15 years MAS Business Excellence

Dhe Lucerne School of Business (HSLU) is a pioneer in continuing education in business excellence at the university level. The HSLU is a university of applied sciences recognized throughout Switzerland. Up to now, the MAS Business Excellence course has been successfully taught as a closed course. The MAS BEX, the Master's degree in Business Excellence, consists of three CAS and one Master's module. The compulsory module is the CAS EFQM Model Integration & Assessment, which contains the official EFQM assessor training as its core element. Students can also choose from two other modules, such as CAS Business Administration or CAS Operational Excellence. Of course, other combinations or CAS from other universities of applied sciences can also be combined. The Master of Advanced Studies MAS Business Excellence (abbreviated MAS BEX) is consistently oriented towards the EFQM Excellence Model 2013.

A year ago, the EFQM training received the official status "Approved by EFQM", which is certainly more than an indication of best academic performance. But what is the benefit of a MAS BEX education in today's dynamic business world?

Management & Quality asked the course directors Hugo Graf and Prof. Dr. Urs Bucher to tell us more about their areas of further education. - The first MAS Business Excellence course took place fifteen years ago. This made the HSLU a pioneer in continuing education in business excellence at university level.

Mr. Graf, can you remember the pioneering days at all? Hugo Graf:

I can still remember that very well. I was a student on this course myself. 18 curious students, two of them women, met on 24 August 2001 for the opening block on the Bürgenstock high above Lake Lucerne. It was also a risk, as with a pilot course you never know exactly what to expect from the students.

With the presentation of the diploma theses on January 16, 2003, the strenuous studies came to an end. After all, in these almost 18 months, about 600 classroom lessons were completed, plus a multiple of self-study and preparatory work for the certificates of achievement.

Have you followed the professional development of your graduates over the last 15 years? What do you know about it?

Urs Bucher: We survey all former students every five years. It shows that the majority of graduates have taken a positive step in their professional development. It is striking that changes in management level are often observed towards the end of the course.

Hugo Graf: Almost all graduates of the MAS Business Excellence can now be found in middle or upper management.

Has the importance of the excellence approach for companies changed recently?

Urs Bucher: The competitive pressure is increasingly noticeable for most companies, the fight for survival has become tougher. This makes a clear strategic orientation all the more imperative. It must go hand in hand with holistic corporate management. And it is precisely here that the Excellence approach offers outstanding support.

Are there any significant changes in the concept of training?

Urs Bucher: In the course of the surveys of current and former students, the content of the continuing education was continuously fine-tuned. Basically, the structure of the study programme has been brought much closer to the EFQM Excellence Model. On the other hand, a significant focus was placed on the assessor activity itself. The requirements profile for EFQM assessors provides us with a helpful guideline for the course. For example, skills such as understanding business contexts are required. In addition, there are skills in RADAR logic, teamwork, communication skills or analytical skills. - These are all competencies that are trained and promoted in the MAS Business Excellence programme.

Hugo Graf: After the tenth course of study, the study management, together with key stakeholders such as former students, representatives of the economy or lecturers of the university, reconsidered the previous concept and reorganised the course of study within the framework of a project Redesign 2016.

In short, what are the most important innovations?

Hugo Graf: The main changes are that the MAS Business Excellence has been modularised. The MAS BEX now consists of three CAS and one Master module, each worth 15 ECTS. Ideally, these are a CAS Business Administration, CAS Operational Excellence, CAS EFQM Model Integration & Assessment and, as a bracket, the Master's module Business Excellence.

What advantages do today's graduates have over earlier ones?

Hugo Graf: The study programme has become more flexible. Students can choose from three different CAS or, for example, complete a CAS at another university of applied sciences. A CAS usually lasts 6 months. Students can therefore better coordinate their career and their studies. However, a condition for obtaining the MAS Business Excellence is that a maximum of seven years must elapse between the start of the first CAS and the completion of the Master's module.

Has the composition of the participants changed?

Urs Bucher: The composition of the students has hardly changed significantly. As before, the MAS BEX is mainly attended by self-employed professionals, entrepreneurs, line managers from production, marketing and sales, human resources, research and development or specialists in the fields of corporate development, process management, quality management and assessments.

Are there so-called "highlights" in your studies?

Hugo Graf: This is undoubtedly the official EFQM assessor training EAT with subsequent assessment in practice. Accompanied by an experienced assessor, the students go to a company for a week and assess it on the basis of the EFQM Excellence Model. This is always perceived by the students as a very rigorous but highly valuable experience.

As a university of applied sciences, you are "obliged" to be practice-oriented. How do you implement this requirement in your studies?

Hugo Graf: In my view, the above example of the practical assessment impressively shows the strong focus of our continuing education on practical orientation. It is also the case that performance assessments are carried out on the basis of concrete practical projects from the participants' professional environment. Topics are always discussed on the basis of concrete examples from companies.

Do students actually maintain contact beyond their studies?

Hugo Graf: Many lasting friendships have resulted from the various courses. Institutionally, there is the ALUMNI MAS Business Excellence Association. This active organization regularly offers a variety of well-attended events.