Social Economy

• characteristics, typologies and structures of organizations
• tasks, goals and strategies in organizations
• organizational cultures, organizational environments and stakeholders
• classical and current organizational theories
• formal and informal structures in organizations
• organization/s of the social economy in selected EU countries
• change in organizations
• power in organizations
• equal opportunities and diversity

• Graduates recognize formal structures and typologies of organizations and know about the importance of informal structures in organizational business.

• Graduates are able to evaluate the influencing factors of formal organizational structures.

• Graduates are familiar with the specifics of non-profit organizations and/or organizations of the social economy.

• Graduates have an overview of classical and current organizational theories and are able to apply them to handle operational problems.

• Graduates are able to relate their practical experience in and with organizations to scientific approaches to explain selected organizational theories.

• Graduates can explain processes of organizational change and understand basic principles of resistance, power, equal opportunities and diversity.

• Graduates can contextualize management tasks in regard to the complexity of organizations.

• Graduates develop practical and reflective knowledge regarding the management of social economy organizations.

(guest) lectures, reading and processing of scientific literature, reflection on own experiences as a member in organizations, literature reflections, group work, plenary discussions, presentations

Final exam

• quality management terms
• main concepts
• design of quality in the social economy
• relevance of leadership styles within quality management
• discussion and application of key methods of quality management
• historical development of Total Quality Management (TQM)
• standards according to ISO 9000ff
• European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM)
• quality label for social integration enterprises
• examples of quality standards of social economy organizations
• examples of standards and models used in the social economy

• Graduates describe and discuss key terms and thought patterns of quality management.

• Graduates explain, distinguish between, and apply key methods and areas of application in quality management at all process levels (core, support, management, and improvement processes) within the social economy.

• Graduates have an overview of the normative, strategic, and operational tools of quality management in the social economy and are able to apply and interpret them in practice.

• Graduates are able to define the range of options available to managers with regard to quality management and to shape quality management as a social process.

• Graduates are equipped to plan and participate in the implementation and expansion of quality management in organisations across different fields of the social economy.

• Graduates are able to systematically analyze the quality management of organizations and devise specific recommendations.

flipped classroom, literature work, lecture, group work, presentation, forum contributions (e.g. peer feedback), plenary discussions

Continuous assessment

• definition of basic terms
• development and analysis of impact goals and impact models in selected fields of action
• critical reflection of selected approaches of impact orientation / impact analyses on the basis of examples (e.g. impact evaluation in comparison between quantitative and qualitative methods; social return on investment)
• reflection on the interaction of impact-oriented practice with the professional development of social work as well as the management of social economy organizations

• Graduates can define key terms used to describe impacts (including input, income, output, outcome, impact).

• Graduates justify their choice of an individual focus for their examination of the topic of impact orientation.

• Graduates compare and discuss different impact approaches and their benefits for social work and social economy organizations.

• Graduates consider how to appropriately use impact studies / impact controlling in the context of social economy organizations.

• Graduates position themselves through a differentiated-critical approach to the discourse and the use of selected concepts of impact orientation.

lecture, discussion, reading and processing of scientific literature, individual and group exercises, presentations, critical individual reflections

Final exam: written reflection, term paper

• Leadership 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and different leadership models
• the role and tasks of managers, especially in the area of conflict between middle management and employees
• leading employees - with a special focus on the topic of communication and conflict management
• dealing with different stakeholders
• leadership of employees
• leadership skills
• methods of self-management
• practical examples
• group building process phases
• tasks and structures of cooperation in teams and small groups
• learning processes in groups
• information at the beginning of the Master's program

• Graduates identify and discuss specific challenges of leadership in social business organizations.

• Graduates discuss, analyze and evaluate their own leadership behavior or leadership experiences in selected situations.

• Graduates discuss and identify challenges and methods of self-management.

• Graduates test and reflect on their own communication behavior and consulting processes in the team (in the sense of coaching as a leadership tool).

• The graduates experience the start of their studies as an active team-building process.

flipped classroom, lecture, group work, presentation, forum postings (e.g., peer feedback), plenary discussions

Continuous assessment

• the topic of Social Work
• Social Work as a field of science
• overview about Social Work research
• characteristics and specifics of professional help
• fields of action and current developments in Social Work
• past and present qualifications and education in Social Work in Austria from a human resources management perspective

• Graduates describe and discuss central contents on the subject of social work as a profession and discipline.

• Graduates recognize and describe methods and fields of action of social work in an overview.

• The graduates discuss the positioning of social work in the social economy and in the landscape of health and social professions.

• Graduates have a general overview of the contents of different educational programs in social economy and social work in Austria and are able to evaluate the relevance of these from the perspective of human resources management.

flipped classroom, literature work, lecture, group work, presentation, forum contributions (e.g. peer feedback)

Continuous assessment

• assessment of the student's position (with regard to knowledge of scientific-empirical work)
• detailed literature research strategies and techniques of scientific work
• methodological and paradigmatic basics of reconstructive (qualitative), quantitative and triangulative (mixed method) data collection and evaluation methods
• selected research approaches and sampling strategies
• overview of evaluation approaches and social framework conditions of social science evaluation
• complementary / related approaches: quality management
• basics of planning and conducting evaluations
• theory and methodology of impact analysis
• social context of evaluations and the role of evaluators
• limits and possibilities of different research designs

• Graduates acquire basic standards of empirical research in the degree program Social Economy.

• Graduates are able to classify the paradigmatic foundations of reconstructive (qualitative), quantitative and triangulative (mixed method) methodologies.

• Graduates understand the social framework conditions of evaluations for the social economy.

• Graduates are able to understand evaluation as a research design and its diverse areas of application.

• Graduates are able to reflect on basic methodological knowledge with regard to the possibilities and limitations of empirical social research as well as the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches and methods.

inputs by the instructor, reading and analysis of scientific literature, discussions, small group work, exercises to determine one's own competencies, distance exercises, analysis of practical case studies, presentations

Continuous assessment

• concepts of complexity management in social economy organizations
• assessment of the students' current position
• defining goals for the further development of one's own research competence within the framework of the study program
• defining goals for professional development and for positioning oneself as a leader
• techniques of self-regulated writing
• problem analysis and dealing with change under conditions of complexity
• dealing with uncertainties

• Graduates reflect on the requirement to make decisions in their studies and in professional practice under conditions of complexity and develop strategies for decision-making processes appropriate to the situation.

• Graduates develop practical and problem analysis skills for complex issues.

• Graduates reflect on their own action competencies and learn tools for self-reflection and self-orientation under conditions of complexity.

• Graduates routinely position themselves in their field of action, question their own level of knowledge and clarify their own development potential as well as that of their organizational environment.

video inputs, guided online practice phase, instruction on and training in self-regulated, self-reflective reading and writing, peer feedback, discussion, and self-reflection

Continuous assessment

• meaning and tasks of management accounting and its sub-areas as a source of information for operational control
• basics and logic of cash accounting and double-entry bookkeeping
• bookkeeping accounts, voucher systems and accounting cycle
• accounting of typical running business cases from the social economy
• entries in the annual financial statements, calculation of profit, preparation of a simple closing balance sheet
• basic principles of the taxation of social economy organizations
• basic principles of calculation and accounting of personnel expenses
• financial statement analysis including performance indicators, interpreting the annual financial statements of social economy organizations

• Graduates can explain the tasks of accounting and its importance for the foundation and management of an organization.

• Graduates can explain the difference between cash accounting and double-entry bookkeeping and the implications for the organization.

• Graduates are able to account for typical transactions in the social economy as well as simple financial statements.

• Graduates can interpret accounting documents (especially annual financial statements) in a meaningful way, calculate key figures and draw conclusions for operational management in social economy organizations.

• Graduates can interpret documents from payroll accounting and make calculations on personnel expenses.

lecture, group exercises, discussion, work assignments with feedback, case studies and practical exercises, midterm exam, final assignment in groups

Continuous assessment: 55% homework assignments, 10% presentation, 35% final assignment in groups

Civil Law

• contract law (warranty, contract rescission, etc.)
• compensation for damages (also liability)
• civil proceedings

Corporate Law

• application of the term "company" to non-profit organizations
• important regulations of the Austrian Enterprise Code such as company name, company register, partnerships
• legal basis of legal forms relevant for the social economy such as corporations, cooperatives and associations as well as their tax aspects
• state aid, grants and subsidy agreements
• basic principles of awarding public contracts (public procurement law)

• Graduates possess essential knowledge of civil law, in particular contract law and tort law, including procedural law.

• Graduates have knowledge of corporate law, the law of associations and the forms of organization of companies under private law.

• Graduates have a basic knowledge of the possibilities for the state to transfer public tasks to private companies

• Graduates are familiar with the basic principles of public procurement.

• Graduates are able to name, delimit and illustrate contents of the course in relevant cross-sectional fields of the curriculum and in particular of the module.

lecture, group work, discussion, e-learning work assignments with feedback/discussion in distance learning, case studies

Final exam: written exam

• social economy & social management: development, definition, delimitation
• social economy in Austria: figures, data, tasks, types of organizations
• nonprofit, lowprofit, profit in times of hybrid organizations
• definition and characteristics of social services
• social entrepreneurship, social business and social-economic enterprises as special organizational forms of the social economy
• the economic concept in the social sector: effectiveness, efficiency, profitability,
• the conflicting fields of economization
• special features of the social market: business management vs. economic analysis
• sustainability, innovation and digitalization as cross-cutting issues in social economy organizations
• current developments/issues in the Austrian social economy

• Graduates can explain the concepts of social management and the social economy in the context of various theories and identify relevant international developments.

• Graduates are able to explain the need for business management within social organisations, taking into account the specific characteristics of the social economy sector.

• Graduates are familiar with the economic characteristics of the provision of social services and can apply these to specific services.

• Graduates can identify different types of organisations in the social economy on the basis of specific characteristics and compare them with those in other sectors of the economy.

• Graduates are able to demonstrate what interfaces exist in a social economy organization with regard to the cross-cutting issues of sustainability, digitization, and innovation management.

lecture, discussion, work assignments with peer feedback, research assignments, guest lectures

Final exam: seminar paper, moodle test, individual assignments

presentation and discussion of

• current topics related to the social economy and social work with national and international relevance
• national and international research results
• best practice models from Austria and abroad
• changing socio-political and legal framework conditions and their impact on the social economy and social work
• innovative, alternative, sustainable social economy services and business models

• Graduates are able to identify and reflect on current national and international topics and challenges with an impact on the social economy and social work.

• Graduates understand international studies and are able to address specific issues for comparative research.

• Graduates are capable of communicating and presenting at conferences.

• Graduates are capable of exchanging know-how and networking with academics and practitioners in the social economy and social work.

• Graduates are able to engage in professional discourse in the field of social economy and social work in English.

lectures, group work, discussion, work assignments with (peer) feedback

Continuous assessment: reflection on the central findings and implications for one's own field of action

• mapping the social economy
• social management as a field of competence
• tasks of a manager in different levels of the organization
• individual positioning from the perspective of the study program

• Graduates develop their own views on the challenges and opportunities of the social economy and social management.

• Graduates use various analog and digital media to inform themselves about current developments in the social economy and to connect these topics with their own everyday professional life.

group work, discussion, work assignments with (peer) feedback

Continuous assessment

• definition of marketing and professional classification
• tasks and goals of marketing management in the social economy
• marketing management process for social organizations
• assessment of the situation & identification of relevant environmental factors
• (social) market and service definition
• market segmentation and positioning in social economy
• definition and management of marketing goals
• marketing strategies for different business models in the social economy
• marketing financing

• Graduates know the definition, business significance, special features, challenges, goals and tasks of social marketing and can explain these on the basis of a social economy organization.

• Graduates are able to describe the marketing management process for an organization in the social economy, they can distinguish between strategic and operational marketing and define appropriate measures.

• Graduates create a social marketing plan and define marketing goals. They know different methods of analysis, alternative marketing strategic approaches and are able to assign individual marketing measures to marketing instruments.

• Graduates are able to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of instruments of social marketing according to their field of action and are able to make a suitable selection according to the specific marketing goals.

combination of lecture, group work and exercises, feedback, work assignments with feedback, practical exercises, discussions

Continuous assessment: continuous assessment (several assignments)

• competence management including personnel planning, recruitment and selection of personnel
• personnel development
• personnel assessment
• personnel management as a strategic and operative management task (leadership, management concepts, communication processes, consolidation of selected focal points)

• Graduates recognize and discuss the difference between management and leadership as well as models of leadership.

• Graduates discuss and reflect on the relevance of digitization for areas in HR management.

• The graduates illustrate competence management as a strategy-oriented personnel concept.

• Graduates create essential operational procedures, processes and instruments of personnel work: personnel requirements, personnel selection, personnel development, personnel assessment, personnel management.

team teaching, flipped classroom, literature work, lecture, group work, plenary discussions, presentation, forum posts (e.g. peer feedback).

Continuous assessment

• basics of controlling (goals, tasks, role of controllers) and understanding of controlling in the social economy
• focus and goals of operational and strategic controlling as well as performance and impact controlling in the social economy
• controlling in interaction with other areas of internal and external accounting as well as at the interface to quality management
• information provided by controlling
• key figures and key figure systems (e.g. Balanced Scorecard) as central instruments of controlling
• planning & coordination: goals and success parameters of social economy organizations, target/actual comparisons, variance analyses and forecasts
• overview of the instruments of strategic controlling for the analysis of the organizational environment as well as the company and business unit level
• instruments of operational controlling: cost type, cost center and cost unit accounting
• contribution margin accounting
• cost accounting as the basis for calculating the per hour rate, case or subject costs, consulting, accommodation or care costs
• overview of qualitative and quantitative tools of personnel controlling
• personnel cost planning

• Graduates are familiar with the different areas of controlling and can explain the importance of a functioning controlling system for social enterprises.

• Graduates are able to select and apply tools relevant to their field of work from the variety of strategic controlling instruments and use them to prepare strategic decisions.

• Graduates can use the instruments of operational controlling for costing, as a decision-making and planning tool, and for results accounting using Excel spreadsheets.

• Graduates can compile key figures from various controlling areas into a system of key figures and use them to obtain relevant information for managing an organization.

• Graduates are able to name the essential aspects and the benefits of personnel controlling for the social economy and give a recommendation for its use in their field of activity.

lecture, group work, discussion, work assignments with feedback, group exercises, case studies, practical exercises

Final exam: written final examination, seminar paper, case study

• presentation of possible research topics by instructors and opportunity for students to contribute their own projects
• development of two alternative outlines for the master thesis
• clarification of their knowledge and skills or learning needs in order to implement the project idea
• selection of a topic and a supervising teacher

• Graduates determine their position as researchers with the perspective of individual professional fields of action.

• Graduates choose a topic for the master's thesis based on the defined goals for the further development of their own research skills during their studies as well as the defined goals for their professional development and positioning as a leader.

exchange platform for topics and supervision possibilities (large group moderation); drafting of two master's thesis topic outlines

Continuous assessment: submission of two master's thesis outlines for the selection of a supervising teacher

• drafting of a rough concept for the master's thesis (under the guidance of the supervisors).
• planning of a scientific thesis (research question, state of research, methodological approach, relevance, objective, interest in knowledge)
• theory-based development of a research question
• application-oriented research designs on socio-economic issues

• Graduates develop a (problem-solving) question relevant to the social economy from a chosen topic area.

• Graduates explain their decision for selected research approaches and sampling strategies.

• Graduates clarify possible field approaches and develop a viable research design for the master's thesis.

input from the course instructor, group work, plenary discussions, work assignments with (peer) feedback

Continuous assessment

• collective and individual labor law including social law regulations
• contents, conclusion, possibilities of dissolution, possibilities of limitation of an employment contract
• statutory rights and obligations of employers and employees
• basic principles of the Professional Education and Training Act
• protection against dismissal and redundancy
• employment of third-country nationals
• equal treatment in the world of work
• handling of case studies in dealing with employees (e.g. mobbing and harassment)

• Graduates recognize the principles of labor law, taking into account social law and European regulations and their relevance from the perspective of employees and employers.

• Graduates recognize the contents of an employment contract as well as the rights and obligations of employers and employees and can distinguish this from other types of contracts in working life.

• Graduates recall which formal requirements must be observed when terminating an employment contract (taking into account the group of persons who are particularly protected by law).

• Graduates recognize and design relevant types of texts, e.g. job advertisements, employment contracts.

• Graduates recall the correct way to deal with employees from an employment law perspective (e.g. protection against termination, dismissal, equal treatment, mobbing/bullying and harassment).

lecture, group work, written paper, presentation, forum contributions (e.g. peer feedback)

Final exam: written exam

• overview of the topic of inclusion and diversity for social economy organizations
• analysis of exclusion and inclusion processes as well as of conditions of social (in)equality
• elaboration of the concepts of inclusion, diversity, heterogeneity and intersectionality with reference to historical developments, legal foundations as well as political/societal forces driving inclusion and diversity
• identify theoretical, societal and organizational approaches as well as design possibilities and their organizational translation into operational practices along selected diversity dimensions (age, disability, ethnicity, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and social class)
• exploring context-sensitive concepts and measures of strategic inclusion and diversity management and translating them into own organizational action practices
• activating the students' experiential and reflective knowledge as a central resource

• Graduates are able to reflect and classify their knowledge acquired in the course on the meaning of inclusion and diversity in terms of social and organizational theory and to apply it to different organizational fields of practice.

• Graduates are able to critically discuss commonalities and differences of individual diversity categories as well as intersectional perspectives and understand the connection to social sustainability.

• Graduates understand inclusion and exclusion processes in the field of social economy organizations and are able to influence them on an organizational level from a strategic diversity management perspective.

• Graduates are able to trace the legal basis of diversity in Austria and the European Union and understand the practical relevance for management.

• The graduates know about the context dependency of inclusion and diversity management with a special focus on fields of action in social economy organizations.

• Graduates can apply methods of organizational analysis and critically reflect on the implementation and anchoring of diversity management.

(guest) lectures on inclusion and diversity, reading and analysis of scientific literature, discussions, small group work, analysis of case studies from practice, analysis of documents from the practice of social economy organizations (mission statements, inclusion measures, diversity strategies...), presentations

Continuous assessment

• Theoretical foundations of social planning, as well as conceptual foundations of
  * Integrated social planning
  * Regional social planning
  * Digitalization in social planning
  * Participation-oriented social planning
  * Social space-oriented social planning and reporting
• Practical application of the concepts in various fields of action
• Analysis of the changing social framework conditions for social planning and public services in Austria (federal government, federal states, municipalities)
• Tasks, roles and challenges of social planning as a field of practice
• Methods of social reporting as well as problem definition and critical analysis
• Analysis of data availability and quality, data transparency and evidence-based planning in Austria
• A Practical-oriented discussion with a focus on social planning in homelessness services
• Input from guest lectures from municipal and regional social planning in Austria and Germany

• Graduates understand the instruments and methods of social reporting and social planning at the interface between politics, administration and practice of non-governmental organizations and can explain the connection between these fields.

• Graduates are able to interpret and evaluate social reports from different perspectives (role of the person responsible for creating the report or role of the strategically responsible recipient).

• Graduates deepen their understanding of the ways in which social planning methods are applied using current practical examples from social reporting and planning.

• Graduates develop a practical understanding of how social reporting and planning work in Vienna and Austria and how these two fields are interconnected.

lectures, discussion, distance exercises with feedback, group assignments

Continuous assessment: Participation in the in-class lecture, written distance learning assignments, presentation

• basic concepts in social policy: goals, instruments, actors
• the Austrian welfare state: design principles, development and current challenges
• basic concepts in economic and social policy in the EU: structures, working methods, policymaking, EU multi-level policies
• comparative social policy: types of welfare states in Europe
• comparative social policy: case studies - social policy in other EU countries, contributions of foreign guest lecturers

• Graduates are able to explain the conceptual foundations of social policy and apply them to answer scientific questions.

• Graduates are able to characterize the basic structures of social policy in Austria and at the EU level.

• Graduates can compare alternative types of welfare states.

• Graduates are able to discuss the content of specific texts on socio-political topics and explain their relevance for their own professional field.

• Graduates are able to use central national and international social policy data sources for a detailed description of social policy in Austria and Europe.

lecture, discussion, guest lectures

Continuous assessment

• qualitative and quantitative survey methods
• access to the field
• specification of sampling strategies
• implementation and reflection of the surveys
• data documentation and collection
• reflection on these instruments for evaluations
• view on evaluation methods

• Graduates apply methods of empirical social research, create survey instruments tailored to the research question, choose an appropriate approach to the field that reflects ethical aspects, and conduct surveys.

• Graduates understand the relevance of empirical social research methods for evaluations of social economy practice.

• Graduates reflect on the research methodological approaches used in the context of the research question and the intended research goals.

• Graduates support each other in peer groups, reflect on their own and others' work processes, and provide collegial feedback.

• Graduates learn to argue and to explain their approach on a theoretical and methodological basis with regard to the objectives of application-oriented research designs in the social economy.

lecture, reading and analysis of scientific literature, peer group learning, discussions, small group work, processing of case studies from evaluation practice, processing and testing of empirical survey and evaluation methods, presentations

Continuous assessment

Communication policy and leadership role

• Current challenges: Why PR is more important today than ever?
• Strategic corporate communication
• The role of managers in communication policy
• Stakeholder management: internal and external reference groups
• The role of PR managers
• Focus: social economy organizations and their sub-publics

Instruments of public relations work

• Main tasks of PR
• Development of a PR concept in 7 steps
• PR instruments and their use; tools & channels
• PR instruments with relevance for managers
• Digitalization in PR
• Focus: AI - and what managers should consider

External image of an organization

• Corporate storytelling
• Crisis communication
• Communication of values
• Event communication

• Graduates are able to understand the importance of communication policy for social economy organizations and reflect on the role of leaders in strategic communication.

• Graduates know how to describe and categorise key public relations tools and explain how they can be used strategically in the context of digitalisation and AI.

• Graduates can analyse selected target groups in the social economy and draft a strategically sound PR concept, presenting it in a well-reasoned manner.

• Graduates can explain the key elements of a consistent public image and use examples to demonstrate how storytelling, values-based communication, and event communication can be applied specifically to social economy organizations.

• Graduates are able to analyse the fundamental principles of stakeholder management and crisis communication and to evaluate case studies from the social economy in a critical manner.

Lecture/presentation, discussion, peer feedback, practical exercises

Continuous assessment

• development and elaboration of the research design in the form of an exposé for the master's thesis
• presentation, reflection and discussion of the individual work and its intermediate steps in a conductive collegial setting (master thesis coaching), which is jointly designed by teachers and students
• reflection on the chosen sampling strategies, access to the field, survey instruments
• quality criteria and ethical aspects of empirical studies
• techniques of critical and self-regulated reading and writing
• cross-references to professional fields of action

• Graduates apply methods of empirical social research: Create survey instruments tailored to the research question, choose an appropriate approach to the field, reflect on ethical aspects of research, conduct surveys, evaluate the collected data, interpret the results and draw conclusions for social economic research and practice.

• Graduates routinely apply techniques of critical and self-regulated reading and writing.

• Graduates reflect on the research methodological approaches used in the context of the research question, the intended research goals / knowledge interests as well as the practical relevance from the perspective of a (future) manager.

• Graduates support each other in peer groups, actively address open questions, reflect on their own and others' work processes, and provide collegial feedback.

group work, discussion, expert input, work assignments with (peer) feedback

Continuous assessment: exposé of the master thesis

• basics of financing in the social economy: tasks, functions, forms and sources
• financial management: financial and liquidity planning, budgeting
• forms and sources of public financing
• forms and sources of classic private financing for the social economy
• forms and sources of alternative financing for the social economy
• development and presentation of a financing concept by the students
• basic principles of financial negotiations

• Graduates are able to summarize the terminology, functions and objectives of financing and the associated specifics in the social economy.

• Graduates are able to prepare simple financial plans and budgets.

• Graduates can describe various classical and alternative forms of financing as well as forms of funding and major funding agencies in Austria.

• Graduates are able to assess the suitability of various forms of financing and funding for a specific project from a business management perspective, develop a meaningful financing concept and use it to enter into financial negotiations.

• Graduates can position financing within the framework of economic sustainability.

lecture, group work, discussion, work assignments with feedback, group exercises, case studies, practical exercises

Continuous assessment: written term paper, presentation, pitch

• policy fields and funding strategies of the European Union and instruments of their implementation
• social Innovation and social entrepreneurship in the EU
• EU structural funds (with focus on ESF and EFRE)
• funding logics of the European Union
• selected funding areas, priorities and action programs in the respective funding period
• What can increase project chances?

• Graduates understand the funding principles and logic of the EU.

• Graduates can apply these to areas of social economy organizations for specific projects.

• Graduates are familiar with relevant EU funding programs and their relevance for the social economy and social work.

theory inputs, exercises (group work), topic-guided subject research

Continuous assessment

• overview of social policy and the social security system in the respective host country
• social economy, social work and the social sector in the respective host country
• learning about selected examples of social economy organizations in the respective host country
• development and presentation of a project concept (with EU funding) for a social economy organization

All content is taught and delivered at one of the joint degree partner universities. Language: English or language of the host country

• Graduates understand the social sector in the respective sector of the host country, analyze them in the context of European social economy and evaluate local and international challenges based on this knowledge.

• Graduates are familiar with selected examples of social economy organizations in the respective host country.

• Graduates can initiate, design and present an EU funding application in the context of social economy institutions/organizations in an international setting.

• Graduates experience intercultural communication and are able to apply it in a situation-appropriate manner.

• Graduates can cooperate successfully in the context of intercultural project teams without prejudice and mindful of their own identity.

• Graduates have the specialized English vocabulary to communicate in English in a job-specific manner.

Blended learning course with the following components:
1) Online preparation phase with a kick-off and first online meetings
2) On-site phase as a 9-day study visit to a partner university in the respective host country
3) Online follow-up phase with online coaching and online project group meetings for writing a project report in a working group

Teaching and learning methods used:

• Reading and working on academic literature
• Internationalization@home (virtual component of mobility)
• International student mobility (physical component of mobility): Learning and experiencing working in and with the field, (guest) lectures, visits to social economy and social work institutions in countries of the joint degree network, case work, group work in intercultural and international teams, presentations, peer exchange

Continuous assessment

• What is a project?
• managing projects
• defining project goals and project target groups
• preparation phase: project rough planning
• project start-up phase and implementation: getting the project "on track"
• monitoring project success: project risks, project controlling
• project communication
• project documentation, project manual
• overview of the most important methods and tools for an (international) project in the social economy
• project management keywords in English

• Graduates recognize and discuss the basic principles of social economy projects and can explain and paraphrase project phases and roles.

• Graduates identify and discuss key aspects of intercultural project management in the social economy.

• Graduates identify, discuss, and apply key project management tools and methods and understand their use in social economy organizations.

flipped classroom, lecture, group work, presentation, topic-guided subject research, forum postings (e.g. peer feedback).

Continuous assessment

• sustainability discourse since the 1970s (from the Club of Rome to the SDGs)
• differentiation between sustainability management and corporate social responsibility
• different perspectives of sustainability in the social economy
• shifting away from the growth dogma
• overview of alternative economic and social concepts
• sustainability models: from the pillar, intersection and priority model to the Donat economy
• the three dimensions of sustainability from the perspective of the social economy: ecological, social and economic sustainability
• sustainability management: model, strategy, implementation in the social economy
• from materiality analysis to sustainability goals
• overview of various sustainability management tools
• green controlling in the social economy: possibilities and benefits
• sustainability reporting and the benefits of various standards and reporting templates

• Graduates are able to name terms, concepts and developments in the sustainability debate and explain how they relate to social work and the social economy.

• Graduates know how to explain why we need to rethink the economy and society in the 21st century within the framework of planetary and societal boundaries, and what role the social economy plays in this context.

• Graduates can identify specific starting points for the social economy along the three dimensions of sustainability.

• Graduates are familiar with different ways of establishing sustainability in the management of a social organization and can illustrate this using various management models.

• Graduates can identify relevant key figures and indicators in the context of green controlling, are familiar with methods of sustainability management and reporting (GRI, EMAS and social impact reporting) for the social economy, and can identify the key differences between them.

lecture, group work, discussion, work assignments with feedback, group exercises, case studies, practical exercises, business game

Final exam: seminar paper, case study

• models and principles of change
• change design and change architecture
• psychology and organizational logic of change
• principles and concepts of social innovation
• innovation in the public sector, nonprofit and service sectors
• innovation and its management of change in the social economy

• Graduates explain and discuss concepts, methods, and tools related to innovation and change management at the organizational level.

• Graduates identify areas of application for social innovations and are able to contextualise and discuss these in terms of social and economic theory.

• Graduates independently develop concepts for social innovation, justify them and present them in a convincing manner.

• Graduates apply methods of innovation management and change management to their own professional context and evaluate existing practices.

• Graduates identify the range of options available to managers in relation to innovation and change management.

flipped classroom, literature work, lecture, group work, presentation, plenary discussions, forum contributions (e.g. peer feedback)

Continuous assessment

presentation and discussion of

• current topics related to the social economy and social work with national and international relevance
• national and international research results
• best practice models from Austria and abroad
• changing socio-political and legal framework conditions and their impact on the social economy and social work
• innovative, alternative, sustainable social economy services and business models

• Graduates are able to identify and reflect on current national and international topics and challenges with an impact on the social economy and social work.

• Graduates understand international studies and are able to address specific issues for comparative research.

• Graduates are capable of communicating and presenting at conferences.

• Graduates are capable of exchanging know-how and networking with academics and practitioners in the social economy and social work.

• Graduates are able to engage in professional discourse in the field of social economy and social work in English.

lectures, group work, discussion, work assignments with (peer) feedback

Continuous assessment: reflection on the central findings and implications for one's own field of action

• strategy options in the social economy
• review of the analytical instruments from the different courses
• reflection of the operational use in specific fields of action

• Graduates are able to present complex issues analytically in groups.

• Graduates recognize the need for change in changing organizations and develop their own views on development options based on selected examples.

• Graduates use various analog and digital media to inform themselves about current developments in the social economy and to connect these topics with their own everyday professional life.

group work, discussion, work assignments with (peer) feedback

Continuous assessment

• qualitative and quantitative (via SPSS) evaluation methods
• interpretation of results and reaching conclusions
• testing, applying and deepening empirical survey and evaluation methods
• reflection of these instruments for evaluations
• reflection on evaluation between scientific quality criteria and specific requirements of practice
• discussion of empirical methods under theoretical and method-critical aspects

• Graduates apply empirical methods in a reflective manner and interpret findings in a theory-based manner.

• Graduates apply methodological approaches in the context of the research question and the intended research goals.

• Graduates are able to explain their approach on a theoretical and methodological basis.

• Graduates can develop and classify instruments for evaluations.

• Graduates evaluate the practice of evaluation in light of specific practice needs.

independent testing of empirical survey and evaluation methods, peer group learning, discussions, small group work, working on case studies from evaluation practice

Continuous assessment: working on case studies

• main focus: qualitative and quantitative evaluation methods
• interpretation of results and reaching conclusions
• discussion of the results under theoretical and methodological critical aspects
• revising text modules and working out the final version of the master thesis
• peer group learning and collegial exchange using the example of different papers

• Graduates apply methods of empirical social research: Reflect on ethical aspects of research, conduct surveys, evaluate the collected data, interpret the results and draw conclusions for social economic research and practice.

• Graduates routinely apply techniques of critical and self-regulated reading and writing.

• Graduates reflect on the research methodological approaches used in the context of the research question, the intended research goals / knowledge interests as well as the practical relevance from the perspective of a (future) manager.

• Graduates support each other in peer groups, actively address open questions, reflect on their own and others' work processes, and provide collegial feedback.

group work, discussion, expert input, work assignments with (peer) feedback

Final exam: submission of the master thesis

Commissioned examination before a board of examiners in the relevant subject area:

• presentation of the master thesis
• examination interview about the master thesis as well as its cross connections to relevant subjects of the curriculum as well as other study-relevant contents

• Graduates integrate learnings from various modules that they relate to their master's thesis.

• Graduates broaden their perspective by placing the findings from their master's thesis in a larger context, transferring them to examples of application in practice, and thinking ahead to the future.

• Graduates can establish cross-references between the content taught in various courses and the requirements of social business practice and transfer them to their everyday professional work.

• Graduates can present themselves as managers, their skills and their knowledge in a way that is appropriate to the situation.

commission examination

Final exam: final commission examination

• basic aspects of management and strategy (necessities and goals, etc.)
• concepts and models of management and strategy (normative, strategic and operational level, decision and goal etc.)
• processes and perspectives of management and strategy (management cycle, strategy development)
• techniques and tools of management and strategy (sector analysis, company analysis, portfolio analysis, SWOT etc.) and their application in social economy
• personnel aspects of management and strategy in NPOs (characteristics and individual tasks such as maintaining contacts, etc.)
• strategic management, leadership and corporate culture, meaning and interaction in NPOs
• current issues in strategic management of a social economy organization in the form of a business game

• Graduates recognize and describe the basic aspects and main tasks of the management of social economy organizations and their sub-processes: planning, organization, management, control.

• Graduates recognize and discuss the context of their (future) leadership behavior in the context of current challenges in the social economy.

• Graduates are able to recognize the function and discuss/explain the importance of normative, strategic and operational management as well as its instruments.

• Graduates recognize and discuss strategic leadership in the context of the corporate culture of social economy organizations and shape their (future) leadership behavior accordingly.

• Graduates describe management techniques and are able to reflect on these in the management of a social economy organization (especially in NPOs) in the context of the respective organizational culture.

flipped classroom, lecture, group work, business game, presentation, forum contributions

Continuous assessment