To be successful in multinational organizations, you need a professional understanding of cultural differences, economic contexts, language and communication methods. This understanding is conveyed by the new Macromedia degree program ‘International Relations & Business B.A.’, which will start in the winter semester 2020/21 at all seven university locations. Interested students can choose between a six- or seven-semester implementation variant and one of the four specializations ‘German Language and Socio-Cultural Studies’, ‘English Language and Socio-Cultural Studies’, ‘Chinese Language and Socio-Cultural Studies’ and ‘Spanish Language and Socio-Cultural Studies’. The languages of instruction are German or English.
If the course of studies "International Relations & Business B.A." had already existed in his student days – Prof. Dr. Mohamed Badr would certainly have taken it. Born in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria, he is the prototype of the agile, international manager to whom the new study program at Macromedia University is tailored.
In 1998 Prof. Dr. Mohamed Badr started his career as a financial analyst for the energy and oil sector in the Middle East. In 2000 he joined the Foreign Service of the Egyptian government and managed multilateral UN projects in Italy. In 2011 he took over consulting mandates with multinational insurance and finance companies for the German Reuters Consulting Group. At the same time, he received his doctorate in Political Science and Communication and deepened his academic education in Business Studies and Media and Communication Management. In 2014, he began teaching in the English-language programs at Macromedia University. There he was appointed professor in 2018 and, as head of the media faculty and dean of studies at the Munich campus, was responsible for the development of the new program.
"Successful project management with multicultural teams brings with it both business and communication challenges. It is important to be aware of the different political, historical, socio-cultural and linguistic patterns of perception and interaction. An international consultant, project manager or NGO employee anticipates, moderates and mediates between the parties in order to achieve his or her project goals," says Prof. Dr. Mo Badr.
The career opportunities for graduates of the "International Relations & Business B.A." program are great. They can continue their careers in political consulting firms, in public sector organizations and in federal and state ministries, offices for international affairs, non-governmental organizations as well as in private sector institutions and international companies. The Macromedia approach has met with broad approval among professionals working in these fields:
"Exciting to hear about your new programme – it’s something new and different to the other existing courses I know of, and I am sure the students will enjoy this very much! I especially like the combination of international relations, business, languages and communication, all of which are key for any job right now and are often not covered in this constellation. From my perspective, I believe this will really help your students in the market", says Annina Lux, Manager Strategic and Cyber Risk at Deloitte / Strategy Consulting.
"A lot of our customers are working all over the world, and living in different countries for several years is the new normal. Our business has transformed, solving international financial questions is getting increasingly important. The new degree of International Relations & Business is the exact right way to support students and to provide them with the essential knowledge for international careers", says Dirk Breitsameter, CEO of Contentus / Financial Advisory.
"This new degree in International Relations & Business provides an exciting opportunity for students to develop a solid understanding of international affairs, business, and languages. Together with the international background of many fellow students, this degree should be an enjoyable as well as valuable experience preparing students for a wide range of potential future roles in various types of businesses and organizations around the world", says Dr. Christian Fendt, CEO of Arumis Consulting / Business Consulting.