From Theory to Practice: Organisational Development and Financing in Compact Form

ST: What did you like best about the "Organisational Development and Financing Compact" course – in your case, the module of your degree course?

AJ: What I liked best was how the individual units build on each other and how each one looks at the topic of organisational development from a different angle. It all sounds a bit overwhelming at first and, in my opinion, it is also very complex. For this very reason, I found it very exciting to receive suggestions with different emphases and from different experts. The practical relevance and the opportunity to bring in my own examples was very important to me. The lecturers also gave you feedback on your own projects and tips on where you can start in your own organisation – and from your own position.

ST: Who would you particularly recommend the module to?

AJ: Anyone who is currently in a (middle) management position or aspires to one, for example as a project manager or team leader. At the same time, people who work in an (umbrella) organisation or the head office of an association as a consultant or similar, or would like to become one. In such positions, you constantly encounter the topics of the units – public relations, concept development, financing, etc. – and I find it really invaluable to take the time to deal with these topics away from your own everyday work and the routines of the organisation.

ST: Why did you choose the social management module(s) at ZEW?

AJ: I studied Political Science and German Studies in my Bachelor's degree, but was also very active as a volunteer in international youth work and political education. What bothered me during my studies was that we had very little practical relevance to the later professional fields. Without realising it, as an honorary member of an association board, I was also involved in volunteer management, concept development and public relations and had to deal with funding issues. However, you always had to acquire these skills somehow "on the side" and in a rather unstructured way. I wasn't happy with my choice of Master's programme at the time and I dropped out relatively quickly. A colleague introduced me to the degree programme "Social Management" at the FH Potsdam and I quickly realised that the content was exactly what I had been looking for for a long time. At the same time, I was working as a project manager and at times as a department head and realised that I really wanted to deepen certain knowledge and skills.

ST: What do you do professionally and to what extent can the content of the module now be combined with your professional practice?

AJ: I currently work at the office of the Saxony-Anhalt Adult Education Centre Association (Landesverband der Volkshochschulen Sachsen-Anhalt e.V.) in Magdeburg. My responsibilities include public relations and project management. The link with the content of the module is therefore relatively obvious. The basics of structured public relations work, which I learnt at the FH Potsdam, are relevant to me every day. At the same time, I supervise several projects, all of which could be categorised as "concept and organisational development".

ST: What surprised you about the training programme and was it different to what you expected?

AJ: At the beginning, I had my doubts about the extent to which further education and studying at the university of applied sciences would be compatible with my work and private life. In the end, I was pleasantly surprised by the flexibility and good structure of the programme, which made it very easy for me to plan and combine everything.

ST: What would you recommend to someone who is considering CAS further education in social management or the social management degree programme at the FH Potsdam?

AJ: Just get on board and try to apply the knowledge and skills in everyday working life. At the beginning, I planned to put a lot of things into practice straight away and that was counterproductive at times. Even if it sounds clichéd, I can only confirm it in this case – small steps are better than big eyes.

You can find more information on our website about the CAS further education programmes in social management.