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An International Experience Integrated in your Master's Program

The Global Innovation Challenge offers MMM students a new opportunity to study in an international environment and gain practical experience with companies.

The benefits at a glance:

  • 8 triple accredited business schools encourage their master's students to take part in a joint course including a corporate project.
  • Students can complete an intensive learning experience within a short period of time (10 days in presence plus self-study time before and after).
  • Upon successful completion, students receive 6 ECTS for the course.
  • The course can be easily integrated into existing studies, as a learning agreement can be issued when taking the course at the partner universities and the course can be recognized afterwards (“International Course” module).
  • When taking the Mannheim module, no learning agreement is necessary, since the course is an integral part of the MMM module catalog (OPM 693).
  • The course takes place after the end of the spring semester in Mannheim so that participants do not miss any classes within the regular lecture period.
  • The course includes lectures introducing the topic as well as in the second week the handling of a real-life case “Corporate Challenge” including a presentation in front of company representatives and their feedback.
  • MMM students will meet master students from seven other renowned business schools, all of which are internationally accredited and internationally oriented. When choosing the module abroad, a two-week stay at one of the other business schools is guaranteed.

The Partner Business Schools of the Initiative

The Global Innovation Challenge cooperation is an initiative of the International Business School Network (IBSnet). The Business School is a founding member of the initiative and has been part of the network of international oriented Business Schools since 2008.

Dates and Hosts of the Challenges

At the end of each spring semester (from Mannheim's point of view), four of the eight participating business schools offer a Global Innovation Challenge project, with different focuses within the spectrum of business subjects.

The Challenges are expected to take place at the following schools over the next three years:

2023

2024

2025

Aston Business School, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Portugal

University of Mannheim Business School, Germany

University of Stellenbosch Business School, Cape Town, South Africa

BI Norwegian Business School, Oslo, Norway

Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, Netherlands

National Chengchi University, College of Commerce, Taipei, Taiwan

QUT Business School, Brisbane, Australia

Aston Business School, Birmingham, United Kingdom

Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Portugal

University of Mannheim Business School, Germany

University of Stellenbosch Business School, Cape Town, South Africa

In the summer of 2024, the Challenges will take place between Mid-June and beginning of July:

  • BI Oslo: 23 June until 5 July 2024
  • Maastricht SBE: 23 June until 6 July 2024
  • National Chengchi and QUT Business School: 24 June until 5 July 2024

Please plan one additional day each for arrival and departure.

Course offer in the Summer of 2024

Digital Innvoation and Society

The Challenge at the BI Norwegian Business School will be about digital platforms and ecosystems.

Strategic Entrepreneurship in Innovative Start-Ups, SMEs and Family Firms

The course at Maastricht University School of Economics and Business will be about Strategic Entrepreneurship. Business cases will be used to explore new opportunities and innovations in this area.

Advancing the Growth with Digital Asia

The Challenge at the NCCU aims to equip students with the realization of the changes in the Asian economic environment (globalization, trade and its diplomatic and general economic policies, as well as management accounting principles, etc.). An exchange with local companies brings insights into practice.

The Future Enterprise

The Global Innovation Challenge at QUT Business School will address intrapreneurship and innovation from an Australian perspective.

Your Application for the Challenge

As an enrolled MMM student, you have the following options to apply for participation in 2024:

  • The Module in Mannheim – will be offered again in 2025!

    You can apply for the module in Mannheim to Ms. Janna Ried from the International Team of the Business School.

    Please send the following documents via email to Janna Ried:

    • a current transcript with a preliminary grade and your Bachelor degree's certificate with grades
    • a CV
    • a short letter of motivation (maximum one DIN A4 page) in German or English on your preferred challenges

    You can apply for more than one Challenge (for the Mannheim challenge and also the challenges of the partner schools). Please indicate priorities then in your letter of motivation. The application deadline is 31 January 2025.

    Mannheim has initially five places to allocate. If there are not enough interested students at the partner universities, it might be possible to increase the number of places. However, we will only find out about this in April and unfortunately you cannot make firm plans for this. If you are granted one of the five places in February, you can of course plan firmly with the course.

  • The Modules at our partners business schools

    For the modules at BI Oslo, Maastricht SBE, NCCU and QUT Business School you can apply to Ms. Janna Ried from the International Team of the Business School.

    Please send the following documents via email to Janna Ried:

    • a current transcript with a preliminary grade and your Bachelor degree's certificate with grades
    • a CV
    • a short letter of motivation (maximum one DIN A4 page) in German or English on your preferred challenges

    You can apply for more than one Challenge. Please indicate priorities then in your letter of motivation. The application deadline is 30 November 2023.

    The slides of the info session for interested MMM students are available on Ilias.

Global Innovation Challenge Website

Discover the joint Global Innovation Challenge website that was developed by the network.

Global Innovation Challenge 2023

Contact for Mannheim Students

Janna Ried, M.A.

Janna Ried, M.A.

Manager International Affairs, Master-Level Exchanges & Special Programs
University of Mannheim
Dean's Office of the Business School
Schloss – Room EO 388 (3rd floor)
68161 Mannheim
Consultation hour(s):
Please make an appointment at https://www.bwl.uni-mannheim.de/en/online-consultation/janna-ried/