Review

Carl-Ludwig Thiele, executive board member of the central bank of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frankfurt on the MainWithin the framework of the MCI Alumni & Friends lecture series, the Entrepreneurial School® welcomed Carl-Ludwig Thiele, member of the executive board of the Deutsche Bundesbank, the central bank of the Federal Republic of Germany, since 2010. The event was organized in collaboration with the Federation of Austrian Industries Tyrol, inviting its members to the Tyrolean Industry Talk.Carl-Ludwig Thiele’s lecture ranged from the emergence of the euro and the present crisis of the currency union to possible measures to strengthen the euro area:The European Monetary Union differs essentially from other currency unions. Although a common monetary policy exists, it is still paralleled by just as many fiscal policies as there are member countries, which are 19 at present. This combination of central monetary policy and decentral fiscal policy involves the danger of (mis)incentives, for example causing member states to accumulate excessive debt. Measures to prevent this kind of problem were agreed on in the Maastricht Treaty, which introduced indebtedness limits for individual countries and a non-liability clause to emphasize the responsibility of the individual member states for financial policy issues. Furthermore, central banks were prohibited from granting the member states direct loans. The currency union was, therefore, conceptualized as a stability union. Yet, it became evident that the framework defined by the Maastricht Treaty showed substantial weaknesses and failed to have the intended stabilizing and debt-limiting effects.The crisis in the currency union has shaken the foundation of the currency union. Many of the emergency measures have undermined the principles of individual responsibility and liability. Only if this foundation is recreated can a currency union become a long-term union of stability. This can only be achieved by politics: decisive factors are competitive economic structures and solid national finances. Thus, Carl-Ludwig Thiele concluded his lecture with a Mark Twain quotation: “Always live within your income – even if you have to borrow to do so.”Subsequent to the lecture, a lively discussion was moderated by MCI Rector Andreas Altmann.>>>Invitation>>> Speech Carl-Ludwig Thiele{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1156}

H.E. Talya Lador-Fresher, Israeli ambassador in AustriaAt a recent event organized by the Entrepreneurial School® as part of the MCI Alumni &Friends lecture series the audience had the opportunity to meet with the Israeli ambassador in Austria, H.E. Talya Lador-Fresher. In her speech, the ambassador, who sees herself as an honorary Tyrolean due to the large number of Tyroleans amongst her staff, discussed current affairs such as the effects of the Arab Spring, the perception of Israel in the world, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.According to the ambassador, the Arab Spring, which was meant to establish democracy, failed. She sees the reasons for this as related predominantly to the absence of a basic democratic attitude in Arabian countries. Whereas these attitudes and values have been a given for a long time in countries such as Austria, there is a lack of fundamental democratic values in these nations. Lador-Fresher sees a further reason for the failing of the Arab Spring in the prevailing belief in “tribal thinking”, according to which the people’s loyalties lie less with their country than with single groups.In regard to the perception of Israel in the rest of the world, Lador-Fresher is convinced that the media shows a distorted image of her country, whereby Israel is the only democratic country in the Middle East. She stated that the media can only depict Israel’s “here and now”. However, to better understand Israel’s position – particularly in the Arab-Israeli conflict – one must look into the country’s past, reaching as far back as the biblical ages.In her speech, Lador-Fresher also raised the question of whether a two-state solution for the conflict between Jews and Arabs would ever be possible. Her personal answer to this question is a confident “yes”, even though the ambassador is certain that such a solution will be difficult to implement in the near future. As Lador-Fresher pointed out, for the Israeli Jews achieving peace with the Arabs does not have priority; what they want most is to gain stability. The ambassador, however, sees the achievement of this goal as a major challenge for both sides in the Arab-Israeli conflict.The speech was hosted by MCI Rector Andreas Altmann, who also led the subsequent discussion.>>> Einladung{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1157}

Muddling through, populism, or new leadership?Franz Fischler, President of the European Forum Alpbach, former EU Commissioner and former Federal PresidentAs part of the MCI Alumni & Friends lecture series the Entrepreneurial School® was happy to welcome the President of the European Forum Alpbach Franz Fischler. Fischler gave an inspiring talk about his perspective on the current situation of the European Union, titled “The European Union: muddling through, populism, or new leadership?”According to Fischler, it seems as if “muddling through” – a term coined by Mark Leonard, the founder of the European Council on Foreign Relations in London – has turned into the European Union’s most common method. While the Community method used to dominate in the past, the Lisbon Treaty laid the foundations for numerous special provisions for the European Council, the formal group of the heads of state of all EU member states. As a consequence, the council has increasingly interfered in questions of EU micromanagement and is now no longer solely focused on fundamental questions of the European Union.This is a hindrance to the progress of the EU and creates a basis for argument for European populists who would favor reversing the integration of the European states. This type of disintegration, however, would mean that the EU became an immovable vehicle whose main goal of a united presence in the global world could not be achieved: only as a global player is it possible to keep up with the other economic powers such as the USA, Japan, or Russia.Yet also the Community method has the potential to hinder the EU. The former minister of agriculture pointed out that the only foreign policy endeavors that can be implemented are those upon which the EU agrees as a whole. He therefore makes an appeal for the unanimity of Europeans, as a joint foreign policy will otherwise not be possible. Still, he sees the European Community as the ultimate goal. A return to particularism is inconceivable if the European nations aim to play a part in the globalized world.The lecture was hosted by Hans Herbert Holzamer, a freelance journalist, author, and MCI lecturer. Holzamer recognized a pro-European trend among the pleasingly large number of participants and moderated an animated discussion directly after the lecture.>>> Einladung{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1152}

At the beginning of October, the XXIX Planetary Congress took place in Vienna. The congress is organized by the Association of Space Explorers, an international organization which consists of more than 400 former astronauts and cosmonauts from 37 countries.In October 1991, Franz Viehböck was the first and only Austrian ever to go to space. Exactly 25 years later Franz Viehböck hosted the annual Planetary Congress together with the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF). More than 100 astronauts participated.On the so-called Community Day, which took place within the frame of the Planetary Congress, the former astronauts and cosmonauts traveled across Austria and gave lectures in schools, educational facilities and universities.Thus, MCI had the honor of welcoming two impressive personalities to a thrilling panel discussion: Both Helen Patricia Sharman, a British astronaut who visited the MIR space station, and Dr. Chiaki Mukai, the first Japanese woman to visit space, who accomplished not only one, but two flights on the space shuttle, provided insight into their experiences as astronauts.The audience was highly interested; after an exciting lecture the ladies could hardly answer the many questions from the audience.The panel discussion was hosted by MCI Head of Department & Studies Andreas Mehrle and finished with an informal get-together as well as personal conversations with the astronauts.>>> Invitation{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1151}

Biology or ideology?Ulrich Kutschera, head of the Division of Evolutionary Biology at the German Life Sciences Association (VBIO) and visiting professor at the Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CaliforniaIn the framework of the MCI Alumni & Friends lecture series the Entrepreneurial School® recently welcomed Ulrich Kutschera, professor of evolutionary biology and plant physiology at the University of Kassel. Kutschera is a German evolutionary biologist and the author of numerous text books. Since 2002, he has been actively involved in the prevention of the spread of pseudoscience and creationism.MCI Rector Andreas Altmann opened the first podium discussion of fall 2016/2017, which was organized in cooperation with the association of alumni, friends, employees, and supporters of the Medical University of Innsbruck, ALUMN-I-MED.At the beginning of his lecture, Kutschera, who has published more than 280 works, explained the so-called “woman-equals-man theory” of the onetime German Democratic Republic and provided background information on the theory of gender equality. In the course of this presentation, Kutschera discussed Charles Darwin, one of the most renowned natural scientists and evolutionary theorists, and his role as a sex researcher and botanist. Furthermore, he touched upon numerous gender-specific theories, reducing them to absurdity. Thus, he also quoted from a school book that appeared in Germany in 2005: “Boys like to dance, girls like boxing. Boys have the same brooding instinct as girls.” He criticized the statement with the words: “To make this the rule is simply absurd.”Kutschera does not shy away from provocative formulations and gladly sparks discussion. The avowed opponent of pseudoscience and creationism is an outspoken proponent of equal gender rights but an equally outspoken critic of gender mainstreaming: “Yes to rights, no to obligatory quotas,” the evolutionary biologist contends. According to Kutschera, in many Western countries gender mainstreaming has been furthered by lobbying and the discussion of its validity placed under a taboo. The Kassel plant physiologist even goes so far as to attribute an instinctive heterophobic stance to homosexual men and to deny homosexuality as a lifestyle: “Homosexuality is a Y-chromosome associated genetic defect,” the lecturer claims.The well-known critic of creationism enlightened the audience about the identity of the genetic makeup of man and woman: “Men and women are as distinct in their genetic makeup as are chimpanzees and humans.” Thus, he declared man the chimpanzee and woman the human. “The primary sex is female. The true human being is the woman. Men are secondary derived funny chaps with rudimentary nipples,” Kutschera concluded.The interesting and informative but also very provocative lecture of the evolutionary biologist ensured that many members of the audience in the MCI aula took the opportunity to ask critical questions during the discussion following the event, which was moderated by Professor Christine Bandtlow, vice-rector for research at the Medical University of Innsbruck.>>> Einladung{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1149}

Socializing & Networking was the order of the night: At the MCI Summer Clubbing in the Hofgarten, graduates, students and the MCI team, as well as friends and partners of the MCI gave themselves over to the clubbing sound and a delicious buffet until the early hours.{phocagallery view=categories|categoryid=1120|imagecategoriessize=0}

Joseph Oubelkas, Entrepreneur, Maastrich / The NetherlandsWithin the frame of the MCI Alumni & Friends series of lectures, the Entrepreneurial School® welcomed Joseph Oubelkas. The Dutch IT engineer and author, who was unjustly imprisoned in Morocco for four and a half years, spoke about the power of positive thinking in apparently hopeless situations.Oubelkas, who was brought up by his Dutch mother and his Moroccan father, experienced the divorce of his parents as the biggest setback in his otherwise rather comfortable life when he was eleven. However, he became aware of a whole new intensity of sadness, when his life took a turning point as he was imprisoned in Morocco, the land of his father.In December 2004, Oubelkas was sentenced to ten years of prison for smuggling almost 8 tons of drugs –a crime he did not commit, which was based on rather loose evidence. The successful entrepreneur, who describes himself as a “mother child”, suddenly found himself sleeping on a concrete floor in a small room with hundreds of other prisoners. It was then that he learned to think in possibilities, so to make the most out of his situation.During the imprisonment, his mother played an important role in his life. In about 400 letters, she lent her support to her son and gave him advice. His book “400 letters from my mom” describes what he has learned from being imprisoned in Morocco and is dedicated to her: In prison, Oubelkas learned to take responsibility, determine goals and to also reach them – he learned Arabic, taught English and even planted a garden in the prison’s yard.Today, Oubelkas wants to share his new-won attitude to live with others. Tough being sentenced for a decade, he was released after almost five years at the age of 29. During the 1,647 days and nights in prison, he learned that it is okay to complain, but one should never keep on nagging. It is about oneself to see opportunities and to create them. What he wants, so Oubelkas, is to encourage people to do so and to push their positive thinking.Siegfried Walch, head of the MCI-Department Nonprofit-, Social & Health Care Management, hosted the talk and pointed out that though we are living in a globalized world, no global legal framework exists. Walch sees it as the challenge for our generation to build one and highlights that it is on us to shape the globalized environment and to thereby contribute to prevent innocent people from being arrested.Invitation_Joseph_Oubelkas1.pdf{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1119}

On June 10 and 11, students, members and supporters of MCI Alumni & Friends came together to celebrate the end of the 2015/16 academic year.This year, too, the MCI Alumni & Friends Club marked the close of an intensive and interesting year of events with its traditional MCI Alumni Weekend, offering an exciting program as the rousing culmination of the academic year.The event began on the Friday with an interesting guest speech of Joseph Oubelkas. The Dutch IT engineer and author, who was unjustly imprisoned in Morocco for four and a half years, spoke about the power of positive thinking in apparently hopeless situations.In the afternoon Rector Andreas Altmann welcomed the MCI graduates especially the jubilee years, who have graduated 5, 10 or 15 years ago.Socializing & Networking was the order of the night: At the MCI Summer Clubbing in the Hofgarten, graduates, students and the MCI team, as well as friends and partners of the MCI gave themselves over to the clubbing sound and a delicious buffet until the early hours.A gorgeous weekend ended under the slogan „meet & celebrate with motivated people“.{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1118}

David Savasci, Founder & CEO, Zuper GmbH, ViennaWithin the frame of the MCI Alumni & Friends series of lectures, the Entrepreneurial School® welcomed David Savesci, founder and CEO of the grocery delivery service Zuper, to an inspiring talk about the life of an entrepreneur.Savacsi, who studied International Business Administration in Vienna and Écully, describes himself as being married with a young enterprise. His vision is to turn his company Zuper into the Amazon of grocery deliveries. He got inspired for his business idea during his studies in France, when he fell sick on a weekend and found it hard to find a grocery store with home delivery.He found, that delivery services for grocery stores requires a lot of infrastructure and are thus very capital intensive. With Zuper, he and his co-founders provide a solution to this problem by adapting the business model of Uber and bringing together people who would like to earn money with those not having the time to go shopping on their own.As an entrepreneur, one has to be absolutely passionate about his idea, while simultaneously providing a solution for problems that have long been neglected. According to Savasci, entrepreneurial spirit may be identified by five fundamental skills: persistence in the implementation of one’s vision, flexibility regarding the actual needs of the world, craziness in setting one’s targets high, analytical and creative thinking in order to solve problems and the willingness to be a good person that creates a sustainable business. However, sometimes entrepreneurs also need to take an unpopular position and be thought.The most valuable resource for entrepreneurs is time – as founder of a young organization, Savasci works hard and believes that being passionate about his vision rather than the wish for earning money fast is what start-ups turn into successful companies. Also, having a brilliant team and the right people to support one is a crucial factor that drives the success of start-ups.The speech was hosted by Peter Mirski, head of the MCI department Management, Communication & IT, who also moderated a very lively and inspiring discussion following Savasci’s talk.Einladung_David_Savasci2.pdf{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1116}

Interests | Positions | Policies | Economics | SecurityMasafumi Ishii, Japanese Ambassador to Belgium, Japanese Ambassador to NATO & Ambassador in charge of Public Diplomacy in EuropeWithin the framework of the MCI Alumni & Friends lecture series, the Entrepreneurial School® had the pleasure of welcoming the Japanese Ambassador to Belgium, Masafumi Ishii, for an inspiring talk about Japan and Europe, threads and chances in the next 20 years.At the beginning of his speech, Ishii talked about the foreign policy of Japan and what Japan is going to be like in the near future. He identified global trends and how Japan possibly reacts to these trends. “What you do - may change your future. Decision making is really time intensive and crucial”, Ishii said. He also stated that Japan has no resources, but highly educated human resources. According to Ishii Japan is surrounded by many states that have nuclear weapons. “If you want to defend yourself, you need nuclear weapons. Therefore, Japan has an alliance with USA and China. The best China Japan and Europe could deal with is a prosperous and healthy China“, he claimed.Japan in 2030.Japan will stay a significant Global Power but face crucial choices, according to Ishii. The Japanese Ambassador to Belgium stated that Japan has 128 million people, which makes Japan world number 10. The fact that Japan is losing population can be compensated by the size of the country, Ishii claimed. Human Resource, technology and also Japan’s business model will lead Japan into a new era according to his visions. India and China are rising and therefore Japan will develop niches and new trends to also rise and prosper, according to Ishii. Japan needs the US as part of this vision, as the US is the essential part of the solution. Nobody else is ready to support Japan in the way the USA does, Ishii claimed.G2: China and USA.According to Ishii, 2030 will be a very symbolic year. He claims that Chinas GDP and defense spending will become higher than the GDP and the defense spending of the USA. Ishii forecasts that beyond the year 2030 the USA, India and China will form the decision-making triangle in the world. Ishii states that Japan wants to be part of this decision-making alliance and co-form the G4.Regional trends.Ishii explains the audience that Japan is suffering from an unemployment-crisis. According to him, two out of five populations are out of work. That would mean that three working populations ought to support two non-working populations. Ishii concludes that this will be a serious problem by 2050 if the trend goes on.Ishii thinks that there never will be problems between Russia and Japan. According to him Japan will always continue to keep it like that. Ishii questions if North Korea needs a Plan B or not. Right now Japan constantly conducts negotiations and controls North Koreas missiles, Ishii said. “But what if North Korea starts to implode or collapse? We should be ready for that scenario as well”, Ishii warned the audience.Discussion“The young leader of North Korea is in the 3rd Generation. In Asia we say, the 3rd Generation is the most difficult to survive” Ishii quoted. According to the Japanese Ambassador to NATO the first Generation comes with strong Charisma and usually creates a few problems. The second Generation then has more Charisma and creates more problems. By the time the 3rd Generation comes in without Charisma but creates a lot of problems, Ishii reminded. “More than ever we should be ready for that, because they have nuclear weapons”, Ishii said.Before the talk of Masafumi Ishii ended into a very lively discussion hosted by Andreas Altmann, Ishii concluded his speech with the words “If china is ready to be part of the solution we should invite and encourage them in doing so. Global peace is good for all of us”.Invitation_Masafumi_Ishii1.pdf{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1115}

Noboru Nakatani, Executive Director, INTERPOL Global Innovation, SingaporeWithin the frame of the MCI Alumni & Friends series of lectures, the Entrepreneurial School® welcomed Noboru Nakatani, Executive Director from INTERPOL Global Complex for Innovation. INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 190 member countries. The role is to enable police around the world to work together to make the world a safer place. The high-tech infrastructure of technical and operational support helps meet the growing challenges of fighting crime in the 21st century.In his lecture Noburu Nakatani outlined the various forms of "cybercrime" and future developments which could result in replacing the "Internet of Things" into the "Internet of threat". He reports on statistics, which state that the amount of money stolen in bank industry increases although bank robberies decrease. But cybercrime not only affects bank industry, but any Internet user. In 2015, $ 1.6 million were paid to hackers to decrypt stolen data.Finally he points out that there are now affordable and accessible service provider of Internet crime and the speed of law enforcement is much slower than the invention of new ideas of cyber criminals.The event was hosted by Prof. Dr. Siegfried Walch, MCI program director for Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management / International Health & Social Management at MCI.Invitation_Noboru_Nakatani2.pdf{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1117}

Aiming for a changing, peaceful and sustainable world.Natalia Gherman, Candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations, New YorkWithin the scope of the MCI Alumni & Friends lecture series, the Entrepreneurial School® had the pleasure of welcoming the Official Candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations, Natalia Gherman, nominated by the Republic of Moldova, for an exciting talk about the UN in Progress. The talk was introduced by the Rector of the MCI, Andreas Altmann and hosted by Dr. Armin Fidler, President of the European Health Management Association (EHMA) and Senior Lecturer as well as Member of the Faculty of the Management Center Innsbruck (MCI).Last year, Ms. Gherman was selected by The Guardian to rank among the most impressive “Seven women to watch in global politics who are leading change all over the world”.At the beginning of her speech, Ms. Natalia Gherman mentioned the importance of the Management Center Innsbruck for its fantastic reputation in Europe and for the quality of knowledge the students all receive from the institution. Gherman also explained the importance of the media communicating her plan and strategy to revitalize the United Nations and to make it serve the citizens even better.Gherman answered a student’s question of why she decided to become the next Secretary-General of the UN, a job that is probably one of the most difficult jobs in the world, by stating that the UN still remains the best and unique commitment of humanity to act together in solving the global problems and challenges. “It is our duty to improve the organization, to perform it much better and to adapt to the modern challenges of today. All of us hoped for an era of peace and prosperity but it did not materialize. Unfortunately, our world has not become a safer place after the Cold War. The traditional Peace and Security Agenda of the United Nations will continue to be one of the most important preoccupations of the next Secretary General.”According to Gherman, it is necessary to corrupt the roots that finance international terrorism at the very source. “Genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity still continue to take thousands of human lives”, Gherman said. Therefore, the Peace and Security Agenda articulates the development of efficient, effective and accountable security institutions to ensure security especially for threatened civilians according to Ms. Gherman.Finally, the Candidate for Secretary-General of the United Nations mentioned the UN Charter that is the main document for all the UN ambassadors. “… the Charter is my guiding line. I feel empowered and I feel confident.” According to her, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is an agenda that will shape the development activity of the world for the next 15 years with 17 very comprehensive goals and targets. These goals further develop the millennium goals and tackle world hunger and poverty. “I’m a very committed and a very honest negotiator, a very skillful mediator, very well prepared and experienced in the executive branch”, said Gherman, the prominent diplomat whose leadership is appreciated internationally.The event was jointly organized by the Honorary Consulate of Moldova with special thanks to Hon. Cons. Prof. Dr.h.c. Ernst Madlener.Invitation_Natalia_Gherman3.pdf{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1109}

The Economic Requirements for Securing a Competitive Edge.Dieter Hundt, President of the German Chamber of Commerce in AustriaAs part of the MCI Alumni & Friends lecture series, the Entrepreneurial School® recently invited Dieter Hundt. As President of the German Chamber of Commerce in Austria, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Allgaier Group, and Honorary President of the Confederation of German Employers’ Associations, Hundt discussed his personal views on the current challenges faced by business development, particularly in the context of globalization and digitization.Dieter Hundt began his talk by illustrating the most influential factors in the economic development of the European Union: apart from the economic and political challenges brought about by the influx of refugees, Hundt particularly emphasized the possible withdrawal of the UK from the EU, the negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and, last but not least, the rising threat of terrorism to European countries as the essential factors that might influence the European economy on a long-term basis.As Hundt observed, Germany is currently in an economically stable position. The employment rate is higher than ever before; actual wages are increasing; the rate of inflation remains relatively low. This situation can mainly be traced to particular factors such as the low euro exchange rate, benefitting exports, or low rates of interest. Since these factors are beyond control, it is not very likely that Germany’s present condition will last much longer. Since Germany is the EU member state with the largest population and greatest economic power, its uncertainty will affect all of Europe.In order to be able to continue to compete on an international level in future, European states must again draw even closer together. The possible withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union, now commonly referred to as Brexit, has plunged the internal market into deep crisis. Only economic convergence can now help Europe make progress. This is also why Hundt approves of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the US and welcomes the suggestion to reduce established trade barriers to facilitate business with one of the most important trading partners of Europe.Moreover, Hundt is convinced that Europe must reach a final and common solution to the current migrant crisis. The influx of migrants must be controlled and, in further consequence, also reduced. It is necessary to reinforce effective controls at the external EU borders and simultaneously counteract the enforcement of internal borders: only free trade across borders can guarantee economic growth and wealth for European countries.Hundt’s lecture culminated in a lively discussion moderated by MCI Rector Andreas Altmann as host of the event.Einladung_Dieter_Hundt2.pdf{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1100}

Romano Prodi, former Prime Minister of Italy and President of the European CommissionIn cooperation with the Federation of Austrian Industries Tyrol and the Consular Corps in Tyrol, the Entrepreneurial School® had the pleasure of welcoming Romano Prodi, former Prime Minister of Italy and President of the European Commission. Prodi, primarily known for his political commitment, has also built an impressive academic career with a doctorate in both law and economy. Numerous students, graduates, staff members, and associates of MCI as well as representatives of the Federation of Austrian Industries Tyrol had come to listen to his profound analysis of the current European crises.Prodi pointed out that, despite its fascinating and unprecedented development, the European Union has lost momentum: leading in industrial production and export, the EU may still be able to keep pace with the the economic output of the US and China, and yet its global image is gradually declining. Continual enlargement has not only changed the European Union itself, but also the character of its 28 member states. The phase of enthusiastic enlargement has thus given way to wide-spread fear: fear of globalization, fear of immigration, and fear of an economic crisis. Nearly all member states have already been affected by the political crisis. Politicians of all levels ignore whatever lies beyond the next elections. New political groups displace traditional parties. The power relations within the EU have drastically changed. The traditional balance between Germany, France, and the United Kingdom has been disrupted by internal crises in France and the continued discussions about the UK’s possible withdrawal from the European Union. In addition, the current course of globalization poses an unmanageable challenge to Europe, where each state is on its own. Step by step, the solidarity between EU member states is fading.Prodi is convinced that, in order to resolve the present conflict, EU’s political power must be strengthened. The EU would gain the power to rise to the current challenges only through close cooperation. Prodi thus emphasized the three pillars of the European Union and came down in favor of a European army to enforce a common foreign and safety policy. From Prodi’s point of view, it is absolutely necessary to reinstall the balance between budgets, economy, and taxation systems, to tackle the roots of the refugee crisis, and increase efforts to make peace in Syria and Libya.MCI Rector Andreas Altmann moderated a lively discussion at the end of Prodi’s inspiring talk.Invitation_Romano_Prodi_IV2.pdf{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1097}

Dr. Hans Jörg Schelling, Austrian Minister for Finance, ViennaAt the invitation of the German Friends of the Universities in Innsbruck, MCI and other Innsbruck universities followed Federal Minister of Finance Hans Jörg Schelling to central Bavaria to attend his lecture on “Bold Policies – Stable Finances”.Under the appealing motto of “Universities Meet Friends – Let’s Go Munich” the German Friends of the Universities in Innsbruck and Innsbruck’s universities, including the Management Center Innsbruck, once again took the Bavarian capital by storm with an inspiring event hosted by the Munich Chamber of Industry and Commerce.In the past few years, the German Friends of the Universities in Innsbruck have already welcomed a number of famous personalities such as Foreign Affairs Minister Sebastian Kurz, Economics Minister Reinhold Mitterlehner, Minister of Science and Research Karlheinz Töchterle and Governor of the Province of Tyrol Günther Platter to share valuable insights and promote the friendly relationship between Austria and Germany, and the Tyrol and Bavaria in particular. This year, the Austrian Minister of Finance was at the center of attention of another illustrious event.Dr. Yorck Schmidt, Chair of the German Friends of the Universities in Innsbruck, is happy with the progress of their mission to establish a connection between the University of Innsbruck, the Medical University of Innsbruck, Management Center Innsbruck and renowned personalities, companies, as well as institutions from science and economy, to facilitate dialogue and encounter, and to foster the relationship between Austria and Germany.More than 200 top representatives from science, economy, and society attended this year’s event. Among them were President of the European Forum Alpbach and former EU Commissioner Dr. Franz Fischler, Innsbruck’s Vice-Major Sonja Pitscheider as well as the rectors and representatives of Innsbruck’s universities: Dr. Helga Fritsch (Medical University of Innsbruck), Dr. Andreas Altmann (MCI), and Dr. Sabina Kasslatter (University of Innsbruck).Schelling’s talk finally sparked an interesting and lively debate which was moderated by Hans-Jürgen Jacobs, chief editor of the German-language business paper Handelsblatt. The powerful conclusion to the event confirmed the success of “Universities Meet Friends” and provided proof of the bridge between Austria and Germany and the worlds of science, economy, and society, which the German Friends of the Universities in Innsbruck have already been able to build.{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1094}

Dr. Harald Mahrer, State Secretary, Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy, ViennaIn collaboration with the University of Innsbruck, the Entrepreneurial School® recently welcomed State Secretary Dr. Harald Mahrer to talk about entrepreneurship and the spirit of innovation.At the beginning of his lecture, Mahrer expressed his appreciation of the close cooperation between the University of Innsbruck and Management Center Innsbruck and emphasized that cooperation and competition do not exclude each other. He is convinced that in the light of radical changes cooperation is more important than ever before. Mahrer, who likes to present himself as a politician with comprehensive entrepreneurial experience and whom the German paper Die Zeit called the Jedi Knight among political reformers, believes that, over the last decades, digitization has shaped entrepreneurship more than any other process. From his point of view, however, Austria has not yet managed to catch up with the dynamics resulting from the process of digitization.Even if Austria has shown technological progress and improvement in many different areas, it lags far behind the innovative capacity of other nations. This is to say that other countries, particularly on the Asian continent, develop much faster. If the current trend continues, Austria will increasingly lose its competitive edge. Mahrer explained that the innovative power of a country represents the key to growth. It is therefore necessary to further creativity by long-term improvement of the economic as well as political conditions in Austria. The prime goal of politics should thus be to advance in the ranking of national innovation leaders.In his lecture, Mahrer offered several approaches that could contribute to the achievement of this goal. As he pointed out, Austria’s research output is comparatively high. There are, however, hardly any initiatives to establish academic spin-offs. In order to promote Austria as a business location, Mahrer consequently suggested encouraging the foundation of start-ups and thus enabling the transfer of knowledge. In this context, cooperation may act as a significant tool.Moreover, Mahrer argued that the culture of error management established in Austria has to change: errors should be acknowledged because we all learn by making mistakes. Entrepreneurs certainly run the risk of failure; yet they are the driving forces of our economy and therefore depend on increased support. Finally, the State Secretary of Science, Research and Economy remarked that measures must be taken to realize unused potential for innovation. By proactively pursuing an open innovation strategy and attempting to involve all levels of population in the process of innovation, Austria is already on its way to becoming a future pioneer.The event was moderated by Professor Johann Füller of the Department for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of Innsbruck and Professor Bernd Ebersberger, Head of the Department of Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at MCI. The lecture culminated in a lively discussion between Mahrer and the numerous members of the audience.Einladung_Staatssekretaer_Harald_Mahrer5.pdf{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1095}

Dr. Sophie Karmasin, Federal Minister of Families and Youth, ViennaWithin the frame of the MCI Alumni & Friends series of lectures, the Entrepreneurial School® welcomed the Federal Minister of Families and Youth, Dr. Sophie Karmasin from Vienna, who states: “Family-owned businesses are a matter of particular concern to me.”Before assuming the office of an independent federal minister, Karmasin was active as a motivation researcher for almost 20 years. She particularly studied the needs, dreams, and the sorrows of women and families. Upon Rector Andreas Altmann’s ice-breaking question about her motivation to quit the career as an entrepreneur and enter into politics, Karmasin admits: “There wasn’t much time to carefully think this question over; in fact, I was only given 23 hours. I had to deliver my final decision by the end, which was by half past three p.m., of the following day. My decision was an emotional one. I simply chose to go with my guts.”Austria is not yet as family-friendly as Karmasin imagines it to be. She consequently defines her political goal as follows: Until 2025, Austria shall become the most family-friendly country of Europe. “Child care is not yet readily available in Austria,” Karmasin criticizes. Many child care facilities lack in places, flexibility, and quality. She therefore believes that the development of child care in all aspects must be a priority. In order to make quick progress, the Federal Government launches one of the hitherto biggest initiatives: According to the Federal Minister of Families and Youth, 305 million Euros will be invested to improve current conditions.Sophie Karmasin breaks with predominant stereotypes: She challenges the traditional concept of family according to which the father works to earn a living and the mother gives up her career to stay at home and take care of the children. She is convinced that this system interferes with the quality of life. Both women and men should be granted the possibility to decide for themselves whether they wish to devote themselves to raising children or to making a career. Politics should not be entitled to prescribe the structure of families. For Karmasin, family is much more a construct based on values like trust, solidarity, and mutual support. From her point of view, legal conditions should therefore only come second.The Federal Minister has recently started work on an education compass. The project aims to assess the strengths and possible weaknesses of children as well as to provide individually optimized support. Towards the end of her talk, Karmasin additionally introduces the project “Companies for Families”: In March of 2015 Karmasin established a network which now spans 200 family-owned businesses and 30 municipalities. The network provides best practice examples for the reconciliation of family and career.MCI Rector Andreas Altmann finally moderates a lively discussion, during the course of which Karmasin emphasizes the fact that commonly more women than men work in unpaid jobs: The Federal Minister appears determined to advance the equal treatment of both genders in order to change this situation.{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1087}

Christoph Vilanek, CEO Freenet GroupWithin the scope of the MCI Alumni & Friends lecture series, the Entrepreneurial School® welcomed Christoph Vilanek. Since 2009 he has acted as CEO of the largest independent German telecommunications and web content provider, Freenet Group, with almost 5.000 employees.In his talk, Christoph Vilanek, native of Tyrol with a distinguished and multifaceted career, draws on the example of Freenet in order to demonstrate the importance of a corporate strategy and explain how a thriving company may retain courage, enthusiasm, and innovation in the face of its continuous success.He opens his inspirational talk with basic considerations of corporate strategies: Companies require a corporate strategy just as their employees demand for it. Employees do not need a plan per se as much as they need stability and certainty. However, experience has shown that the best strategies very often only reveal themselves in hindsight. Also Freenet has developed its own business strategy: It may be paraphrased as “Digital Lifestyle”. Upon its introduction in 2011, the strategy spread excitement among the company’s employees. Ever since, they have represented the concept to the outside world with great commitment.Freenet’s concept of “Digital Lifestyle” spans all branches of telecommunications, the internet, television, and energy as well as all products and services which can be controlled via mobile devices and the internet. The combination of smart phone and remotely controlled television opens up potentials of intelligent domestic engineering, i.e. “smart homes”. The smart phone thus increasingly adopts the role of a digital Swiss army knife, so to speak.From 2007, when Freenet was first listed in the Frankfurt stock exchange, the company has undergone an enormous development. The merging of three companies in 2009 marked a huge step forward. Another notable milestone was achieved with the implementation of the previously mentioned corporate strategy in 2011. In spite of the promising results of all business operations, the company’s successful positioning, and the positive development of sales, the top management decided to face a critical assessment according to the motto “success is the prerequisite for failure”: The assessment challenged the company’s very foundation and unsparingly revealed any weaknesses. In the light of constantly changing market conditions, which do not allow for concrete planning, it is necessary to develop and maintain strengths such as enthusiasm, entrepreneurial and progressive thinking, or the courage to take clear decisions and also embrace failings. It is moreover essential to recognize durable possibilities for organic and anorganic growth, and to allow more space for risk.At this point, the circle of daily business comes to an end: Every single day you have to be flexible enough to venture into new directions, and to provide your clients with the best possible customized services. That is to say, you have to be ready at any time: shape to race!Peter Mirski, MCiT Head of Studies, took responsibility for the moderation of the event.{phocagallery view=category|categoryid=1086}