Business economist CHE: Field report by Stefan Blunier, course director and head of continuing and executive education
Please tell us about your background.
My name is Stefan Blunier and I am head of further education and management training at the KV Basel business school. I have also been responsible for the Dipl. Betriebswirtschafter CHE / Betriebswirtschafterinnen CHE study program for 7 years. As a qualified economist with a flair for numbers, I have been sharing my knowledge as a lecturer in continuing education, further training for almost 30 years. In an interview with the education platform Ausbildung-Weiterbildung.ch, I give exclusive first-hand answers to the most burning questions about the College of Higher Education in Business.
Who is the Diploma in Business Administration course suitable for and what requirements do they have to meet to attend the continuing education, further training course?
The Business Administration CHE course is ideal for all ambitious graduates with a basic commercial education who wish to continue their education in business administration while working. It is also suitable for career changers with a high level of practical experience in the commercial sector. To be admitted to the course, you need a Federal VET Diploma in the E profile and two years of professional experience. If you have a Federal VET Diploma from another field, you should be able to demonstrate three years of professional experience in the commercial sector.
What career prospects do graduates have after completing the CHE Business Administration course?
Certified business economists CHE are business management all-rounders. As generalists, they can be deployed flexibly in a wide range of industries and professional fields. Typical areas of activity and functions are, for example, team and project managers or customer advisors in middle management in large companies. In SMEs, the degree qualifies them for overall responsibility.
What do students learn in the Business Administration degree program?
In the business administration course you will learn:
- Business management thinking and interrelationships
- Implementation of business management concepts in everyday practice
- Business planning
Soft skills and leadership skills are also an essential part of the Business Administration CHE degree program.
How much does the business administration course cost?
The business administration course costs CHF 14,100, spread over three years of study. In addition, the CHE business administration course costs around CHF 4,500 for examinations, language diploma, diploma thesis and seminars. This amount for the business administration course is tax deductible.
What makes Basel a particularly interesting training location for CHE business administration students?
In Basel, the participants in continuing education, further training in business administration CHE regularly include a wide range of industries. This also has a positive effect on your own professional network. We offer both a daytime model and an evening model for the business administration course in order to take the individual needs of students into account. The qualification procedure (examinations) takes place on a modular basis at the end of each academic year.
What are the transport connections to the school like?
You will find the school in the heart of Basel, a good five-minute walk from the train station. Thanks to excellent public transport connections, there is no need to search for a parking space and you can leave your car at home. This means you can do some work or catch up on reading on the way to or from your continuing education, further training in business administration CHE.
What are the advantages of graduates attending the CHE Business Administration course at the HKVBS training institute?
At HKVBS, the practical orientation of the CHE Business Administration course is clearly in the foreground, and this is also reflected in the lecturers - most of whom are active in leading positions in their respective fields. So-called transfer assignments as examinations bring direct benefits for the students' everyday working life. Here, students have to put what they have learned in theory into practice, often in their own company environment. In order to prepare students for the Business Administration course, an optional pre-study course in accounting is offered. Business administration trainees from the banking sector have the opportunity to take an additional course in Banking & Finance in seminar form during the course of continuing education, further training.
What is the difference between studying business administration at a College of Higher Education and at a University of Applied Sciences?
Admission to the Business Administration course at the College of Higher Education (CHE) is possible with a commercial degree; no general or Federal Vocational Baccalaureate is required. The practical benefits of the CHE business administration degree are far more important than a more academic course at a UAS or university. The Advanced Federal Diploma of Higher Education (Achtung: Engl.) allows you to transfer to the University of Applied Sciences for a shortened course of study.
For whom is the College of Higher Education particularly recommended and who might be better off at a University of Applied Sciences or university?
Those who are very well positioned in a company and want to advance their own professional experience and at the same time train to become a business economist CHE are in good hands on this dual path at the College of Higher Education. The same applies to those who are more practice-oriented and less scientific/mathematical. In addition, the CHE can also be a good first step as a postgraduate course if you are not yet confident enough to make the direct leap to a UAS or university.
