Overview
Context of the Sustainable Business - Strategy and Innovation course at Freie Universität Berlin
Climate change, environmental pollution, waste of resources and the decline of biodiversity clearly show mankind that processes of change are necessary. On a policy level, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris climate agreement and the Green New Deal are setting the stage, at the corporate level, standards such as environmental social and governance (ESG) reporting, supply chain integrity and voluntary certification, and diversity are critical to long-term business success.
How are companies innovating towards more sustainability today? What are the criteria, the success factors and the strategic approaches to tackle consumer, policy, employee and societal demand for more sustainability?
One focus will be on the development of a sustainable business model or project, based on which we will learn and try out modern methods such as the Sustainable Business Canvas, Design Thinking, Effectuation and the Blue Ocean Strategy.
Housing
Wheelchair-accessible housing is available upon request. Please see our website for a full description of the furnished single-occupancy studio apartment and note that the registration deadline for this housing option is one month before the regular registration deadline!
About FUBiS
The Freie Universität Berlin International Summer and Winter University (FUBiS) is an intensive, academic program through which students can earn credits that may be counted towards their degrees at their home institutions. FUBiS sessions run for three to six weeks and take place both in summer and winter.
Courses
Students can choose between subject courses (mostly taught in English) and German language and culture courses. The 50+ subject courses are offered within the fields of Architecture, Art History, Politics, Law, History, Media Studies, Economics, Sustainability, Literature, Philosophy, Film, and Music. German language and culture courses are available for up to five different levels of proficiency.
Field Trips
Field trips are an integral part of all our courses. In addition, FUBiS offers excursions such as to the Berlin Reichstag building (seat of the German Parliament) and a guided tour through the underworlds of Berlin, or a day trip to Potsdam.
Programme Structure
Topics
- Corporate Social Responsibility & business sustainability strategy.
Entrepreneurship, Social entrepreneurship and Sustainability-oriented Business Model Development.
- Management methods for dealing with uncertainty. Design Thinking and principles of innovation
Audience
Student Testimonials
- "I've obtained new perspectives and insights throughout the course and it's really good for my development!"
- "I’ve learned so much in such a short amount of time and every penny of my money felt well spent on this class."
- "Overall, the professor was fantastic! He was extremely knowledgeable about the subjects and created a very comfortable learning environment."
- "The course was comprehensive, straight-forward, and incredibly well taught and the excursions presented were incredible as well. I'm so grateful to have taken this class."
Lecturers
Instructor: Oliver Schmidt
Key information
Duration
- Full-time
- 28 days
Start dates & application deadlines
- Starting
- Apply before
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Language
Credits
Delivered
Disciplines
Business Administration Innovation Management Sustainable Energy View 21 other Short Courses in Sustainable Energy in GermanyAcademic requirements
We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.
English requirements
We are not aware of any English requirements for this programme.
Student insurance
Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:
- Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
- Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
- Liability
- Home contents and baggage
- Accidents
- Legal aid
We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.
Get your student insurance nowStarting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.
Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at Freie Universität Berlin and/or in Germany, please visit Student Insurance Portal.
Other requirements
General requirements
Students should be able to speak and read English at the upper intermediate level (B2) or higher. No prior knowledge is required but the willingness to think beyond the usual framings on migration.
Required language skills
The language of instruction is English. Language proficiency on an advanced Intermediate level (Mittelstufe II) is a prerequisite for participation. For orientation purposes, you can assess your language skills via the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
Tuition Fee
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International
1300 EUR/fullTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 1300 EUR for the full programme during 28 days. -
EU/EEA
1300 EUR/fullTuition FeeBased on the tuition of 1300 EUR for the full programme during 28 days.
Program fee: 300 EUR (250 EUR incl. early bird discount)
Living costs for Berlin
The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.