Today’s global societal and environmental challenges raise significant questions for companies and the way in which they operate. How would you respond to these dilemmas? This inside view helps you to identify the type of organization you would want to work for and how to manage your own start-up. Once you have mastered the basic concepts of sustainable business, you will prepare and present a business plan that delivers on this relevant issue.

Presenting information and points of view in meetings and presentations is a daily reality of business life. Learn how to conduct effective meetings with careful preparation and an open mind to differences of opinion.

Global economic development affects the performance of governments, companies, organisations and individuals. Grasp key concepts and principles of economics, and those relating to business organisation and strategy.  You will draw on case studies and media reports to examine the extent to which external factors influence business decisions and performance. Find out how market mechanisms work, study factors which influence producers’ pricing and output decisions, inter-dependence of households and businesses, strategies that drive business growth and theories of consumer behaviour. You will also examine the role of governments, concepts of labour and employment, money, capital and inflation and business cycles – essential for understanding different viewpoints.

Information is everywhere. Finding and selecting valuable information in open source networks, libraries, magazines and reviews, requires a careful search technique and a critical mindset. We will work on these skills and help you master the art of writing efficient messages and reports – both for internal and external use.

Learn how to communicate in a way that transcends borders, and leads to lasting working relationships. Find out how cultural differences impact on the way we communicate – both verbal and non-verbal – and investigate their influence on organisational structures and business operations.

The financial situation of every organisation is reflected in the accounts. Starting with the theoretical and legal framework of the International Financial Reporting System, you practise the basics of financial accounting – how to record inventory, sales and purchases, and ensure proper closing. Learn how to read financial reports such as balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements.

A flair for number-crunching and working with spreadsheets is essential in any organisation. Likewise, organising data, making (financial) calculations and analysing data are also sought-after skills in the labour market and areas you will develop throughout the module.

Provides a comprehensive overview of some of the most widely-used applications for communication in business: Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint and Microsoft Outlook. You will learn core techniques and best practices, and discover tools for information management, planning and cloud-computing.

As the influence of international and European law grows ever stronger, knowing its basic principles and where to go for legal and regulatory information will help you make the right choices in business. Develop your critical-thinking skills in regards to contracts and learn how to double-check legal issues.

Learn how to market products and services across borders, in this growth area of international business. You will explore the pressures created by the pathways of internationalisation, as well as political and economic risk analysis, international planning, cultural distance, branding for international markets, international market entry, distribution strategies, and adaptation versus standardisation.

Get an overview of most common globalisation theories on defending open economies and removing trade barriers. Explore the opportunities, risks and threats as well as the roles of the intermediate parties. Take a close-up look at how the global supply chain works – in theory and practice. Learn about the types of cargo – container cargo, liquid bulk, dry bulk, breakbulk and ro-ro – and different transportation modes, their infrastructures, networks and flows. Discover logistics: the flow of goods, services, information and money between your customers, your own company and your suppliers. 

As a student, you learn to manage your studying, time, motivation and personal energy, and later as you prepare for a career in international business new skills come into play. This course enables you to work on core management strengths such as teamwork, intercultural awareness, scheduling and planning. Your mentor will also give you personal development coaching as part of your drive to become a skilled and motivated young professional.

Choose one of the following electives to broaden your horizon:

• Business in Latin-America
  Doing Business in Latin America provides pointers to conceive of a highly diverse global region. It supplies the students with a background on economic histories, doctrines, policies and practices that continue to affect a number of modern Latin American States’ business climates today. Additionally, the course covers data sources on governance, that students will find relevant to honing their analytical and critical reflection on States – not only from this Global region, and not only in the scope of this course, but possibly for ever after. 
• Business in Europe
  Immerse yourself in the mechanics of the European Union and its institutions as you explore the potential business opportunities and challenges in the region. You will focus on social and anthropological aspects and master cross-cultural communication, business etiquette, and the dos and don’ts of doing business within Europe’s multicultural business landscape. Your classes will also draw on topical news stories that have an impact on business across the continent.
• Business in the US
  Gain valuable insight into one of the world’s most expansive and lucrative markets, the United States of America.  You will learn more about the political, economic and social particularities of the US and how they relate to doing business in the country.  Furthermore, the class will contain practical do’s and don’ts for conducting business in and with the USA. 
• Business in emerging markets
  Global business has been transforming significantly over the past decades. Next to the developed economies, new markets have gained momentum and are becoming an ever more important part of the world economy. This interactive course seeks to create a basic understanding what is happening in these so-called “emerging markets” and will at the same time help develop cultural sensitivity, and stimulate the appetite to explore. The course will visit China, India, as well as other very dynamic and interesting parts of the world. Different perspectives, including culture, entrepreneurship and innovation will be discussed and practiced.
• English Upgrade B2+
  If you received a B2 (IELTS 6.0) for your language screening test, it is mandatory that you take up this elective course. This will not only help you to keep up in our English-taught environment but will help you with your international business prospects through improved communication skills in English. It is also great preparation for the Road to IELTS course in the second year.
• Leadership and People Management (B4E)
  The Leadership and People Management course takes a two-fold approach to leadership practices and the different challenges of managing people in the multicultural and diverse workplace of the post-Covid world. Incorporating theoretical studies and  practical exercises, a mix between an academic approach and a business training, the course is structured around lectures, interactive sessions, workshops, individual and group presentations. Use will be made of case studies (Harvard Business Review), video and other material. Student work includes role plays, games, and concrete projects of varying degrees of difficulty. Students will study different areas within the three important building blocks in leadership and managing people.  
  • Psychological with a focus on the individual
    Example themes such as: emotional intelligence, discovering value systems, self-limiting beliefs, self-awareness, self-discipline and self-motivation.
  • Social-psychological with a focus on the relational
    Example themes such as: power and influence, motivation vs manipulation, empowerment and engagement, teamwork and communication skills.
  • Situational context with a focus on the organisation
    Example themes such as: organisational design, organisational culture, challenges of a multicultural workplace, risk vs crisis management and geopolitical and economic challenges in the post-pandemic world.

A chance to broaden your language skills. Either choose from the following in-house courses:

• Dutch (the local language here in Antwerp): elementary course (CEFR level A1)
• French: elementary and intermediate courses (CEFR levels A1 & B1)
• Spanish: elementary course (CEFR level A1)
• Or submit a proposal to study another language, outside KdG.

Whichever option you decide upon, you will need to continue with that same language for the full 12 credits (in the second and third year of your study programme).

Native speakers cannot enrol on an elementary course in their own language. Also, students with a secondary school degree from Flanders who want to improve their French must choose the intermediate option.

Learn more about CEFR level descriptions

It's the hackathon! A unique chance to work in a diverse team of like-minded entrepreneurs. Apply your know-how, successfully transforming an idea into a real-life business plan. Take your concept and turn it into a viable venture, drawing on ICT and project management tools as you go.

In order to graduate, all students need to prove that their English-language proficiency is at least C1-level on the CEFR. This course prepares you for taking the IELTS – C1 General Test at the British Council in Brussels, or to do a similar test at KdG.

Trade Essentials will guide you through some of the complexities of international trade. Focus will be on the careful management of costs and risks by studying and applying the Incoterms® 2020 rules. 

But international trade also involves good credit management. Therefore, you will also learn how to deal with payments in international trade. Documentary credits play a crucial role in this part. 

To succeed in the corporate world, you need a good understanding of the legislation that impacts on your business activities. Learn how to operate within a legal framework as you discover how to create legal ads, comply with competition rules, protect your intellectual property, and select the right contract for clients and contracting parties. You will also explore options for international mergers and acquisitions and learn how to process client data in line with privacy laws.

Calculations and projections are important tools in business management. Learn how to work with statistics, market data and mathematical functions to develop simulations and forecasts in this hands-on seminar.

Explore the role of strategical and operational marketing in today’s world of global business. Get an insight into those all-important concepts and techniques, which enable today’s managers to identify and capitalise on opportunities that arise. Find out how its benefits are increasingly sought-after by the public sector and other, not-for profit organisations.

Discover what kind of team player you are, and how to perform at your peak within a team. Put into practice the skills learned in the Cross Cultural Communication module and apply them to real-life situations where cultural awareness, networking, teamwork and professionalism go hand in hand. Develop these critical skills by reflecting on your actions and behaviour.

Continue to build on last year’s taster, as you dive into the detail of your chosen language.

Choose one of the following electives to broaden your horizon:

• Human Resources Management
  Find out how to attract the right talent, develop it as well as reward and retain staff – core aspects of any successful business. Get a strategic and transactional overview, learn how to apply HR frameworks and concepts to real-life examples, and create the right conditions for employees and managers to achieve company goals.
• Storytelling as a Business Tool 
  Storytelling is crucial for any organisation in order to distinguish itself and rise above the clutter of information and communication efforts. You will learn about the importance of storytelling in a digital/social media context.  You will learn how to transform communication into enjoyable, and relevant stories, adding the tone of voice of an organisation.

• International Business Practices
  Tumultuous International Business times ahead.  China is getting strong enough to challenge the USA in economic hegemony, and the latter is no longer so sure about the “global rules” itself has helped to put in place.
  That means that you will enter the business world with the 3 largest economic blocks (the EU, The USA and China) singing a different tune.  How to navigate this new (and still shaping) international business world ?
  The course tackles this in a very hands-on way.  It brings in guest speakers who have a broad experience in global business, but as a student you also get to go deep in certain area and translate that knowledge into a report and final presentation that then also brings your fellow students upto speed on your new insights.  Net a class to learn, to experience, but also to share & help others ahead.

Become an expert in identifying the characteristics of a strong brand and apply your skills on cases where you show you can manage a brand yourself. Learn to network, create your brand, sell your idea and create buy-in.

Choosing the right strategy is essential for your business to grow. You are trained to apply the right methodology to evaluate the factors most crucial for successful scaling.

Immerse yourself in a new business venture, experiencing the ins and outs of start-up life firsthand. What better way to discover what type of entrepreneur you are? Get a taste of the different roles and responsibilities within a new and growing organisation, learning the ropes from like-minded entrepreneurs. It is a chance to broaden your international outlook abroad. 

An initiation in the art of networking and negotiating. You learn how to identify interesting network events, learn how to establish new connections and understand and apply negotiating principles in the purchasing and sales context.

Are you ready for an unforgettable journey in entrepreneurship with your fellow peers? The heart of this course is a bootcamp of four nights and five days during which you engange in brainstorming exercises, out of the box thinking and campfire singing. Experts and experienced entrepreneurs will share their business insights and together with your team you will work on concepts that will impact the future of our world. We end the experience with a TED-talk style pitch in which a jury will reward your creativity and entrepreneurial mindset.

Is it all about the money? Or is there more to it? Take a look at authentic business cases from various standpoints and analyse them. Set up debates, present your reasoned arguments, and see if there is more to business than just going for a quick win…

Continue to build on last year’s taster, as you dive into the detail of your chosen language.

Choose two from the following choices:

• Operations management

  The objective of this course unit is to familiarize the student with the principles of Operations Management. This function is concerned with the production of goods and providing services in a cost-effective manner in accordance with the existing and perceived demand for the existing and potential customers.

  After this course unit the student should be able to:

  • Define the term operations management.

  • Compare and contrast service and manufacturing operations.

  • Describe the operations function, the nature of the operations manager’s job and the relation with other management functions.

  • Describe the key aspects of operations management decision making.

  • Identify and describe current trends in business that impact operations management.

• Digital marketing
  Get to grips with digital marketing by creating a simple website for an small online business, and then improve it using the principles of content marketing and user experience. You will also explore Google Adwords, Google analytics and direct mail promotion as part of a wider digital marketing strategy.
• DXC Masterclass
  A workshop run by a leading independent, end-to-end IT services company.  Over six sessions, you address digital technologies from a business perspective. You work on a real case study for a client, providing business solutions, which you present at the end of the workshop.
• CSR business game
  You take part in a business game on the theme of Corporate Social Responsibility. You form a team with students from other degree programmes. Each team represents the management team of a netbook manufacturer whose mission is 'to be successful in business by being innovative and socially responsible'. Throughout the game, you make strategic and operational decisions (e.g. choice of product, sales region, product location, supplier, quality of the components, terms of employment etc) 
• Third party project
  With the IBM3 Minor Elective Third-Party Project, you are given the opportunity to broaden your horizon and attend a summer school, bootcamp, case competition ... outside of IBM and have this validated within your IBM degree programme.
• Blockchain and artificial intelligence
  General introduction to applied innovation in business, blockchain and artificial technology. Interactive guest lectures will be facilitated by the instructor. 

In three modules, you get a package of all the practical, administrative and financial information you need to start a company.

• Module 1: Legal frameworks
• Module 2: Startup financials
• Module 3: Starting up anywhere in the world

Gain valuable world real-world experience with a challenging company project. You will start form a specific angle, analyze a business’s strengths and weaknesses and write thoughtful recommendations to help the company reach new heights. Critical thinking, problem solving and communication skills are core to this course. During the course Research and Academic Reporting (RAR) in the second year, you will already address potential angles and write down an approach for this project.  

Build the foundations for your business using the design thinking framework. Explore market research practices, customer-centricity models and ideation techniques to validate your ideas with little risk and low investment.

During this course you get all the necessary insights to write a strong business plan. You learn how to formulate a research question and proposal, look up different types of sources and evaluate them, plan your work, structure your narrative, and finetune your writing. The outcome is a project plan and a foundation for your business plan.

Bring structure to an organisation. In this course you get to know the different procedures and flows in a company and how to tie responsibilities to processes so we make sure you know how to lead the operational department.

Start up your own international business with a potential to scale. Set up the foundations for your concept on the road to graduation and get the opportunity to work on your start-up during a whole semester. The outcome is a validated idea with a business model and market entry strategy that you can use to become the entrepreneur you aspire to be.