Overview

The International Information Systems Management curriculum at University of Bamberg focuses on the knowledge and skills required to manage in-house and inter-company information systems, along with project management skills, foreign languages, cultural administration skills, and general social or “soft” skills. Mandatory studies and/or internships abroad give students practical international and intercultural experience in academic as well as business environments. In the program’s later phases, the curriculum includes a module of courses offered by visiting instructors from the corporate sector; this establishes an intensified transfer of practical knowledge for students.

The Degree Programme’s Added Value

Students in the bachelor’s programme in International Information Systems Management develop not only technical but also social competence in the field of information systems management with a specific focus on international corporations and inter-corporate cooperation.

The technical skills comprise foundational knowledge in information systems management, and a specific focus is placed on the particular characteristics of businesses operating internationally. The curriculum of the IISM bachelor’s programme is formed from the core areas of information systems, as well as the related fields of business management, economics and law. This means that the technical skills established in the programme are of an interdisciplinary nature.

Additionally, considerations are made for (current) practical corporate demands mirrored in the range of technical and also social content of the curriculum. For this reason, subjects covered include not only those clearly pertaining to information systems, but also ones that allow for analysis and consideration of, among other things, socio-cultural, economic, political and legal demands. Moreover, IISM students’ awareness and recognition of long-term developments (e.g. globalization, increased regulation) should be improved.

A student who has completed a degree in IISM is aware of his/her social and ethical responsibilities (e.g. implications of cost cutting). Moreover, working with interdisciplinary and intercultural teams is among the social skills covered in the programme. The programme particularly focuses on topics of practical relevance (soft skills, courses taught by professionals working in the field) in order to prepare graduates for a smooth transition into professional life. Further social skills focused on in the programme are negotiation skills and target-group-oriented presentation, as well as foreign languages taught in practical settings (studies abroad or international internships).

Differentiation from Information Systems

The goal of the degree programme is to prepare graduates for different fields of application pertaining to the international management of IT and information systems. Compared with other Information Systems degree programmes, the fundamental area of curricular focus is the management of information systems operation and the interface between users and technical operations, which plays an important role in the context of areas like change management, business process optimization and service management.