European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) and Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) have developed a joint executive education programme for managers working in R&D environments. The goal is to help executives who are responsible for innovation within their respective company expand their general management and leadership competencies – with a strong focus on the management of technology and innovation. The overall theme will be to improve the innovation process by creating the context in which innovation can thrive.

A unique feature of the programme is that it is designed to be attended by small teams from a variety of (noncompeting) companies who can learn from each other’s practices as well as the expert faculty team.

Participants in ‘Managing Technology for Innovation’ will:

• Learn how to improve the creation and implementation of their company’s technology strategy
• Explore ways to overcome organisational issues hampering innovation
• Learn from the R & D practices of other (non-competing) companies.

Module 1 (Berlin, 3 days): Formulating a Technology Strategy

The first module brings together the topics of Strategy, Innovation and Business Management. Participants will also spend time scoping their projects under the guidance of expert faculty and planning their next steps.

Module 2 (Rotterdam, 3 days): Implementing a Technology Strategy

The second module will focus on identifying and solving the issues related to implementing an innovation strategy. Topics will include: idea generation, programme and process management in innovation, and cross-cultural differences in innovation.

In between the modules the participating teams will work on their innovation-related project and have access to and receive guidance from an expert coach (selected from the faculty team).