Spring semester - Course list Management & IT exchange programmes

In today's fast-evolving and deeply interconnected world, effective teamwork and communication across cultures are essential. As an international student, you have undoubtedly experienced this firsthand. This course equips you, as an international student, with the skills to develop intercultural communication competencies, navigate diverse work environments and bridge cultural differences. Through interactive activities, guest lectures and practical frameworks, you will enhance and refine your cross-cultural communication abilities and learn how to collaborate successfully. Mapping your own cultural identity through an exclusive online assessment tool will provide you with valuable new insights. Emphasis is placed on enjoying intercultural communication and leveraging cultural diversity as a strength. By the end of this course, you will be prepared to thrive in global teams and international work settings. A fantastic international project with a partner university and other enthusiastic international students, will be the icing on the cake. Global synergy at its best!

Money makes the world go around. Sales is at the forefront of every company: without sales, no customers and no income! 
We will explore sales in all its aspects from marketing and sales automation to upgrade strategies in order to create loyal clients. How will cultural differences and different personalities come into play? How to prepare and react to it? Sales team management and negotiation tactics will be dealt with to complete your training.
A full course set in an international environment, filled with lots of exercises and thrilling role plays.
Are you up to it?

The course is focusing on the way Imagineering contributes to the success of e-Business. Transformational next to transactional marketing brings all parties closely together and enables strong and intense personal reactions; people want to belong to and to be involved because they love to be involved.

Theory will be translated into real action when constructing in small teams an imagineering programme for a real life e-business company. This course will have an irreversible impact on your life as marketer and/or an e-business professional. We want to welcome you to the inspiring world and memorable experience of this course ‘imagineering for sustainable happiness’.

The world is constantly changing.  Organizations are challenged to adapt to these changes or to perish. Therefore, the search for new opportunities is a constant concern at each level of the organization. 
In this course, you will be guided into the world of new ventures and how they can be found and evaluated. Consequently, the creative process of finding solutions to meet the demands of the new opportunities, will be trained focused on igniting specific skills and competences: Working well with others, Self-learning, Discovering and Sharing information, empathy, “Observing and Listening the others”, Working in group dynamics. 

As pillar knowledge you will learn the Design Thinking for innovation approach, model, process and creative tools. The week seminar will involve hard-work but also a playful learning environment based on exploring. Students grow a creative attitude and the right mindset to become game-changing professionals.

In the intensive course ‘Smart Sustainable Cities’ we will explore how cities can both adapt to climate change and contribute to its mitigation. This practical course will cover key theoretical concepts such as the Smart Sustainable City, Data Sources, and the Commons in the City, all illustrated with real-world examples and cases, particularly through the lens of urban residents. The course focuses on three core areas: Smart Urban Mobility, Sustainable Construction and Buildings, and Managing (Limited) Resources. Students will visit projects in Antwerp and participate in a Citizen Science experiment.

This course introduces the use of information in organizations and the role of information systems in creating competitive advantage. It covers (1) information systems in competition, (2) designing information systems, (3) ethical issues, and (4) marketing applications such as CRM, SCM and digital/mobile marketing tools. The course also introduces students to critical thinking skills with practical marketing examples and case studies."

Ever wonder how marketing has been used to shape norms and promote positive social change? Never before have social challenges been more at the center of public debate. Learn how marketing can be applied outside the commercial marketplace to the solution of social problems such as drug abuse, smoking, excessive drinking and drive sustainable goals such as recycling, sustainable business, and wellbeing. Get an overview of advanced areas of interest within the marketing discipline – Sustainable Marketing and Social Marketing. Sustainable Marketing is a process that applies commercial approaches, social principles, and green initiatives to communicate and deliver value that benefits communities and the environment. Guided by ethical principles, Social Marketing aims to foster behavioural change through a synergy of activities and is a useful guide for leaders in business, the non-profit community, and governments. Contemporary issues covered in this course include the link between Sustainable, Green, and Social Marketing sub-disciplines; advertising literacy and ethics; media's role in the Social Marketing mix; and the use of fear in changing consumer behaviour for the better. You will have the opportunity to discuss, analyse and evaluate a variety of marketing strategies that can support social change. Inspired by real-world examples and highly interactive workshops, you will be challenged to design your own creative Social Marketing Campaign for a non-profit organisation with a potential real-world implementation. In doing so, the course seeks to encourage well-informed understanding of emerging areas in the field of marketing. 

The rules of marketing are being rewritten—are you ready to play the game or be left behind? In this practitioners’ oriented but theoretically grounded, experiential marketing course, we’ll dive deep into how AI, automation, and digital platforms are reshaping the way consumers think, act, and buy—and what that means for brands fighting for survival in a world of mindless convenience. Forget everything you thought you knew about marketing. Consumers are no longer making rational, independent choices. AI-powered recommendation engines, synthetic influencers, and algorithm-driven decision-making are shifting the power dynamic, making marketing more of a battle of machines than human persuasion. What’s in it for you? You’ll learn how to harness AI, decode consumer behavior, and design future-proof strategies that thrive in the age of algorithmic commerce. You’ll get hands-on experience creating synthetic market participants, hacking attention economics, and exploring why businesses often fail spectacularly at tech adoption. This isn’t just another marketing course—it’s your survival kit for the AI revolution. What’s next? Whether you dream of launching disruptive brands, leading AI-first marketing strategies, or simply staying ahead of the inevitable tech-driven chaos, this course will arm you with the insights, frameworks, and bold strategies you need to navigate—and dominate—the future of marketing. Sign up now and be prepared for a thrilling ride of dystopian proportions. The future isn’t waiting for you—it’s already here

The digitalisation of our world and the perceived value for each generation, changed the way "marketing" can play a role in the business of tomorrow. Mr. Kotler's “4P” or “5/6C” model has been challenged by modern technologies and consumer's way-of-thinking (sustainability, local solutions on a global scale, personalization, ...). It's important to evolve as "future marketeer" using the frameworks of (modern) marketing theories in order to choose the right positioning for your brand/product/service. The course focusses on the latest trends in the different marketing theories and models. During each session, we will firstly elaborate the marketing topics in theory, which are then put into practice and discussed in smaller groups.   If you want to know why SAVE is a much more "modern" and practical model than the classical "4P" from our beloved Mr. Kotler, then we expect you very soon in this course. 

This course equips you with the skills you need to work in introductory-level roles in project and change management. Project managers play a key role in leading, planning and implementing critical projects to help their organization succeed. You’ll discover foundational project management terminology, gain a deeper understanding of the value a project management for an organization and understand the need for change management to realize a project's full potential.

This course is tailored to provide students with an essential understanding of how artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the business sector. It delves into the core aspects of AI, such as machine learning, natural language processing, and Large Language Models (LLMs), demonstrating their role in fostering innovation, optimizing operations, and securing a competitive edge. Upon completion, students will possess a thorough grasp of both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI, alongside strategies for its effective deployment within the global business landscape. Moreover, this course will enhance students' ability to discern the practicality of AI for specific business scenarios. It focuses on teaching students to evaluate how well AI initiatives align with a company’s strategic objectives, operational capabilities, and ethical guidelines. The program also includes essential training on collaboration with data scientists and AI experts. A series of hands-on activities and engaging workshops, students will develop the necessary skills to effectively bridge the divide between business demands and technical execution, equipping them to guide and participate in AI-driven projects throughout their careers.

This course will help you to develop your skills in Dutch, the language spoken in the Netherlands and in Flanders. The learning objective is to reach level A1 of the CEFR for languages: understand and use familiar everyday basic phrases, introduce yourself and others, interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. However, students who are fluent in German tend to learn Dutch very fast and can reach an A2 level in one semester and will have the chance to do so. You’ll learn about the culture of Antwerp and Belgium, you’ll  recognize grammatical structures (A1) and use them (A2), you’ll develop your vocabulary, listening and speaking skills and you can choose between a more interactive and fun approach or a more classical approach focusing on grammar and vocabulary.

During this course unit you will learn about the different sustainability frameworks (e.g. SDGs, 3Ps, CSRD..) and how this topic is situated in a historical context and as part of geopolitics in our globalized world.  Next to the general principles we focus on system thinking and new economic models like circular economy, regenerative economy, social entrepreneurship, etc. In the advanced module you will learn how this applies to different domains eg HR, Logistics...After this course unit you will have a profound knowledge about how sustainability drives business today and tomorrow.

You will learn about methods to critically consult and assess different types of information sources. It is about gathering, validating, measuring and processing data to develop insights, strategies and appropriate actions, and reporting about sustainability parameters. You will be able to make the right calculations and decisions with the support of tools (e.g. AI).

You support the development of concrete business options and setting up the right priorities in the surrounding business ecosystem. This means that you consider different business models, gather and process inputs of relevant stakeholders (e.g. customers, suppliers,…). You will be able to distinguish between different options and make informed choices as a consultant and ambassador for the initiatives you are involved in.

Within sustainability it is of big importance to know how innovation can play a role in a business transformation process. You will need to solve specific problems within a company by using iterative techniques (e.g. product & service design thinking, co-creation) and process development. We immerse you in the trends, successes and failures of new technologies and what to integrate in the context of sustainability. The principles of intrapreneurship will help you to see and combine different perspectives to develop structural and impactful actions. You will apply your knowledge in real cases, explored in a multidisciplinary setting.

You will learn the basic principles of change management and what makes it part of sustainability. You will not only be able to understand the different parts of change but will also be able to enable change in different parts of an organisation, team and company. As a change manager you need to listen, to understand, formulate clear goals, empower and motivate colleagues and other stakeholders involved.  You keep the overview and bring in knowledge that is needed to get through the never-ending journey. You will have to cope with successes and failures throughout the process. Project and time management will be essential to analyze structural patterns in an organization.

This course is about fostering personal growth and self-awareness, encouraging reflection on values, beliefs, and emotions, and promoting the development of critical thinking skills to cultivate a deeper understanding of oneself and the world around them. This to become resilient, empathetic, and socially responsible in the business context and beyond.  We explore how to use talents and authentic leadership to make international and intercultural teams work in a business and the current world context. 

The theory and knowledge that you will gain during the different course units will come together and will be deepened during a series of cases, closely connected to different sustainability topics and specific sectors. The cases will both be conducted individually and in groups and will gradually evolve in complexity over the track.  At the end of the semester you will be immersed in a complex case where you have to demonstrate in thinking and doing what you have learned and personally integrated to create impact within the topic of sustainability.

This course will help you to develop your skills in Dutch, the language spoken in the Netherlands and in Flanders. The learning objective is to reach level A1 of the CEFR for languages: understand and use familiar everyday basic phrases, introduce yourself and others, interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. However, students who are fluent in German tend to learn Dutch very fast and can reach an A2 level in one semester and will have the chance to do so. You’ll learn about the culture of Antwerp and Belgium, you’ll  recognize grammatical structures (A1) and use them (A2), you’ll develop your vocabulary, listening and speaking skills and you can choose between a more interactive and fun approach or a more classical approach focusing on grammar and vocabulary.

• Terms of delivery: Incoterms®
• Instruments of payments
• Payment of short term transactions
• Documents in international trade
• Financing of international transactions

• Legal and Illegal Advertising
• Company Structures
• Intellectual Property Rights: Trademarks, Design Rights, Patents and Copyright
• International Sales Contracts
• Other contracts: Licensing and Franchising, Agents and Distributors
• Competition Law
• General Data Protection Regulation (including Consumer Protection)

The advancement of technology and AI, climate crisis and Covid-19 have created an unpredictable and uncertain environment across business industries and society. Our VUCA world calls for a new approach to drive innovation and change, for organisations to remain competitive and relevant.

This course will help you gain insights about the importance of innovation today. We will focus on the following areas:

• Learning about change management and organisational change theories, tools and techniques
• Exploring the stages of the change process and the impact of change on the business environment
• Understanding the principles of Lean Change Management
• Analysing change in context: reasons of failure of no longer existing companies and companies being threatened now
• Discussing industry disruptions, megatrends, cross-industry evolutions and innovation principles & themes that companies need to stay relevant in the current environment and ensure the ongoing success of change
• Introducing Innovation Strategy frameworks for long-term relevance and success
• Applying and evaluating Innovation Strategy tools to set up a portfolio of innovative ideas for different business cases

1. Introduction

• Customs policy as an international trade policy instrument
• Customs unions
• Free trade areas
• Free trade agreements
• Third countries

2. Discover the World Customs Organization & World Trade Organization

3. Classification of goods

• Harmonised System (HS) and nomenclature
• Determination of HS codes
• Classification of goods in customs tariffs

4. Origin of goods

• Liberalization and expansion of world trade
• Preferential and non-preferential origin of goods

5. Valuation of goods

• Determination customs value of goods
• Methods of determination

6. Customs declaration process & bringing goods into the customs territory

7. Overview of special customs procedures

• Major geopolitical topics related to the following countries or regions : Europe, Russia, China and the USA
• Geopolitical opportunities & challenges and the impact they have on global business & supply chains.

A selection of these topics will be covered:

• Market analysis
  • Assessment of market size and calculation of potential market
  • Growth-Share matrices and portfolio models (BCG, GE)
• Segmentation
  • Segmentation methods and criteria
  • Segmenting based on Indices (Category Development Index, Brand Opportunity Index), consumerpanels and by means of databases.
• Analysis of a business plan
• Statistics:
  • How to use regression analysis
  • And how to use historic data and results to forecast sales budgets (trend impact analysis)
• Solver Add-on in Excel
  • Use Solver to determine optimal sales team size
  • Use solver to find optimum in production planning and inventory
• Digital Metrics: Evaluation of online marketing campaigns
  • CPC, CPM, CTR, ROI
  • Evaluation of campaigns on websites and emailmarketing campaigns
• Break-even calculations
  • Break-even point, BE-point with expected revenues
  • BE-calculations to decide upon:
  • EOQ
  • To outsource or insource (Production, Logistics & warehousing, Sales (wholesale & distribution),…)
  • Make or buy decisions
• Profitability calculations
  • NPV, IR, ROI
  • Margin chains - contribution margin – markup/down
• Costing Calculation methods
  • Integral /Full Costing
  • Direct Costing
  • Differential Costing - Incremental Costing
  • TCO –Total Cost of Ownership
• Market Research - Data Analysis
  • How to perform a Market Research
  • Data Analysis by means of pivot tables, Looker Data Studio, PowerBI

This is a self-study course. There are two possible routes towards English C1. 1) the KdG Test or 2) IELTS or TOEFL tests (see further below).

1) KdG test
You take an internal KdG test, based on a Cambridge (IELTS) test. You take this test at the end of the spring semester (May-June) or at resit (August-September). You practise with a wide range of preparation materials available on the internet (e.g. http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams/advanced/preparation/). In Terms 3 and 4 you write three essays of appr. 250 words and send them to the writing coach.

The coach gives feedback and suggestions to improve style, syntax and vocabulary. Passing the KdG test results in a credit for English C1 but does not give you international certification.

In case of complete online assessment, the timing and form remain the same.

2) IELTS* or TOEFL** test 
You register for an - external - IELTS or TOEFL test and follow the preparation instructions as described on the respective websites. You take the test in a test centre listed on the IELTS or TOEFL test website. You will receive an internationally recognised certificate. Submit the IELTS or TOEFL certificate via the Credit Transfer procedure on E-studentservice before 15 May (1st exam session) or 15 August (resit). A valid certificate will result in a credit transfer for English C1 (i.e. a credit for English C1).

If you already have an IELTS or TOEFL certificate no older than two years, you can submit a request for a credit transfer for English C1 following the same procedure.

The marks of the different assessments will be communicated at the exam viewing.

For this course unit, it is your responsibility:

1. to apply the netiquette principles as described in the IBM Essentials on the Intranet when emailing your lecturer or any member of staff. Any email that does not comply with these principles, will receive a standard reply.
2. to submit all assignments via the proper channel, as determined by your lecturer. Assignments submitted via a wrong channel will not be graded.

If relevant, you can find how you may or may not employ AI in this course unit on Canvas. Within the IBM programme, we support the responsible, critical, transparent, and thoughtful use of AI tools.

Transferral of pass mark to resit:

If you fail the composite course Road to IELTS, you only resit the failed part of this composite course. Practically speaking, if you fail this course though have passed the oral exam (or written exam), you do not need to retake the oral exam (or written exam) in the resit exams.

• Part One: Sales perspective
• Part Two: Sales practice
• Part Three: Sales environment
• Part Four: Sales management

• Introduction to air freight logistics
• Worldwide airports and carriers
• The end-to-end airfreight process
• Airfreight goods shipped
• Airfreight cost insight
• Tariffication in air freight
  Sustainability in air cargo
  Digitalisation and Innovations in air cargo
• Contract mgmt in air freight
• Law in air cargo
• Guestlecture(s) and/or visits on particular airfreight themes

This course will help you to develop your skills in Dutch, the language spoken in the Netherlands and in Flanders. The learning objective is to reach level A1 of the CEFR for languages: understand and use familiar everyday basic phrases, introduce yourself and others, interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. However, students who are fluent in German tend to learn Dutch very fast and can reach an A2 level in one semester and will have the chance to do so. You’ll learn about the culture of Antwerp and Belgium, you’ll  recognize grammatical structures (A1) and use them (A2), you’ll develop your vocabulary, listening and speaking skills and you can choose between a more interactive and fun approach or a more classical approach focusing on grammar and vocabulary.

This course will help you to develop your skills in Dutch, the language spoken in the Netherlands and in Flanders. The learning objective is to reach level A1 of the CEFR for languages: understand and use familiar everyday basic phrases, introduce yourself and others, interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. However, students who are fluent in German tend to learn Dutch very fast and can reach an A2 level in one semester and will have the chance to do so. You’ll learn about the culture of Antwerp and Belgium, you’ll  recognize grammatical structures (A1) and use them (A2), you’ll develop your vocabulary, listening and speaking skills and you can choose between a more interactive and fun approach or a more classical approach focusing on grammar and vocabulary.