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Barbara Stöttinger: innovative studying environment and programs’ variety is WU Vienna's success

Nina Kolyako, BC, Riga/Vienna, 07.10.2015.Print version
The new rector of WU Vienna, Prof. Edeltraud Hanappi-Egger, has appointed Assoc. Prof. Barbara Stöttinger as the WU Executive Academy's new dean. Prof. Stöttinger took over from her predecessor, Prof. Bodo B. Schlegelmilch, on October 1, 2015. Under her deanship, WU Vienna's business school is to continue its successful track record. BC during the press tour to Vienna had a pleasure to make an interview with Barbara, concerning to studying at WU Executive Academy.

BC: What kind of experience is needed to study at WU Executive Academy?

 

Barbara Stöttinger: There is no general answer to this question, we have very different programs.

 

At the MBA level, there is a usual level of experience and it varies from the program. For example, for PBMA is minimum 3 years of education. However, if you look at the actual level of the participants, they are much more advanced in their career: from 7 to 10 years, but in executive MBA even 10-15 years. Leadership experience is although needed.

 

BC: What are the tuition fees?

 

B.S.: For the professional MBA – around EUR 30, 000, Executive MBA – EUR 45,000 for the entire program. If to compare this prices to the competitives, there is pretty good price/value relationship. We concentrate more on the price, but on the value. Now we are investigating more and more on scholarship options and new region, including Poland and the Baltic States.

 

We’re although giving advice and look for different financial options. For example, in many countries you are given tax brackets, and we’re open to help.

 

BC: Students from which countries are studying at WU Executive Academy? Are there any from the Baltic States?

 

B.S.: The most international students come from Russia and altogether there are 80% international students from 27 countries. Altogether, there were learning 23,000 students at the WU Campus in 2014.

 

Baltic presence is very small, but we hope to enlarge it. Hope on you (laughing).

 

BC: What’s your position on the market?

 

B.S.: We have the leading position in this region. Vienna due to its geolocation has the business connections towards the East of Austria, but although towards the West and the South. This location although reflects on the students, which we attract. Everybody, who is in the class, is already working in this business environment. If we take Polish student as example, he might meet the classmate from the familiar industry from the neighboring country, and further he can use it for its business and network.

 

Concerning the quality of our programs, of course, we’re trying to keep them high (different accreditations) and to introduce something special in every MBA program, thinking about the target group with international focus.

 

In every product, we try to really see where we could be different to our target audience.


BC: What makes the Academy different from the other business schools?

 

B.S.: Of course, it’s a variety of programs, specializations, and the uniqueness of them. We’re the institution, which tries to cut edges of the most recent trends, to make think out of the box. The out-of-the-box-thinking is something special that is offered in our programs. We are not focusing on usual seminars or something traditional, but try to bring new inspirations. Leadership orchestra is one of the examples, how we make the management think out the box, out of the comfort zone.

 

BC: How competitive is MBA market? Is it shrinking or not?

 

B.S.: The competition among schools is really tough, but we found our place on the market. The students, who in most cases pay the tuition fees by themselves, are under pressure. The companies also have to carve their budgets.

 

On the other hand, looking at the international environment, many schools had to close down programs, but we did not, rather we are expending in terms of student numbers, programs and so on. We think that our focus on the region has proven quite successful and we see a lot of market potential and we hope to grow in the future.

 

Some students are although investing against the trend, hoping about the economic recovery. The idea is that you invest in your education before the economy is peaking up, and when the boom comes, you’re ready to develop your business in a best way.

 

I can’t say that the overall MBA market in EU is shrinking, but it is not growing for sure.


BC: How can you measure the degree of innovativeness of the WU Executive Academy? Is it the most innovative in the region?

 

B.S.: The major investments in the new Campus (ed. – EUR 500 mln, including EU funds) have definitely helped us to develop in an innovative way. To such study environment, you can bring the best professors, the good group of students. If they don’t have this environment physically, it’s impossible to make learning effective and productive, then you’re losing up your options and possibilities. Of course, with such a Campus, you get a good media coverage and that helps in terms of brand’s recognition and awareness. Many people relate us to this major investments, brand new Campus and it helps us a lot.

 

Concerning the innovativeness of the WU, our currency is the research productivity. Looking at the output how many research papers are published in top-ranked journals, how active is the faculty on the international level, this is definitely, where we are extremely successful during the last years in various fields: finances, energy, management, innovation management of marketing perspective.

 

BC: Could you tell about the teaching staff?

 

B.S.: Mostly we bring the professors from the WU (Austria), we have well-know and good-educated researchers, who are known as experts in their fields. We although draw on the network of WU with our 230 partner institutions worldwide. So we try to bring experts to every topic to the campus.

 

If to look at the typical profile of the faculty, many of them come from the Academy and are experts in their field, but they have the strong relation to the business – either they have worked in particular business area or have a good consulting experience. All classes are not just giving the theoretical basis, but a business relative experience with an interactive teaching style.

 

BC: Thank you!


The full article about WU Executive Academy.


Barbara Stöttinger holds a doctoral degree from WU Vienna. In 2003, she earned her post-doctoral lecturing qualification in international marketing. Before joining the Institute for International Marketing Management, Barbara Stöttinger worked in the marketing department of an international consumer goods manufacturer (consumer electronics) and as a consultant. As part of her research, she has spent considerable amounts of time in the USA and in Canada. Moreover, she has lectured on marketing and international marketing in Europe, Asia and North America for many years and has won several teaching awards. Since 2007, Barbara Stöttinger has been the academic director of the WU Executive Academy's Professional MBA Marketing & Sales.







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