Management Simulation Tourism

Entrance to WFI, students sitting on the steps

Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Program (BIP)

Management Simulation in Tourism

KU Winter School 2024/25

The basis for this interactive seminar is a business game with group work, which has to be run as a real business with real Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Students from different disciplines and countries work together in intercultural teams to create a business plan and marketing strategy for a fictitious hotel. The teaching units address both theoretical and practical concepts.

The course combines virtual and real-life components, in which students demonstrate their strategic thinking, time management, creativity and communication skills. The cooperation with international partners represents an added value of the module and is reflected in the intercultural knowledge transfer of the underlying student teams.

To get an impression of the gameplay, check out the videos of previous games:

Benefits for Students

By participating in this event, you will:

Improve your language and intercultural competence;
Learn to develop a strategy for a touristic institution in a competitive business environment using theoretical approaches;
Gain the ability to break down strategy into operational decisions and activities;
Analyze a product portfolio and competitors in the market;
Coordinate within the team and define functions within the team;
Apply operational and financial planning and information systems;
Increase your skills in crisis communication;
Develop marketing instruments (product logo, claim, advertising presence);
Present your ideas to customers and competitors;
Gain 5 ECTS credits.

The course is integrated as a Studium.Pro module in KU’s study programs and open to exchange and guest students.

The module is offered as an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Program (BIP).

Erasmus+ BIP partner universities

In the academic year 2024/25, the module is carried out with the following Erasmus+ BIP partner universities:

Comenius University Bratislava, Slovakia
Matej Bel University, Slovakia
Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech), Estonia
Jagiellonian University, Poland
Università di Trento, Italy

Additional partner universities:

İzmir Kâtip Çelebi University, Turkey
University of Birmingham, UK

Uniservitate Workshop "Service-learning Meets Business Education" from February 26 - 28, 2025

This year, from February 26 - 28, 2025, the winter school is also involved in an international workshop on Service Learning that we are organizing in cooperation with Uniservitate, an international project for the dissemination and promotion of service learning at Catholic universities funded by the Porticus Foundation, The focus of the program is on service learning in business and economics; however, lecturers from other subject areas are also very welcome. The workshop deals with the state of service learning in Europe, the teaching of transversal skills through service learning and the integration of AI in service learning seminars and also includes an insight into one of the action-learning-components of the winter school.

Registration is possible until February 17, 2025. It is also possible to register specifically for individual keynotes or panel discussions.

Important Dates

Online part:

December 5, 2024, 6:00-6:45 p.m. Virtual kick-off meeting,
January 9, 2025, 6:00-6:45 p.m. Session on creativity I by René Arvola, Adam Jezierski and Eva Wszendybył-Skulska
February 3, 2025, 6:00-6:45 p.m. Session on creativity II by Dinisa Kandasamy and Desmond Wee
February 5, 2025, 6:00-8:30 p.m. Consultation hours for student teams (20 minutes per team)

February 6, 2025, 5:00-5:45 p.m. Session on pitching by Peter Marcin

On-site part:

Project week in Ingolstadt from February 24 until 28, 2025
Social program for students and coaches on February 23 and March 1, 2025 (participation recommended to all participants)

Different roles

Students can participate in 3 roles (see module description):

As regular team members, students work together to develop and implement a business plan and marketing strategy for "their" hotel. Another group of students will be working as a media team, documenting the event using photography and video and advising the competing student teams regarding the development and implementation of their marketing strategy. A third group of students, the student coaches, will engage in the organziation of the winter school, organize team-building events for other participants, advise the student teams and provide assistance to guest students and guest coaches.

Registration

KU students: KU.Campus and a separate registration form by November 30, 2024.

Students from partner universities and guest students: Please send us the registration form by October 27, 2024.

Costs

No participation fee for KU students.
78 € semester fee for all other students.
Students need to provide their own room and board (location: Ingolstadt campus).
Social program (guided tours through Ingolstadt and Eichstätt and company visit, costs including transportation): 30 – 50 €.