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Announcing a joint-degree Executive Master in Business Services

Announcing a joint-degree Executive Master in Business Services

RSM and UM join forces to offer a Master Programme in Business Services
Rotterdam/Maastricht/Venlo, September 2011 --- Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) and Maastricht University School of Business and Economics (MU SBE) announce the launch of an Executive Master of Science in Business Services programme, developed together with representatives from the manufacturing industry including Océ (a Canon Group company), Philips and Vanderlande. The programme is expected to start in September 2012 and will focus on postgraduate and post-experience business services management education, and provide the latest insights into business services management research, delivered by RSM and UM faculty.

This initiative is part of the Business Services School, part of Document Services Valley founded by Océ and various academic institutions. Innovation in the manufacturing industry increasingly focuses on the development of new services, as many companies consider a strategic move from a product and technology driven business to a services oriented business. In order to ensure sustainable growth in service solutions, and extend a sustainable competitive advantage, managers and professionals are required to develop new knowledge, skills and competencies. RSM and UM are now able to provide these.

“Business Services is a theme that has many interfaces with education and research done at RSM,” says Professor Jan van den Ende, co-chair of the Executive MSc Business Services and  Professor of Management of Technology and Innovation. “It appears that innovation processes at service companies are different from those at manufacturing companies. The cooperation between RSM and UM is new, and will result in an innovative programme, enhancing our own services.”

Professor Jos Lemmink, a colleague at Maastricht University, underlined this during his installation in Venlo on 15 September 2011 as the first incumbent of the Canon-Océ Endowed Chair for Business Services Innovation. “The program is an excellent opportunity for both schools to join forces and contribute to the innovation of business services and create value for customers, employees, business owners, alliance partners, communities and regions”.

Innovative joint master programme
“This programme is very innovative in many ways.” according to Professor Eric Waarts, Dean BSc & MSc programmes at RSM. “First, because the subject of business services has never been developed at a Master level. Second, because it is a first joint Master programme in the Netherlands, where RSM and UM will share the responsibility. Instead of offering the same programme on two locations, this will be a joint programme where the expertise of both RSM and UM will complement each other very well, thus creating a unique offer for Business Services professionals.”

Professor Gaby Odekerken-Schröder, who holds a chair in Customer-Centric Service Science at Maastricht University, adds that the design of the programme will be a process of co-creation together with the industry. ”In our perspective this is the only way to align academic knowledge and new learning approaches such as our Service Science Factory with business needs and experience.” The programme will introduce participants to the opportunity of participating in co-creating processes of service innovation.

Illustrating the need for this programme, Anton Schaaf, member of the Océ Board of Executive Directors and Chief Technology & Operations Officer, recently commented on the outlook for the digital printing industry. Taking into account the significant emergence of mobile digital devices, he noted that only 10% of the printing industry is currently digital, the remainder being analogue. Furthermore, only 10% of document cost is in printing, while the remainder is in managing documents through their entire life cycle in an organization. Therefore, he said, “when adding document management services to their portfolio, companies like Océ are opening up additional customer revenue potential that is approximately four times that of the original printing revenue.”

Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University is consistently ranked amongst the top 10 business schools in Europe. It is located in the international port city of Rotterdam where core Dutch values of openness, flexibility and acceptance of diversity have attracted businesses on a global scale. Our emphasis is on groundbreaking research and practices relevant to business; our primary focus is on developing business leaders who carry their innovative ideas into a sustainable future. Our portfolio includes a broad array of bachelor, master, doctoral, MBA and executive education programmes. www.rsm.nl

Maastricht University, School of Business and Economics is a high-level international network school in the fields of International Business Administration and Economics. The School provides high-quality education to students on bachelor, master, PhD, and postgraduate  (MBA, Executive master, Executive education) level, conducts excellent research, and offers an international perspective in both education and research. Small-scale teaching methods supported by an electronic learning environment, a portfolio of international study programmes, and strong incentives for top-quality research are the main instruments in the fulfillment of this mission. Emphasis on educational innovation is driving our learning philosophy. www.postgraduate-maastrichtuniversity.nl

For more information on this release, please contact Marianne Schouten, Media & Public Relations Manager for RSM, on +31 10 408 2877 or by email at mschouten@rsm.nl or Marion Hameleers for Maastricht University School of Business and Economics, on +31 43 3884621 or by email at m.hameleers@maastrichtuniversity.nl.