Third wave of highly qualified professionals for utility sector: European Utility Management MBA graduates celebrate degree

On October 17, 2008, Jacobs University bid farewell to its third successful class of the part-time Executive MBA program in European Utility Management (EUM). Twelve graduates from four European countries, working for six major European utility companies received their final degree and are ready to enter the international labor market equipped with enriched skills and capabilities.

[ Oct 17, 2008]  Beginning with the traditional graduate procession, the ceremony continued with a welcome speech by the director of the program, Professor Andreas Bausch. Bausch congratulated the students for their hard work and perseverance during the program and wished them a successful future career in the challenging utility market. Greetings were also expressed by Joachim Treusch, Jacobs University President, Hendrik Birus, Vice President and Academic Dean, the key note speaker Uwe Schramm, CEO and human resources director of the Bremen utility company swb, as well as representatives of the EUM Class of 2008. All speakers expressed a strong conviction that the program will be of crucial importance for the future career plans of the graduates, allowing them to meet all the challenges of the modern global market, while fully developing their individual potential.

Several of the newly graduated utility managers, in accordance with the currently eminent life-long learning trend, had decided to go back to university after already having gathered extended work experience. Over the course of two years, they further developed their flexibility by meeting their job and study obligations at the same time. Additionally, the interactive character of the lectures especially stimulated the constant exchange of knowledge and experience during the numerous class and projects discussions. The motivation of the students was mainly based on the increasingly high demand, particularly in the utility sector, for professionals with an understanding of globalized business and management. In this respect, Jacobs University’s European Utility Management program is worldwide unique as it combines the training of essential management skills and specific utility industry knowledge with the university’s two major educational pillars of multiculturality and transdisciplinarity.