): Sporrer, Wolfgang

Abstract

This course will:

1. examine how the tools of negotiation and mediation are used in international affairs,

2. give hands-on advice on how to become a better negotiator in large and small settings.

The course is strongly based on real-life experience, simulation and practical exercises.

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Executive MPA Executive training

Microeconomics of the public sector

Course-ID: EMPA-E1030
Instructor(s): Traxler, Christian

Abstract

Objectives: The course introduces key concepts of economics - supply, demand and the idea of market equilibrium - in an intuitive and non-technical manner. The course moves beyond the notion of efficient market outcomes and discusses the role for governmental interventions in case of market failure. The course also introduces empirical (quasi-experimental evaluation approaches) as well as theoretical methods (game theory) that are key in applied microeconomics. Overall, participants will gain a thorough yet passive understanding of professional economists' way of thinking and a concise overview of key topics and insights from applied microeconomics.

 

Methods: The sessions will be a combination of lectures, policy discussions, and discussions of group work.

 

No background in economics or mathematics is necessary.

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Executive MPA Executive training

Policy-making: Actors, institutions and processes

Course-ID: EMPA-C1001
Instructor(s): Anheier, Helmut

Abstract

Public policies are governmental activities addressing societal problems. Public policymaking is therefore closely linked to the idea of problem-solving. This problem-solving, however, is situated in a political setting shaped by divergent interests, power games and inherent uncertainty about the future. How public policies are designed and implemented is, therefore, shaped by the interaction of a variety of actors pursuing their specific interests. Policy analysis is about the link between politics and problem-solving (enacting policies). This course introduces a governance perspective to the process of policymaking, including the design and the tools public policies. Specifically:

1. Governance and politics: What is governance, and how does it relate to politics, policies, and public administration?

2. What is the role of the state, and how does it relate to power? What is policy design, what tools do governments have to implement policies, how can they monitor performance?

3. Where do innovations come from, and how and why?

 

Main learning objectives:

Firstly, students will become familiar with the concept of governance as well as the elements and different stages of the policy process: How are policy problems put on the agenda of decision-making? How are policies formulated, implemented and evaluated? Secondly, students will review different types of policy instruments. How to make sure policies achieve their goals? How to make citizens and business follow the rules? Thirdly, students will understand the key role of actors and institutions in the policy process and their crucial role in shaping public policy: Who are the actors in the policy field and how do they interact? What role do ideas play in shaping problems and their suggested solutions? And how do institutions structure policy change, and how do innovations come about?

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Executive MPA Executive training

Political communication

Course-ID: EMPA-SC-24
Instructor(s): Novy, Leonard

Abstract

In modern democracies, political communication constitutes a pivotal resource and necessity for political institutions, the private sector, and civil society. However, it's not just what one communicates that matters, but also how. This course combines strategic reflection with practical experience and training, enabling students to grasp and navigate the intricate interplay between media, politics, and citizenry. It introduces crucial concepts such as the role of the public sphere in modern democracies, emerging trends, and practical skills in a highly interactive and reflective manner. The emphasis lies on principles and tools such as campaigning, framing, crisis communication, etc., which are elucidated through concrete examples and case studies. Ultimately, students will acquire a repertoire of practical tools that will enhance their effectiveness in media appearances or public speaking engagements.

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Executive MPA Executive training

Power and influence: Leadership in action

Course-ID: EMPA-C1005
Instructor(s): Mair, Johanna

Abstract

In a world in which most organizations, communities, and societies face enormous challenges, leadership is critical. This course gets to the core of leadership and getting things done. Power and Influence is a course for those of you who want to make things happen, despite the obstacles that might stand in your way. It is about understanding power dynamics and learning to use them as effective tools for analyzing your surroundings and achieving your goals. During the course, we intend to unearth your implicit theories and feelings about power and influence. These have a profound impact on how you perceive problems and opportunities, and subsequently, how you decide upon particular courses of action.

 

Main Topics and Learning Objectives:

This course includes conceptual models, self-assessment tools and simulation exercises to help you develop your own influence style and understand political dynamics as they unfold around you. The course provides you with the opportunity to observe effective and ineffective uses of power in different organizational contexts and career stages. By design, this course will challenge you to define for yourself what will constitute the responsible exercise of power and influence in your life. The objectives of the course are to help you:

1. Develop a conceptual framework for understanding power and influence. You should be able to define power and influence and begin to appreciate how essential they are for your own career.

2. Practice diagnostic skills that will enable you to map out the political landscape, understand others' perspectives and power bases, and learn to predict and influence their actions.

3. Assess your own power bases and develop your own strategy for building and exercising power and influence ethically and responsibly.

 

Teaching Methods:

The course relies on a mix of traditional case studies, biographical case studies of historical figures, exercises/simulations, films, and guest visits. The exposure to the development and use of power in many different social settings and at various points in history allows a comprehensive analysis of power in action

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Executive MPA Executive training

Scenario-building and foresight

Course-ID: EMPA-SC-16
Instructor(s): Gnad, Oliver

Abstract

Decision-making in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world can quickly become a costly and risky endeavor – especially in the realm of foreign and security affairs. To lower risks in decision-making, to widen decision makers’ perspectives and to provide them with policy options, Foresight Analysis is one of the most powerful analytic methods in an analyst’s quiver. Foresight Analysis helps analysts and political advisors to undertake estimative analysis, which involves thinking systematically about the various ways the future is likely to unfold and what is most likely to determine the eventual outcome. The objective of Foresight Analysis is not to predict the future, but to generate a solid set of scenarios that can bound the range of plausible alternative futures. Foresight Analysis is most useful when a situation is complex and the outcomes too uncertain to trust a single prediction. It has proven highly effective in helping analysts, decision makers, and policymakers contemplate multiple futures, challenge their assumptions, and anticipate surprise developments by identifying “unknown unknowns” – i.e., factors, forces, or players that one did not realize were important or influential before commencing the exercise.

 

Main Topics and Learning Objectives

– Understanding the difference between prediction, prognosis, forecasting, and foresight

– Getting acquainted with the concept of cognitive biases and intuitive traps and how the prevent human being from thinking clearly ('fast and slow thinking')

– Familiarization with the six main Structured Analytic Techniques (with an emphasis on Strategic Foresight and Scenario Thinking)

– Learning how to conduct a full strategic foresight cycle

 

Teaching Methods

Course participants will be introduced to a variety of Structured Analytical Techniques (SATs): Cognitive Biases; Key Assumptions Check, Key Driver Analysis, Actors and Stakeholder Mapping, Scenario Development (2x2 matrix), Indicator Development and Evaluation, Strategy Development

 

Target Group

Mid-career managers in Global Risk Units (private sector); Policy Planning Staffs (public sector); Think Tankers (Geopolitics)

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Executive MPA Executive training

Social innovation for public purpose

Course-ID: EMPA-E1016
Instructor(s): Mair, Johanna

Abstract

The scale of social and environmental problems drives a sense of urgency and frustration with old recipes. These challenges have legitimized a collective quest for new solutions — innovations! With this focus on innovation has come a tendency to adopt the language of markets and business, such as social ventures, hybrid business models, and impact investing. We have also seen increasing interest by policy makers and governments in social innovation as a complementary or possibly competing approach to tackle social problems of public interest. In this course, we will review current debates and new practices in the field of social innovation to assess whether and how innovation is the holy grail of progress and development. During the course, we adopt the perspective of organizations that pursue social ends by relying on entrepreneurial means. We delve into the realities of organizations operating across issue domains and geographies, and carefully examine their approaches to innovation, scaling, and impact. The course will also address social innovation as a relevant topic for the private, social, and public sector.

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Executive MPA Executive training

Strategic and performance management

Course-ID: EMPA-C1004
Instructor(s): Hammerschmid, Gerhard; George, Bert

Abstract

The first part of this course centres on explaining the foundations of strategic management. This includes a discussion of what strategy actually entails specifically in a public-sector context, and how strategic planning relates to strategic management. Indeed, strategic planning is perhaps the most popular managerial approach in contemporary organizations – but what is it, how does it fit within a strategic management system and (when) does it actually “work” (or not)? At the heart of this elaboration lies the idea that strategic management is, above all, something managers, policymakers and other professional “do” – and underlying the success of strategic management are the core concepts of strategic thinking, strategic acting and strategic learning. Strategic management should thus be, above all, not a series of fixed “steps” but, rather, a set of tools and approaches that practitioners can draw on, taking into account their context and the issue at hand, and with the aim of achieving better performance.

The second part of this course is designed to give a compact introduction into core ideas and concepts of performance management and specific instruments and how this is linked to strtategic management. Students get an understanding for different components of a performance management system such as structures, performance targets and performance indicators but also more recent developments such as dashboards or OKR.

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