Managing Foundations—Lecture Series at Universität Hamburg for Auditors from All Faculties

19 October 2023, by Michel Clement / Levent Uyar

Photo: BürgerStiftung Hamburg, Stiftungsbüro Hamburg, UHH

With over 1,450 foundations overseeing more than €10 billion, Hamburg is considered Germany’s foundation capital. Accordingly, there is significant expertise in Hamburg about managing foundations. Thus, the Faculty of Business Administration (Hamburg Business School), the Stiftungsbüro Hamburg, and the BürgerStiftung Hamburg have joined forces to offer a new lecture series within the scope of the master’s program in business administration. It is set to begin this winter semester. As part of the lecture series, top managers from various Hamburg foundations will give talks. The dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, Prof. Dr. Henrik Sattler, is delighted that so many major foundations such as the Körber-Stiftung, the NORDMETALL-Stiftung, the Alfred Toepfer Stiftung, the Hans Weisser Stiftung, the Joachim Herz Stiftung, the Claussen-Simon Foundation, the ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius, and the BürgerStiftung Hamburg are taking part and thanks the Stiftungsbüro Hamburg for coordinating.

Topics will include:

(1) Types of foundations
(2) Legal conditions (non-profit law)
(3) foundations as brands
(4) Sustainable activities and/or
(5) wealth as a building block of philanthropy

Operative aspects of management will also be illuminated. Rüdiger Ratsch-Heitmann, co-initiator of the series and managing director of the BürgerStiftung Hamburg, said: “We would like to impart to the students and external guests central aspects of program and organizational development and will talk about the challenges involved in HR management and fundraising.”

Morten Jendryschik from the Stiftungsbüro Hamburg added: “Lecture participants will visit the foundations on one day and gain an on-site impression.”

Prof. Dr. Michel Clement, professor of marketing and media, is overseeing the series and said: “The foundation management lectures are a great opportunity for our students to learn more about the duties and types of foundations while also becoming familiar with a new and interesting field. I am looking forward to them!”

The lectures begin on 26 October 2023 and take place every Thursday from 4 to 6 pm in the Main Building of Universität Hamburg (Lecture Hall ESA-B). Overview of lecture dates (PDF) (last updated on 02 November 2023)

The lectures are open to the public. Auditors from all faculties can sign up via STiNE. Anyone who passes the written examination can earn 6 ECTS in the elective area from the Faculty of Business Administration (Hamburg Business School).

The examiner is Prof. Dr. Michel Clement, Faculty of Business Adminstration (Hamburg Business School).
Contact: michel.clement@uni-hamburg.de