[german]
Anyone who stops learning is old,
whether at twenty or eighty.  Anyone who keeps learning stays young.   The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.

Henry Ford
(1863 - 1947, Entrepreneur)


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Part-Time Distance Learning

With business administration knowledge, career success works

The learning concept without deadlines makes the studies at the Betriebwirtschaftliches Institut & Seminar Basel flexible / Economic building blocks complement basic subjects

BASEL / SWITZERLAND (01.07.09) - Studying and career, the balancing act is possible: A part-time study does not only please managers. Employees with high input such as engineers or chemists remain available during the time for company operations. With economic knowledge many new career opportunities become available for successful employees. Flexible study time without deadlines makes the continuous education path easier for working students.

Two times a year in April and October the nine to twelve month intensive course in business administration begins at the Betriebwirtschaftliches Institut & Seminar Basel. Ten modules on the classical "Introduction to Business Administration" including balance sheets, controlling, marketing, finance, management, the basics of economics, and others, are in the curriculum at the Institute which has been in existence since 1999. About 100 people enroll yearly in the Intensive Courses.

"I have to deepen my business knowledge" said Andrea Michel (38) capacity planner at Adam Opel GmbH, from Bodenheim close to Mainz, Germany. A study with attendance obligations was not an option so Andrea Michel chose a flexible leaning concept without deadlines. For two to three weeks she did not have any time at all due to stress at work, then after that she studied for twelve hours in a row. During her studies sports like golf, climbing, and skiing never came too short.

The twelve month Intensive study was not the first contact with business material for a Swiss participant (35) who lives in Bern, Switzerland. During her administrative management study at the University she saw different materials in information management and economics and business international relations. "I already completed one or two semesters in economics", she said. Besides the required curses in business and economics she also took other management classes. "The basic knowledge I already had has now been expanded and deepened." The exciting connection between work and further education lead to a thesis on better customer service and satisfaction. The balancing act succeeded with a 75 page comprehensive work on the introduction of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) at a telephone company.

With business administration to the top
"Without business knowledge the road to the top is blocked" realized Frank Memmler (46) from the Magdeburg area of Saxony-Anhalt during his professional life. The educator switched jobs after positions as a teacher and radio studio manager to the communications department of a career rehabilitation company. Within three years he was the assistant manager. To be able to flexibly complete a business administration study was the motive for the additional studies to the degree of Business Economist (BI).

Personal Leaning for life
Distance learning requires more self-discipline than a regular course. However, not even distance leaning can work without exams. After each subject there is a mid-exam to complete, however with a self-determined return date. According to Dr. Ralf Andreas Thoma "personal learning" plays an important role in which the principals "to demand and to encourge" count. "Only those who are able to quickly and precisely develop, constantly update, and separate the essential from the non-essential relevant knowledge, will obtain long-term success", advises Dr. Thoma.

"We want to distribute compact practice oriented business administration knowledge", said the head of studies Dr. Thoma. The participants, managers and junior staff, should be prepared to apply the knowledge within their companies.

The plan worked out
With the completion certificate in pocket the plan worked out for Andrea Michel and Frank Memmler. Andrea Michel will be manager of the department of capacity and resource planning at a car delivery company. According to her, the overall picture for this decision came from a headhunter. The experience of the course and the experience with stress management helped her in the assessment center and during her work on case studies. Her independent commitment looked good in the eyes of her boss and helped with her salary negotiations. However the monetary advantages were not her main motive. "I did it for myself", said Michel.

Frank Memmler climbed to the position of assistant manager with the responsibility of about 100 employees. The jump to the top is his main goal, and business administration knowledge makes that possible.

Further education was an important next step for another participant in her own business. "For future application I added another Mosaik piece to the picture so that I have a completed finished picture" she said.

Further information:
Betriebswirtschaftliches Institut und Seminar Basel AG
Dr. Ralf Andreas Thoma
Eisengasse 6
CH-4051 Basel / Switzerland
Telephone +41 (0)61 261 2000
Telefax +41 (0)61 261 6636
E-Mail: info@bwl-institut.ch
Internet: www.business-education.ch