Our University Participated in the Development of a Unique ENGAGE.EU Signature Course Entitled Managing the Family Business

The UNWE Entrepreneurship Department is part of the international team within the ENGAGE.EU alliance, which has developed a unique signature course for European universities – Managing the Family Business – Strategy, Governance and Change. Partners of UNWE in the working team are the University of Mannheim and the Norwegian School of Economics in Bergen /Norges Handelshøyskole – NHH/.

The Coordinator and lecturer for the course on behalf of UNWE will be Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kostadin Kolarov. The academic lecturers from the partner universities are Elisa Sauerbier, M.Sc. from the Entrepreneurship and SME Research Department at the University of Mannheim and Dr. Theresa Bührle from the Norwegian School of Economics in Bergen. The course aims to highlight the importance of family businesses in both scientific research and practical applications, emphasizing their unique contribution to the business environment. Students will explore the specific characteristics that distinguish the family businesses from non-family businesses, such as management structures and decision-making processes, meanwhile learning about the various forms these businesses can take.

The curriculum includes lectures by representatives of prominent family businesses and presentations of case studies from their practice. From Bulgaria, Nikola Zikatanov /founder and owner) and his daughter Militsa Zikatanova /Executive Director/ will share their experience in managing the Villa Melnik Winery. This hybrid format combines in-person and online learning, facilitating the cooperation between the students from the ENGAGE.EU network in Mannheim, Bergen, and Sofia, meanwhile promoting the academic and intercultural development.

The classes will be held in a hybrid format and more details about the training can be found on the website of the UNWE Entrepreneurship Department and the ENGAGE.EU website. The joint initiative is part of the Academic Initiative Incubator, which is open to cooperation in all fields and specialties.