Development of the TUM Institute for LifeLong Learning: Interview with Managing Director Bernhard Kraus

In January 2021, the TUM Institute for LifeLong Learning was officially opened. Since then, it has bundled all internal and external continuing education offers of the Technical University of Munich and manifests TUM as a place of lifelong learning: It supports leaders and professionals from all areas of society in meeting challenges through scientifically based, technology-oriented and practice-oriented continuing education programs. In this interview, Managing Director Bernhard Kraus explains what has happened since the opening and what the institute’s further plans look like.

The TUM Institute for LifeLong Learning was opened in the middle of the corona pandemic. What was that like for you?

Bernhard Kraus: We opened the institute at a time when companies and organizations, leaders and professionals from all industries had to learn incredibly much in an extremely short amount of time. Teams suddenly had to work together in a completely new way, decision-makers had to lead their employees via digital media. At the same time, companies have realized all the more how important technology can be for their future viability.

We address all these interfaces: What are current and future challenges in different industries? How can we empower our participants to solve them responsibly? The corona crisis has once again shown how important lifelong learning is. I am convinced that our offerings are coming at exactly the right time.

From your point of view, what makes the programs at the TUM Institute for LifeLong Learning particularly special?

Bernhard Kraus: We offer three part-time Executive MBA programs, a Professional Master’s degree program and a variety of certificate and customized programs. All of them are developed and continuously enhanced in close cooperation with different chairs, research centers and other TUM units as well as external partners.

This means that we are able to make the latest scientific findings and the know-how of leading experts from one of the most renowned technical universities accessible to corporate practice in continuing education programs. And the great thing is: new insights are available practically every day at TUM, so that the possibilities for the (further) development of programs are practically endless.

Bernhard Kraus, Managing Director TUM Institute for LifeLong Learning

Does the part time continuing education also focus on practical orientation?

Bernhard Kraus: Absolutely and always. The participants should be able to implement the content of the programs directly in their everyday professional life. We get support for that from our worldwide network of practice partners, from global corporations to start-ups. We teach and learn using the latest, often digital methods, such as our app-based Leadership-Coach. In our programmes, we also often bring together participants who work in related, but not just the same, sectors. After all, this is also lifelong learning: being able to look at topics from a wide variety of perspectives. Networking and exchange are always central components.

What are your plans for the next few months?

Bernhard Kraus: I am particularly looking forward to or I am rather glad about two things: On the one hand, we have been working closely with various TUM departments over the past few months and have developed a number of innovative certificate programs that look into currently relevant topics and are gradually being launched: Ranging from “Sustainable Management and Technology“ and Data Science, to Patient Safety in the healthcare sector and to Climate-friendly Construction. This will enable us to expand our portfolio enormously and offer even more professionals the opportunity to obtain scientifically based continuing education.

Secondly, we were able to welcome the first program participants back to our seminar rooms, and I am pleased that events and courses are slowly taking place on site again. Of course, everyone can and may continue to participate digitally. However, we have planned exciting practical blocks and excursions in some courses and are very happy if we can carry these out in compliance with all safety regulations.

And then there are the projects “QL3” and “EuroTeQ”. What is behind them?

We started this year with these two particularly exciting and future-relevant projects, which will accompany the institute in the coming years. “QL3” is a project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The goal is to establish Quantum LifeLong Learning, a targeted education and continuing training program of universities in Munich in the field of quantum technologies. We enable leaders and professionals to recognize and utilize the potential of quantum technologies for their industry at an early stage.

Behind “EuroTeQ” stands the vision of a European “Euroteq Engineering University”, funded by the European Commission. We cooperate within different project groups with further excellent European universities and colleges in the field of engineering. Together with our partners, we are developing new qualification paths and innovative continuing education concepts for the “Engineers of the Future” and want to establish a culture of lifelong learning even more strongly – we are very much looking forward to interdisciplinary cooperation at European level.