50 Years IBZ Gimborn

2010s
“ „
Certified quality education
Numerous personnel changes characterised the fortieth year of the IBZ.
In the year 2009, after accompanying and shaping the development of the
IBZ over decades, two personalities vacated their seats on the Board of
the IBZ in the shapes of Winrich Granitzka and Ton Rutting. Peter Newels
was elected as the new Chairman and successor of Winrich Granitzka
during the 2009 General Meeting. Ton Rutting from the Netherlands was
succeeded by another Dutch citizen, Michiel Holtackers, as a Member of
the Board. Continuity among the personnel is a hallmark of employment
at the IBZ. Nevertheless, as the football fans among us know too well,
even the longest series must come to an end. With Ms Christa Becker a
seasoned and widely-esteemed member of staff retired from service at
the institute after 34 years of work at the IBZ: she had belonged to the
household staff of the IBZ over many long years before transferring to the
seminar secretariat of the IBZ, a crucial interface of the working processes
within the IBZ where, until going into retirement in September of 2010,
she welcomed and looked after our seminar guests with kindness and
attention.
January of 2010 marked the first time that the IBZ provided proof of correct
and successful implementation of quality management in accordance
with DIN EN ISO within the framework of a certification procedure. Ever
since, this complex process needs to be carried out annually, and successful
completion is a prerequisite for recognition and support of the IBZ by
the Centre for Civic Education of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia,
the corresponding authorities of the other federal states, and the Federal
government.
The withdrawal in September of 2011 by Klaus-Ulrich Nieder from his
work for the IBZ constitutes no less than a break in the history of IBZ
Gimborn Castle. Since 1980, i.e. for 30 years as the Director of this
institute for further education, Mr Nieder had had a decisive impact on
the course of the IBZ. A successor for him was found in Ms Gabriele
Bischoff. Ms Bischoff was an educational scientist and had held senior
positions with large social organisations in a number of federal states.
Ms Bischoff set for herself the tasks of introducing a new software for
house and seminar management; introducing a new marketing approach,
including a new corporate design for the PR activities of the IBZ;
renewing fire prevention measures for the buildings used by the IBZ; and
rapidly completing the plans for the conversion of the former stable. One
of the first projects to be embarked on was the introduction of a computer
programme developed by a provider from Hesse, active nationwide, for
the processing and support of the seminars and third-party events held at
the IBZ. Following the usual teething pains and adjustment problems,
the software has become irreplaceable for all the staff of the IBZ and has
made many work processes simpler and more transparent. The co-operation
with the municipal administration of Marienheide regarding payroll
accounting for IBZ personnel, which practice had begun with the founding
of the IBZ, came to an end in 2012. This accounting was transferred
from the HR department of the municipality to the tax and economic
consultancy firm of Rothstein & Rothstein. In the course of this transfer,
cost-centre accounting was introduced to the bookkeeping processes
at the IBZ, to improve monitoring of the financial situation of the IBZ.
The year 2012 was marked by a noticeable decline in attendance, a
decrease that had already been registered at a less significant degree
starting in 2010. The inhibiting effects of the financial and economic