ProCredit Academy

A Training Centre for ProCredit Bank Managers

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Contents

The ProCredit Academy: Background and Purpose 4

Faculty Leadership at the ProCredit Academy 8

Banking and Finance 10

Humanities 12
Managing with People 14

Programme Structure 16

Expectations towards our Students 19

The Campus 22
4 The ProCredit Academy: Background and Purpose

The ProCredit Academy: Background and Purpose

At the end of 2009, we were serving more than 3 million clients worldwide, a figure of which we
are justifiably proud. Building such large-scale target group-oriented banks is above all a management
challenge. Our products may be simple, but each client – whether a loan client or a retail client – requires
individual attention if the right services are to be provided. Each loan necessitates a decentralised risk
assessment and a credit committee decision. An individual branch may have more than 10,000 clients and
20 staff members. In fast-growing banking sectors often characterised by aggressive and irresponsible
consumer lending, each branch and bank needs to position itself confidently as a responsible institution
in its respective market. To be successful and responsible in terms of outreach and commercial sustain-
ability requires staff who have sound technical skills and, above all, strong value-oriented judgement,
decision-making abilities and communication skills. Indeed, we would argue that in order for any target
group-oriented institution to grow, developing the skills and commitment of the staff is the key strategic
challenge.
Already some years ago, the ProCredit banks began successfully to build local training centres to
enhance their personnel development capabilities. It became increasingly clear, however, that it was also
necessary to make staff members more aware of the regional and global perspectives of the ProCredit
group, to familiarise them with our business policies and corporate values, as well as to involve them in
the definition and implementation of those policies and values.
On each of the three continents where ProCredit banks are based, a Regional Academy was set up:
for Eastern Europe in Skopje (Macedonia), for Africa in Maputo (Mozambique) and for Latin America in
Managua (Nicaragua). In January 2006 we opened the group’s central Academy in Fürth im Odenwald,
near our company’s headquarters in Germany.
The ProCredit Academy in Fürth is the international training centre where the largest number of
different cultures converge. In each of three parallel courses, staff members from all countries are brought
face to face with one another; their common bonds are a shared dream “to do banking differently” and
a shared “lingua franca”, English. In a period of nearly three years, spread across 18 two-week units, the
students are confronted with a variety of subjects and, despite their heterogeneous backgrounds, must
get together to form a group, a cohort.
En route to Fürth, the participants complete two courses in mathematics and pass through both
their respective Regional Academies and the English Language Centre of the ProCredit group. In 8-week
intensive courses at the Language Centre, employees from all of the countries are prepared not only
by improving their language skills but also by being exposed to key aspects of the ProCredit culture.
This corporate culture can be summed up in the concepts of tolerance and curiosity, rational thought and
scientific method, solidarity and friendliness.
 The ProCredit Academy: Background and Purpose 5

Ultimately, staff members are selected for participation in the course at the Academy in Fürth
on the basis of their bank’s assessment of their performance and personal development to date, and
their achievement in the courses held at both the Regional Academies and the English Language Centre.
Lecturers from the Academies, the banks’ managers, and graduates from Fürth are involved in this
selection process.
The aims of the ProCredit Academy are to generate even greater comprehension of and identifica-
tion with the company among our staff, to win their active commitment to serving as multipliers of our
values and our business policy, and – if the circumstances allow – to prepare them for the assumption of
even more challenging positions within the company.
The Academy in Fürth is not an elite college, and Academy attendance does not automatically lead
to promotion. It can be – and hopefully will be – an important stepping stone in the character formation
and professional development of the participants. However, it does not guarantee upward mobility within
the hierarchy.
Standing at the entrance to the
Academy is a copy of a statue com-
memorating the Four Musicians of
Bremen, the heroes of a German folk tale
(www.fairytales4u.com/story/four.htm).
The message of the story, and the one
that we too aim to convey, is captured
in the terms heterogeneity, solidarity
and modesty. In that respect, it forms
a link to the way we see our role as
financial intermediaries, and also our
social mission. We are responsible banks
for “ordinary people”, banks which offer
simple products for the majority of the
population, and in that sense we are
doing something that is socially impor-
tant and necessary, and not just making
our profits grow.
6 The ProCredit Academy: Background and Purpose

We are taking a stand against a dominant system whose only remaining purpose seems to consist
in maximising the profits of shareholders, banishing all other expressions of social co-existence to the
“happy hour” after close of business, or to the narrow sphere of the family at the end of the working
day. Yes, we do want to earn a profit, but we will never forget that we are operating in a social context
that we share with other stakeholders, such as our employees and, above all, our customers.
In the context of rapid growth and multiple interests, the group should never lose sight of its core
values and binding purpose. To preserve our common identity, we require the full support of our inter-
national managers and local managerial staff. It is crucial that managers share our goals and ideals, seek
to achieve them in their daily work, and convey them with conviction to their colleagues.
Practitioners of development finance require more than just a knowledge of financial institutions
and systems. They must also demonstrate a personal commitment to developmental aims as well as
sound judgement, a sense of personal responsibility, and strong communication skills. ProCredit Academy
is devoted to the comprehensive professional development of ProCredit managers, and it thus plays a
critical role in sustaining the group’s current success.

Management responsibility of the ProCredit Academy, and of the ProCredit Language Centre,
which is attached to the Academy, lies with Alois Knobloch and Rolf Kreitel.

An academic advisory council supports management in developing the conceptual framework and
content of the subjects covered at the Academy. The council consists of five members:

Dr. Dietrich Ohse

Dr. Gabriel Schor
Dr. Anja Lepp
Dörte Weidig
Dr. C.-P. Zeitinger
7
8 Faculty Leadership at the ProCredit Academy

Faculty Leadership at the ProCredit Academy

The courses offered by the ProCredit Academy fall into three main areas, each led by the respon-
sible director. These individuals are responsible both for overall co-ordination of their teaching staff and
the courses offered, and for evaluating the students and providing them with feedback.

Director, Banking and Finance (blue) Alois Knobloch

Director, Humanities (red) Rolf Kreitel

Director, Managing with People (green) Dörte Weidig

 Faculty Leadership at the ProCredit Academy 9

Alois Knobloch, born 1971, member of ProCredit Holding’s staff since 2005.
Mr. Knobloch is a member of the management team and serves as Director of
Banking and Finance. His teaching responsibilities include lectures in mathe-
matics, statistics, investment and finance, accounting and cost management.
Mr. Knobloch has a degree in business administration and business education.
He previously served as a lecturer for several institutes of higher education.
Prior to this, he worked as a researcher at the Chair of Quantitative Methods,
Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at the Goethe University
of Frankfurt.

Rolf Kreitel, born 1977, member of staff since 2006. Mr. Kreitel was
recruited to develop the humanities curriculum as an equally important
part of the Academy’s programme and an element that differentiates the
Academy from other management training institutions. He is Director
of Humanities and a member of the management team. Mr. Kreitel has
a degree in political science and history from the Goethe University of
Frankfurt as well as a master’s in public administration from the German
University of Administrative Sciences in Speyer.

Dörte Weidig, born 1970, staff member since 1997. In 2008 she was named
a member of ProCredit Holding’s Supervisory Board. Ms. Weidig was the
manager of ProCredit Bank in Serbia between 2003 and 2009, when she
began serving as the Chairperson of the Supervisory Board of the same
bank. Prior to being assigned to Serbia, she was manager of Micro Crédit
National, in Haiti. When she first joined IPC, she was mainly responsible for
preparing demand surveys and business projections for proposed microfi-
nance institutions, as well as for advising existing microfinance organisa-
tions. Ms. Weidig has an MBA from the Goethe University of Frankfurt as
well as a teaching degree (1st German State Exam) in business management
and Romance languages and literature.
10 Banking and Finance

Banking and Finance

The Banking and Finance curriculum comprises a total of 18 interrelated courses, each of which
builds on the others in order to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of all key
functional areas and the parameters of management decision-making at a typical ProCredit bank.
The ‘blue’ modules combine theory and practice with the aims of explaining a wide range of
specialist terminology and ensuring that all of the students are equally well equipped to benefit from
the instruction, since they arrive at the Academy with varying levels of background knowledge. Such
a theoretical basis provides a common framework for group discussions and allows an in-depth assess-
ment of various work experiences. Frequent comparisons between theory and concrete examples enable
participants to recognise the interdependencies among their bank’s various business activities and the
possible consequences of those activities, while at the same time strengthening their analytical abilities.
This requires a fundamental understanding of financial mathematics, bookkeeping, economics, invest-
ment and finance.
Building on this basic framework, individual fields of study are developed in more thematic detail
with a special focus on their particular relevance to the ProCredit banks. Participants study our annual
reports and the accounting procedures that are used to compile them so that they are better able to
compare and interpret this information. They also broaden their knowledge of financial analysis and
cost management, gaining further insight into the potential of planning, controlling and optimisation
projects to increase efficiency.
From a management perspective, participants are also expected to develop a sense of how to
direct and co-ordinate the activities of different departments of a bank and how to make managerial
decisions. As part of their acquisition of technical knowledge, students are exposed to the areas of risk
management, finance, banking services, credit, controlling and budget planning. Working on specific
management exercises, participants must solve problems and guide the activities of the departments
responsible for these areas. In doing so, they come to recognise the scope of their authority and the
possible impacts of their decisions. Teaching and mentoring in these subjects is provided by experienced
managers from ProCredit Holding and the ProCredit banks, who act as trainers and coaches during the
exercises. Irrespective of their current position, participants are able to develop a strong sense of the
connections and dependencies which exist between different areas of activity.
Based on our experience over the past few years, the sequence of the ‘blue’ courses has been
revised in the new curriculum. Special emphasis has been placed on establishing clear links between
consecutive modules so that it is easier to see the relevance of previous topics. The teaching methods
used are as diverse as the subjects making up the course content, ranging from lectures, presentations
and exercises in small groups to large-scale projects involving the whole class.
 Banking and Finance 11

Dr. Anja Lepp, born 1958, member of staff since 1985. Dr. Lepp was a
member of IPC’s management team from 1995 before becoming a man-
ager at ProCredit Holding in 2008. She is also a member of the Boards
of Directors of the ProCredit banks in Ukraine, Romania, Albania and
Colombia. In addition to her management functions at ProCredit Holding’s
head office in Frankfurt, Dr. Lepp has carried out several long-term assign-
ments in Eastern Europe and Latin America, serving as a project manager
of financial institution-building projects in Peru and in Kazakhstan and as
a manager of ProCredit Bank Ukraine.

Dr. Rolf Neuefeind, born 1942, lecturer since 2006. Dr. Neuefeind is a
consultant based in Darmstadt. While most of his projects are carried out in
Germany, he has completed assignments in the USA, Kazakhstan, Tanzania,
Switzerland and Eastern Europe. His activities focus on strategic develop-
ment and financial management. Dr. Neuefeind has also served in various
governing positions in industry and public administration. He worked as an
assistant professor at the Akademie für Welthandel in Frankfurt, an insti-
tution offering professional development programmes for international
business people.

Prof. Dr. Dietrich Ohse, born 1940, director of studies at the ProCredit
Academy since 2005. Dr. Ohse is a professor of quantitative methods and
operations research at the Goethe University of Frankfurt. He lectures at
the Academy on mathematics, statistics, and management. Dr. Ohse was
the initiator of the Bologna Process at the Goethe University, leading the
transition from the German diploma system to the bachelor/master system.
He has served in numerous governing positions, most recently as Academic
Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
12 Humanities

Humanities

At the very heart of the Humanities curriculum are a number of ambitious goals that go far
beyond the mere dissemination of knowledge. Students undertake a study of history in the humanist
tradition and are encouraged to broaden their minds. The thrust of the programme is to foster the same
qualities that define the great Enlightenment thinkers of the 18th century, specifically intellectual rigour
and the courage to question received opinions and traditional world views. We hope to arouse students’
curiosity and to embark on an exciting journey in search of the facts.
To meet these aims, we have developed a course of study that considers the development of
human civilisations in the context of natural history. This course sets out to identify and discuss the
environmental conditions for human development, and to examine the major stages of human history.
This approach is based on the firm belief that history is unable to explain anything when it is arbitrarily
divided into distinct areas or periods of time, or if it remains nothing more than story-telling.
Given this motivation, it is necessary to follow a timeline that extends from the origins and
evolution of life on Earth, through the development of the first complex human societies and civilisations,
to globalisation in the 21st century. While the 18 topics covered follow a loosely chronological order,
they are very much interrelated and continually build on each other in terms of content. Furthermore,
they afford students new perspectives over time, enabling them to make both informed comparisons and
overarching statements in the fields of historical and sociological analysis.
The overall aim of the curriculum is to facilitate a detailed discussion of contemporary relationships
between economic, political and ideological systems. Why do we lead an increasingly individual lifestyle in
societies where status is defined by wealth? Where do value systems such as those embodied in the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights stem from, and to what extent are such codes truly universal documents?
Why do we inhabit a world divided into national states rather than being part of a single global culture?
By studying history as a science, we incorporate the related disciplines of sociology, politics, economics,
philosophy and theology, with the analysis of historical events serving merely as a platform for interdisciplinary
discussions of complex issues. For instance: How is power established in political and economic arenas, and
in what ways is it used? How are states and empires formed and organised? What is the basis for collective
value or belief systems, and how do governments legitimise and enforce these ideologies?
The teaching methods promote individual participation: explanations are not simply presented
to the class, but are arrived at primarily as the result of group discussions. Students are challenged to
search for answers whether they are in class or interacting in smaller working groups. Nevertheless, their
ideas and convictions must be sufficiently well-founded to stand up to the criticism of others since the
emphasis remains on learning and study of the material in a group setting. Constant challenges, both in
an academic and a social sense, are posed by a wide range of projects that include essays, case studies,
presentations, simulations and role plays. By striving to ensure that students play an active part, we
give them the scope to ask questions and to offer a meaningful contribution. The focus is not on the
accumulation of abstract knowledge, but rather on the development of a sound understanding of the
topics covered as well as the ability to present and respond to complex ideas.
 Humanities 13

Oliver Astley, born 1981, member of ProCredit Holding’s staff since 2008.
Before joining the company through the Language Centre, he obtained an
MA in translation, creative writing and cross-cultural communication from
the University of Warwick and a BA from University College London, where
he specialised in linguistics, Dante studies and modern European literature.
Mr. Astley is primarily involved in the editing of corporate publications
and in-house training materials; he is also a published writer of fiction for
learners of English as a foreign language.

Dr. Andreas Wendland, born in 1959, lecturer in history since January

2008. His teaching responsibilities at the ProCredit Academy focus on the
humanities curriculum. Before joining the Academy’s teaching staff, he was
involved in two university research projects and in international network
supervision at the Goethe University of Frankfurt. Previously he had taught
and served as a researcher in the Department of Early Modern History at
the University of Potsdam. Dr. Wendland holds an MA degree in modern
history and Islamic studies. He obtained a PhD in history at the European
University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy, in 1993.

Dr. Claus-Peter Zeitinger, born 1947, Chairman of the Supervisory Board

of ProCredit Holding and founder of IPC. Carrying out numerous missions
in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Africa, he gathered extensive experi-
ence in the field of development finance and institution building. He has
written a number of studies on subjects relating to target group-oriented
lending. In the Academy he teaches anthropology, ancient history and his-
tory of religion. Dr. Zeitinger obtained a PhD in economics at the Goethe
University of Frankfurt in 1977.
14 Managing with People

Managing with People

ProCredit combines a distinctive business policy with an explicitly development-oriented approach,

both of which are underpinned and driven by a firm set of social and ethical values.
Professional, committed managers with a high degree of integrity are the cornerstone of this
approach. They are also the guarantee that our values can be lived in a group comprising 22 banks with
20,000 employees. Our managers must be able to communicate our values and objectives with convic-
tion. Furthermore, they must be role models and show others that it is possible to manage people, to
resolve conflict and to develop business by adhering to our humanistic principles. Convincing others
of our objectives with the required level of assertiveness calls for a thorough understanding of what
ProCredit represents.
The green modules of the Academy curriculum focus on the fundamentals of what ProCredit
stands for and furthermore on how we manage by managing with people. Seventeen units aim to give
young managers answers to four main questions:
• What is our understanding of development and our contribution to it beyond the popular and rather
superficial belief that this consists mainly in the disbursement of very small loans?
• How should our perceptions of the world and society impact the way we communicate and the way
we manage our people?
• How should we deal with our colleagues or, more specifically, how can we foster a team approach and
base our work on mutual trust?
• What are the roles of a ProCredit manager and how can we translate the responsibility every manager
carries for his or her employees and their motivation into daily operations?
As a value-driven company, we need managers who understand and share the heart and soul of
ProCredit. However, we are by no means looking for blind followers of a philosophy which looks attrac-
tive to many at first glance because of its “friendliness” and “openness”. We therefore offer students a
platform where they can question and constructively criticise the company and discuss possible alterna-
tives. The group has always been characterised by a permanent process of institutional learning and owes
its success to this. The green modules invite students to renew or confirm the group’s principles of how
we want to manage.
In any case, excellent communication is a core requirement of sound management and remains at
the centre of the curriculum throughout the 3-year programme. Young managers are placed in situations
which force them to scrutinise their own behaviour; they are offered the chance to go on a journey that
brings them into contact with themselves. We are convinced that honest and critical self-awareness is a
key managerial quality. Only modest managers with a good understanding of humanity and themselves
can embrace and embody our values.
Far removed from concepts such as managing through targets, managing by exception or manag-
ing by orders, our management style is driven by non-negotiable values and expressed through transpar-
ent communication. The students will learn that this model – management by values and communication
– is a demanding and challenging model but one that guarantees sustainable growth and long-term
development.
 Managing with People 15

Andrea Kaufmann, born 1960, has been working for the ProCredit group
since 2004, first as an IPC employee, and currently as Head of Marketing and
Communications at ProCredit Holding. She previously gained many years’
experience working for global communications agencies as a consultant
for international brand and corporate communications. During that time,
Ms. Kaufmann developed integrated communication strategies, supervised
the launch of new corporate identities and successfully implemented
communication campaigns. As a trained banker with a master’s degree in
marketing communications, she combines her knowledge of theory with
practical experience in the financial sector.

Borislav Kostadinov, born 1976, member of ProCredit Holding’s staff since

1999, and previously an IPC employee. Mr. Kostadinov currently serves as
the general manager of ProCredit Bank Albania. Previously he was part of
the senior management teams of the ProCredit banks in Macedonia, Serbia
and his native Bulgaria, where he started initially as a loan officer. While
in Macedonia, he also assisted with the setup of the ProCredit Regional
Academy for Eastern Europe, based in that country. He graduated from the
Business Administration faculty of Sofia University. Mr. Kostadinov teaches
courses at the Academy on ‘Organising Communication as a Manager’.

Dr. Philipp Pott, born 1973, member of staff since 2001. In June 2006 he
was appointed general manager of ProCredit Bank Georgia, where he directly
supervises the Retail, Marketing, Administration and Branch Network
Development Departments. Prior to joining ProCredit Bank Georgia, he was
a member of the Management Board in ProCredit Bank Ukraine, where
he oversaw the bank’s retail operations. Before being assigned to Ukraine,
Dr. Pott served for two years as the general manager of ProCredit Moldova
with responsibility for guiding all operations. He had previously worked as
a bank adviser in the EBRD Russia Small Business Fund.
16 Programme Structure
Introduction Week (December)
Some “Universal” Facts: The Genesis of the Earth, Plate Tectonics and Climate; The Origin of Species (Charles Darwin):
Evolution and the Descent of Man; The Neolithic Revolution: The Dawn of Agriculture and Permanent Settlement
Instructors: Rolf Kreitel, Andreas Wendland, C.-P. Zeitinger, Eriola Bibolli, Oliver Astley
Block I
Basics of Financial Mathematics and Statistics
From Real to Marginal Costs and from Nominal to
Effective Interest Rates
Boiling Down Large Sets of Data
Instructor: Dietrich Ohse
ProCredit: My Experience
Getting to Know You
Your Bank, its Evolution, Milestones and Challenges
Excursion: Frankfurt – Senckenberg Museum
The Origins of Human Civilisations:
The Social Cage in Ancient Egypt
Emergence, Rise and Fall of State and Civilisation in the
Nile Valley from 4000 to 1200 B.C.E.
Instructor: C.-P. Zeitinger
Block II
Basics of Investment and Finance
Evaluating Investments and Financing Decisions
in Local and International Capital Markets
Instructors: Alois Knobloch, Horst Laubscher
ProCredit: Getting to Know our Company
Development Finance
The Development of ProCredit
The Current Group Perspective
Shared Values and Objectives
Excursion: Frankfurt - Dialog Museum
The Origins of Human Civilisations:
The Sources of Social Power in Ancient Mesopotamia
State and Empire-Building in Mesopotamia from 4000 to 600 B.C.E.
Instructors: C.-P. Zeitinger, Rolf Kreitel
Block III
Accounting I: Basics
The Language of Business:
The Accounting Cycle, Balance Sheet and
Profit and Loss Statement
Instructor: Alois Knobloch
Communication I: Listen Carefully
Active Listening
Questioning and Note-Taking Skills
How to Convey Messages under Stress
How to Concentrate on Content and Structure
Excursion: Hiking Tour
The Tragic End of the Bronze Age and the Dawn of the Iron Age
The Sea Peoples
The New Order of the Middle East
and the Coming of the Greeks from 1200 to 700 B.C.E.
Instructors: C.-P. Zeitinger, Rolf Kreitel
10
Year 1
Block IV
Accounting II: Financial Reporting
Financial Reporting and Decision Making:
Understanding and Using the Information Provided in
Financial Statements
4 Instructors: Alois Knobloch, Christina Reifschneider 3
ProCredit Employees: Profile and Development
What Kind of People Do we Need?
3 How Do we Recruit and Develop Staff?
Salary and Incentive Schemes
Principles in People Management 3
1
Oikos and Polis in the Classical Age of Greek Civilisation
and the Clash of Cultures
New Modes of Economic and Political Organisation
The Epic Struggle between the Greeks and the Persians
3 Instructor: Rolf Kreitel 4
Block V
Controlling I: Financial Analysis for Managers
Critically Assessing your Bank’s Financial Statements
through Variance Analysis
Linking Operational Results with Financial Performance
3.5
Instructor: Hi-Young Koo 3.5
Software: Excel
Learning more About the Various Tools of
MS Software and its Applications
Instructors: Dietrich Ohse, Brand GmbH 2
2.5
Communication II: Getting to the Point
Writing Workshop with Journalists
1
Filtering and Structuring Information
Focusing on the Target Person
Reducing Information to the Essentials 2
Democracy, Philosophy and Religion in the Hellenistic Age
4
Simulation of Ancient Democracy; Introduction to
Ancient Greek and Hellenistic Philosophy and Religion
Instructor: Rolf Kreitel 3
Block VI
Communication III: The Personality in Front of You
What Influences the Success of Communication?
3 Understanding your own Motors in Communication
Understanding the Person in front of You
Intercultural Communication 3
Controlling II: Cost Management
Evaluating Costs and Cost Drivers
3
to Monitor and Control Efficiency
1 Instructor: Alois Knobloch 3
History of Religion: Zoroastrism, Judaism and Christianity
From Polytheistic Maintenance of Cosmic Order to an
Ethicisation of Religion and Normative Monotheistic Beliefs:
The Emergence and Spread of Dogma
4 Instructor: C.-P. Zeitinger 5
 Programme Structure 17

Year 2

Block I Block IV
Roles of a ProCredit Manager
Controlling and Budgeting What Roles Do Managers Have?
Methods and Tools for Planning What Role Do we Give Priority to in ProCredit?
and Measuring Performance Taking Responsibility 3
Instructor: Stephan Boven 4.5

Talking Strategy with the Members of the Management Board

The Myth of Motivation of ProCredit Holding
Dimensions of Motivation What is the Company Strategy?
How to Have Motivated Colleagues How Do you Oversee a Group of 20,000 People?
How to Create and Preserve Loyalty and Commitment How Does a Management Team Work? 2.5
Understanding the Manager’s Role in the Demotivation Process 2
Berlin: Museum Tour 3

Rome I: The Rise and Decline of the Roman Republic The Age of Feudalism (ca. 1000 – ca. 1350)
From Integration and Participation Mediaeval Economy, Social Order and Political Reality
to Slavery and Emperors The Increasing Contradictions of the Mediaeval World View
Instructor: Andreas Wendland 3.5 Instructor: Andreas Wendland 3.5

Block II
Credible Communication
The Role and Importance of Coherent and Credible Messages
Understanding and Addressing our Clients Successfully
Developing and Managing a Corporate Image and
Corporate Language
Block V
Risk Management
An Introduction to Risk Management
An Overview of the Activities and Responsibilities
Relating to the Management of Operational Risks
4 Instructors: Anja Lepp, Stephan Hartenstein 3

Project Management
Communication Meets Organisation
Analysing, Structuring and Displaying Complex Projects
How Does Communication Influence the Organisation?
to Monitor Activities and Control Total Project Time
How Do Structures Influence Communication?
Instructor: Dietrich Ohse 2.5
Documentation Systems
Formalisation vs. Informality 3
Excursion: The Roman Limes and Saalburg 1

Renaissance and Reformation (ca. 1400 – ca. 1620)

Rome II: The Roman Empire and its Fall
Political and Social Decay
The “Barbarian” Invasions and the Rise of Christianity
Instructor: Andreas Wendland
Renaissance: The Slow Birth of a New Society
Protestantism: New Ethics and Ways of Thinking
Politics, Economy, Religion and Religious Wars
3.5
Instructor: Andreas Wendland 4

Block III Block VI

Organising Communication as a Manager Finance and the Management of Financial Risks
Organising Obligatory Meetings Overview of Capital Markets, Funding, Derivatives and
Moderating and Conducting a Successful Meeting Asset-Liability Management
Chairing and Managing Unpleasant Group Situations 3 Instructor: Martin Godemann, Christoph Freytag 4

Economic Models and their Limitations “Menschenbild”, Feedback, Appraisal

Key Economic Indicators, Market Structures What is our “Menschenbild”?
and the Behaviour of Market Agents Understanding One’s Perception of Others
Instructor: Rolf Neuefeind 3 Translating this into One-to-One Conversations
Appraisal and Feedback Sessions 3

Hiking Tour 1
Absolutism and the Emergence of National Economies
Europe, Christianity and Islam in the Early Middle Ages The Rise of Manufacturing: The Beginnings of
(ca. 500 – ca. 1000) Industrialisation and the “Integration” of
Economic, Social and Political Reality in Mediaeval Times the New World into a Global Economy
Instructor: Andreas Wendland 4 Instructor: Andreas Wendland 3
18 Programme Structure

Year 3

Block I Block IV

Credit and the Management of Credit Risks Managers and their Integrity
How to Build a Sound and Socially Responsible Lending Business Personal and Corporate Values
on Different Continents and in Changing Environments What are the Limits of Integrity?
Instructor: Michael Kowalski, Natasa Bosnjakovic 4 Decisions of Ethical and Moral Importance
Communicating and Introducing “Value Talk”
Managing by Values! 3
Working in Teams, Making Teams Work
Team Dynamics and Evolution,
Introduction to Law
Team Building and Composition, Managing a Team,
General Principles of Banking and Corporate Law
Notion of a Team vs. Notion of the “Happy Family” 2.5
Selected Legal Topics of Relevance for the ProCredit Group
Instructor: Bernhard Lippsmeier 3
Paris: Louvre Museum 2

Totalitarian Regimes:
The Philosophy of Enlightenment and the Secular Ethic
German Fascism and Russian Stalinism
Founding the Secular Mindset: The Contractual Agreement
The Perversion of the Social Contract and
and the Rejection of Metaphysical Reasoning
the Loss of Humanity
Instructor: Rolf Kreitel 3.5
Instructor: Rolf Kreitel 4

Block II Block V
The Internal Control System
A Hands-On Approach to Internal Control Design Meet the Major Shareholders of ProCredit Holding
in Banking Processes Who is behind the Company?
What are their Criteria and Expectations? 2
Instructor: Rüdiger Rurainsky 3.5

Manager, Trainer, Mentor or Coach?

Managing by Communication vs. Managing by Orders Meet our Software Provider Quipu
How to Avoid Managing by Targets when Targets need to be Met Software and Services Designed for ProCredit Banks
Is Managing by Trust a Sustainable Method? Instructor: Ralf Niepel 2
Being a Manager and a Coach 2

Revolutions: Threats and Challenges of Globalisation

The American Union of Republics and the French Revolution Simulation of an International Political Summit
Renaissance of the Republic as a Political Concept Recognition of the Complexity of Globalisation
The Proclamation of Human Rights Discussion of Means of Control
Instructor: Rolf Kreitel 4.5 Instructor: Rolf Kreitel 5

Block III
Banking Services
The Frontier of Finance Revisited:
Banking Services in the Context of Responsible Neighbourhood Banking
Achieving Excellent Customer Service and Effective Deposit Taking
while Maintaining Simplicity
Instructor: Bettina Eberle 3.5

Economic Policy
Goals and Trade-Offs in an Economy
Tasks and Instruments of State Institutions:
Fiscal and Monetary Policy; Reasons for Globalisation and
Policy Options for the Promotion of Global Growth
Instructor: Rolf Neuefeind 3

Hiking Tour 1
Political Economy and Economic Policy
Industrialisation and the Institutional Foundations
of the Modern Economic World Order
The Political Economy of the Modern National State
Instructor: Rolf Kreitel 3
 Expectations towards our Students 19

Expectations towards our Students

We expect our Academy participants to be staff members who have already demonstrated in previ-
ous situations that they identify with the aims and values of the ProCredit group, and who are able to
express themselves sufficiently well in English. In addition to a credible commitment and verbal commu-
nication skills, they are also expected to have a reasonable basic knowledge of mathematics, accounting
and economics. This knowledge is tested on several occasions, especially during the selection process and
the first year of the programme.
The Academy programme is both challenging and intellectually demanding. Because of this and
our need to train ProCredit managers, we have certain expectations towards our students. They require
an open attitude towards new information and explanations, unfamiliar points of view, alien concepts
and new paths of learning. Implicit here is much more than mere tolerance of opinions held by others.
The students’ own curiosity is considered to be the driving force behind the learning process. Discussion
is our preferred medium and calls for an ability to scrutinise accepted truths, develop appropriate ques-
tions and ask them openly. Participants are expected to show an inquisitive nature, to take an interest
in the course content and to identify with its search for explanations. We also place importance on
engagement and participation in all aspects of Academy life, both in lessons and socially. A readiness to
learn, challenge oneself and take an active involvement in academic and social events is essential for
students’ personal development. Furthermore, mutual acceptance within the international community
at the Academy should be seen in a shared respect which goes hand in hand with critical and reflective
abilities in shaping group and individual development.
In semi-annual feedback interviews and also in informal talks, if necessary, the participants are
informed of their performance and are also given an assessment of their social behaviour. The teach-
ing staff also talk to the management of the respective banks in order to obtain as complete and fair a
picture of the participants as possible.
Class of 2007

Class o
of 2008

Class of 2009
22 The Campus

The Campus

The Infrastructure of the ProCredit Academy

The Academy building is situated in beautiful, tranquil surroundings in the heart of Germany’s
Odenwald region and is a one-hour drive from Frankfurt Airport and ProCredit Holding’s headquarters.
The Academy welcomed its first group of participants in January 2006; it now has a total of 80
bedrooms (all en-suite), four seminar rooms and a large dining hall. In addition, there are three lounges
with fireplaces where informal conversations take place. Two computer rooms offer access to the Internet,
and extensive common areas provide space in which to spend free time. Sport and leisure activities are
also offered.
The entire hotel team strives to make the participants’ stay a pleasant one and to take guests’
individual wishes into account.

Pelin Uyar is the office manager at the Academy. She is responsible for arrang-
ing arrival and departure schedules and for liaising with the banks to organise
visas for the participants. Together with the service and housekeeping staff, she
makes sure that everyone has a bed to sleep in and that the seminar rooms are
equipped with all the necessary teaching materials. In addition to her admin-
istrative duties, Pelin looks after participants’ individual needs and concerns.
She supports them in everything from retrieving a lost suitcase to arranging a
doctor’s appointment.

Chef Juan Antonio Hidalgo The service area is the

Maldonado and his team responsibility of Zekiye
cook fresh, well-balanced Alkan. Together with her
meals every day. The dishes team, she looks after the
are placed on a self-service guests’ well-being and
buffet and salad bar, allow- ensures that every guest
ing participants to pick and feels at home from check-
choose as they like. in to departure.

Jan Meiss is responsible Every day, Mina Kukavica

for technical support and and her team of cleaners
transportation. He deals see to it that everything is
ably with all major and sparkling clean and ready
minor technical and logis- to use again.
tical issues.
ProCredit Academy
Hammelbacher Str. 2
64658 Fürth-Weschnitz, Germany
phone +49-(0)6253 - 20 08-0
fax +49-(0)6253 - 20 08-200
ProCredit Holding AG
© ProCredit Academy 2010
Kirschwaldstrasse 19
60435 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
phone +49-(0)69 - 95 14 37-67
fax +49-(0)69 - 95 14 37-68
email info@procredit-holding.com
www.procredit-holding.com