40 years of Steinbeis – Generating and applying knowledge.

“VIRTUAL COLLABORATION ENABLES A BROADER EXCHANGE OF IDEAS AND EXPERIENCES AND IMPROVES THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS THE CONCRETE TRANSFER INTO PROJECTS”

What Ferdinand von Steinbeis laid the foundation for in the 19th century still combines the best of both worlds in the German vocational training system today: Dual training combines theoretical learning at school with practical learning in the company. Steinbeis University has successfully developed this concept to an academic level and made a project-based practical approach an integral part of its Bachelor’s and Master’s programs. Dr.-Ing. Walter Beck was instrumental in founding the university in 1998 and has played a key role in the development of this concept ever since. Where does he see the challenges for companies today in order to be successful on the job market of the future?

In his role as business promoter in the “Central Office for Trade and Commerce” of the Kingdom of Württemberg (Stuttgart), founded in 1848, Ferdinand von Steinbeis was, among other things, a mentor for start-up companies and helped future company founders. For example, he supported the founding of the companies Grotz (Ebingen), Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik (Geislingen), Schuler (Göppingen), Märklin (Göppingen), Hohner (Trossingen), Magirus Deutz (Ulm), Fein (Stuttgart), Voith (Heidenheim) and helped the start-up founder Gottlieb Daimler with a scholarship for his studies.

In the transfer of knowledge and technology, he relied on the principle of “transfer via heads”, which is still valid and effective today: explicitly, especially in teaching, also at trade fairs and implicitly via documents and publications. The first Steinbeis Foundation, established in 1868/69 in recognition and appreciation of his commitment, had the promotion of dual education as its main purpose.

The reason that prompted Ferdinand von Steinbeis to resign as President of the Central Office is also interesting for today: he was against protective customs barriers and believed that industry should be able to assert itself on the international market. In his opinion, the Württemberg Chamber of Deputies came down too hard on him for this – he drew his conclusions and resigned.

JOHANN LÖHN: STEINBEIS RELOADED

A century later, the modern era of today’s Steinbeis Foundation, which was established in 1971 as a non-profit foundation under civil law, began in 1983. The foundation’s task was to provide organizational support for the so-called Technical Advisory Services (TBD) at the state engineering schools (now universities of applied sciences) in Baden-Württemberg. The initial aim of the TBD was to provide SMEs throughout the state with the consulting expertise of lecturers from the engineering schools in an unbureaucratic manner, but this was deliberately organized outside of the schools.

In terms of the state’s innovation system, the 1980s were characterized by a spirit of optimism, openness to technology and a profound recognition of the necessity of innovation for a state like Baden-Württemberg. Entrepreneurship was an essential part of the culture and a key element in successfully shaping the structural change (transformation) of the economy.

As Rector of the then Furtwangen University of Applied Sciences and professor with entrepreneurial and concrete experience in knowledge and technology transfer, Johann Löhn, as Chairman of the Board of the Foundation from 1983, used the two principles of public-private partnership (including in the concept of transfer centers, today’s Steinbeis companies, which was further developed from the TBD) and entrepreneurship to realize the entrepreneurial knowledge and technology transfer system that still characterizes Steinbeis today for the establishment and expansion of the Steinbeis network. This enabled a self-sustaining, entrepreneurial transfer process through competent minds.

“You must focus on innovation and people!” demanded Ferdinand von Steinbeis back in the 19th century and was way ahead of the zeitgeist at the time.

Demographic change and digitalization are increasing the pressure for transformation and are opportunities at the same time. The SCMT team has been supporting companies in recruiting young talent and training employees for 25 years.

The SCMT cooperates closely with the Steinbeis School of Management and Technology (SMT), a business school of Steinbeis University. As part of the cooperation on project competence studies, the SCMT provides support for successful project work in the partner company, while the SMT is responsible for further training as part of the career-integrated study model. The range of further education opportunities includes a variety of certificate courses, Bachelor’s and Master’s programs.