Department of Management Sciences

Virtual Berlin Excursion 2021

The legendary Berlin excursion usually takes place every two years in our MBA program CSR & NGO Management. For the first time, the excursion had to be canceled last year and this year due to corona. But now we are taking advantage of the rapid progress of digitalization and have decided to offer a virtual version of the Berlin excursion. The advantage: for the first time, our MBA students, as well as our alumni and university members, can take part in the Berlin excursion. We are looking forward to the sessions and invite all interested parties to register.

NGOs and civil society organizations are important players in a pluralistic society. They are able to contribute analysis, knowledge, and empirical expertise to the political debate and the shaping of political ideas. They influence political decision-making in favor of their field of work and their target group. 

berlin_excursion.png (EN)

NGOs are often working in networks and with peers, organizations to widen their own competencies and acquire knowledge, skills, and experiences and gain bargaining power. They drive debates or participate in them. They co-shape public opinion. At times, they need to claim rights, proper implementation of government policies and schemes, laws, and the rule of law.

However, NGOs are no political entities and are not part of the day-to-day political machinery. They lack electoral legitimation and advocate for causes of their own choice. They represent special interest groups and there might be a massive number of people to be represented by NGOs.

The lobby and advocacy work of NGOs become part and parcel of Ngo's field of work and strategies. In order to be successful, NGOs need a certain set of professional skills and a clear lobby and advocacy strategy.

Learning goals

Important addresses and protagonists of NGO lobby work are situated in capitals: parliaments and ministries do have their home base in capitals. Besides, many governmental and non-governmental organizations reside close to governmental institutions as well as a wide network of federations.

The course combines different methodologies: on  September 24th an introductory session will provide background and theoretical base for the semester, followed by 5 discussions of 60 minutes each in the course of the semester. The students will (virtually meet) protagonists of NGO lobby and advocacy work, such as parliamentarians, government officials, NGO lobbyists, federations of civil society organizations. The presenters and participants will be from different countries to integrate various views, experiences, and contexts.

At the end of the semester, a concluding class session will be conducted on December 3rd to reflect the learnings and draw conclusions.

The seminar will help students to experience lobby and advocacy “in the making”, they will reflect and experience the following topics:

  • Reasons for and legitimation of NGO L&A
  • Addressees of L&A – legislative, executive, other government institutions
  • instruments of L&A – public campaigning, public relations work and the power of media, events, dialogue, background work and knowledge sharing, networking and joint action, alliances, including celebrities
  • Topics of L&A
  • Success factors for L&A
  • Understanding the addressee – the functioning of parliamentarian work, the functioning of ministries and authorities – whom to address for what
  • The L&A strategy of NGOs
  • The resources needed for L&A

Participation Requirements

Students will have to prepare one of the debate sessions: a two-pager that introduces the speaker and their institution/organization as well as topics of interest that will serve their coursemates as preparation for the respective session. Other students will have to prepare a two-pager summarizing and evaluating the session. Additional to this, group work during the introductory session will simulate the own L&A activities of the group.

Participation requires active involvement and participation in the session discussions. Participation in the excursion is rewarded with an official certificate of participation. Registered participants are therefore expected to attend all live sessions.

Initiator & Host

Since May 2018, Prof. Dr. Claudia Warning has been Director General at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). From 2005-2018 she was a member of the board of Bread for the World, a faith-based German NGO based in Berlin. Bread for the World runs extensive lobby and advocacy work in Berlin, Brussels, and other places.  Prof. Dr. Warning has been on the board of Venro, the umbrella organization of German Development NGOs, for eight years, four of which she served as a chairperson.

Open here the full university profile of Prof. Dr. Claudia Warning.

mba_csr_ngo_profilbild_claudia_warning.png (EN)

Prof. Dr. Claudia Warning
is lecturer in the seminar “NGO Business Strategies and Organization” in the MBA Program CSR & NGO Management at Campus Rheinbach.

Logistics & Fees

All sessions will be held virtually on Webex. Participation is possible upon prior registration. Participation in all Berlin Excursion Events is free of charge.

Speakers & Schedule

  • Prof. Dr. Claudia Warning
    Director-General at German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
    Fri., 24. September 2021 / 2-5 pm (CEST/UTC +2)
    "Excursion Introductory Session"
     
  • Siegfried Herzog
    Regional Director Latin America at Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Mexico City
    Thu., 7. October 2021 / Thursday 5:30-6:30 pm (CEST/UTC +2 )
    "Framing an L&A strategy - Pursuing a successful lobby agenda - The case of Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Mexico"
     
  • Heike Spielmans
    Managing Director Venro, Berlin at VENRO = "Verband Entwicklungspolitik und Humanitäre Hilfe") is the umbrella organisation of development and humanitarian non-governmental organisation in Germany
    Wed., 13. October 2021 / Thursday 5:30-6:30 pm (CEST/UTC +2 )
    "L&A of Federations - The case of Venro"
     
  • Dr. Norbert Görißen
    Deputy Director General at Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conversation and Nuclear Safety
    Wed., 20. October 2021 / Thursday 5:30-6:30 pm (CEST/UTC +2 )
    "Being addressee of L&A I: How to translate L&A initiatives in policymaking: The view from the Government"
     
  • Colin Consalves
    Human Rights Law Network, Laureate of the Right Livelihood Award, the Alternative Nobel Prize
    Wed., 03. November 2021 / Thursday 5:30-6:30 pm (CEST/UTC +1 )
    "Making law work for the marginalized"
     
  • N.N. (requested, Speaker and timing  to be confirmed after Federal Elections in Germany)
    November 2021 / Thursday approx. 5-7 pm (CET)
    "Being addressee of L&A II: Who to be heard and who to translate L&A initiatives in policymaking: The view from the Parliament"
     
  • Prof. Dr. Claudia Warning
    Director-General at German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
    Fri., 03. December 2021 / 2-4 pm (CET/UTC +1)
    "Excursion Wrap-Up Session: Evaluation of own group L&A activities"

How to register for the Excursion?

Thank you for your interest but we are very sorry, but the registration period for the excursion in 2021 has already expired. The next excursion is planned for the summer semester of 2022. Further information will be posted at the proper time.