International collaboration & management of transnational higher education institutions
International businesses and value-chains demand a mutual understanding of cultures, nowadays not only important for multinational companies but also SMEs. I am very interested in international processes and transnational education in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region and have regularly visited and worked in the Middle East in R&D and management since 2003.
Contributions can be made in the MENA-region and well-planned operations can have tremendous impact. Leading the project GUtech we successfully planned and implemented the newly established Omani-owned private University in Muscat, Oman, and I led a multinational team from 2006-2009. Achieved milestones: start of planning in Spring 2006, start of operation in March 2007, the first intake of students in October 2007, and the handover to Omani successor in Summer 2009. Work also included the reception of delegations since 2007 from the German Chamber of Commerce / AHK, the German Embassy Oman and political delegations such as the former German Minister of Economics and Technology. The project attracted interest from public media since 2006, reflected in interviews by newspapers Die Zeit, Oman Oberserver, Oman Tribune, Times of Oman, Khaleej Times, Al Shabiba, Al Watan, Al Usboua, The Week, Rheinische Post; magazines Der Spiegel, Lufhansa exclusive; and radio stations SWR 2, WDR 3, Uni Radio Köln and Deutsche Welle World.
Since 2015 I have the pleasure to work with colleagues from Northern Africa on Higher Education. Jointly with my colleague from Cairo University Hospital we set up an interdisciplinary project to set up an exchange of applied higher education with our colleagues from Morocco and Tunisia. The project may continue until 2020.