A Novum – two graduations with Ukrainian MBA students in 2005

For the first time in IBR’s history in Ukraine, IBR organized a second official graduation for Ukrainian MBA students in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany in one calendar year.Before the graduation, the Ukrainian guests from Kyiv and Odessa visited the BASF, one of Opel’s most advanced car building plants in Europe, and Deutsche Bank Headquarters. The graduation itself was a highlight with two key note speakers: The Lord Mayor of Neustadt, who stood under the impression of the disastrous results of the latest German elections. His main message focused around the necessity for leaders in politics and business to build trust. “Without trust it is impossible to master change”, so the Lord Mayor. Dr Gottfried Claussen, consultant to politicians and business leaders, the second speaker, linked ‘leadership’ with ‘character’. “Leadership is not so much a question of programmes to be set up in companies, but much more a question of people’s character, their own identity, their own integrity and inspiration.” He impressed the audience by introducing historic leaders such as Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Dag Hammarskjöld that had character and led through character.