"Knowledge. Transfer. Application." (pdf) - Steinbeis-Hochschule ...

08 | Concept
Theory.Projects.Practice.
The dovetailing of theory and practice – frequently
demanded by education experts – has been reality at
our university since its inception. We offer executive
and employee training and degree programs culminating
in findings that have a direct bearing on a business’
success. Students work with a company on a live project
which is implemented directly at the workplace. The
SHB philosophy is ground­breaking, not only because
of the subject matter, but also because of the process.
Classic degree programs bring together two parties: students and university teaching
staff. The difference with our Project Competence Concept is that it directly involves a
third party: companies. It’s the companies that lay down key topics from the business.
These ultimately define the nature of the projects that form the backbone of our degree
programs. This allows students to make direct use of the knowledge they gain during
their Steinbeis studies – through the transfer process – and thus deepen their understanding
of business. Theory and practice interplay, continuously. Learning is targeted
and specific. The ultimate outcome is then competence, over and beyond specialist
knowledge. In other words: students develop the ability to solve problems by thinking
on their own two feet – and rise to real business challenges.
The independent, application-based research carried out at the SHB contributes to the
general level of knowledge. As part of the Project Competence philosophy, research
also provides a foundation on which to share knowledge. The SHB’s research ensures
that the theory taught in the classroom relates to actual business issues while reflecting
the latest scientific insights.
An important aspect of SHB degrees is the parallel supervision given to students.
Course participants are supported on the one hand by teaching staff at the university,
and, in so far as the resources are available, by a supervisor at the company, i.e. a kind
of mentor. This ensures that as students complete their project, they really do develop
new skills on a technical, personal and interpersonal level. Our Project Competence
Concept thus facilitates learning processes by applying knowledge to specific areas.