procredit regional academy – macedonia · a training centre for procredit bank managers from...

A Training Centre for ProCredit Bank Managers from

Eastern Europe and Africa

ProCredit Regional Academy – Macedonia

The Significance of the Regional Academy 4

Learning Objectives and Expectations towards our Students 10

Summary of Course Content

ProCredit Banking 12

Business Economics 21

Humanities 29

Programme Structure 38

Supplementary Courses 39

The Campus 41

Contents

4 The Significance of the Regional Academy

Banco Los Andes ProCredit Bolivien

Banco ProCredit Ecuador

Banco ProCredit NicaraguaBanco ProCredit El Salvador

ProCredit Bank Bosnia and Herzegovina

ProCredit Bank Georgia

ProCredit Bank Bulgaria

ProCredit Bank Ukraine

ProCredit Bank Kosovo

ProCredit Bank Albania

ProCredit Bank Macedonia

ProCredit Bank Moldova

ProCredit Bank Serbia

ProCredit Bank Romania

Banco ProCredit Mozambique

ProCredit Bank Democratic Republic of Congo

Banco ProCredit Honduras

ProCredit Mexico

Banco ProCredit Colombia

ProCredit Bank Armenia

ProCredit Savings and Loans Ghana

In order to provide further professional development opportunities to its employees from 21 banks

around the world, ProCredit Holding has established three training centres which enable supra-regional

exchange. The Academy in Fürth, Germany, which became operational in January 2006, offers a three-

year programme for current and future managers of our banks. The curriculum, which includes courses

in history, banking and communication, combined with teaching methods geared towards understanding,

dialogue and deliberation, are aimed at preparing our managers to make the difficult decisions arising

from the tension between profit and social responsibility as well as between global vision and local

conditions. The intensive discussions and exchanges in the Academy are meant to lead to a common

understanding of how our group defines ethical banking.

In addition to the Academy in Fürth, ProCredit Holding has two additional Regional Academies:

the Regional Academy in Veles, Macedonia, established in 2007 for the employees of our banks in Eastern

Europe and Africa; and the Regional Academy in Fusagasugá in Colombia (formerly located in Managua,

Nicaragua, founded in 2006) for the employees of our banks in Latin America. Both regional academies,

which were initially housed in rented premises, have in recent years built their own campuses. The

Regional Academy in Macedonia opened its new building on Lake Veles, 50km south of Skopje, in 2008.

The Significance of the Regional Academy

5The Significance of the Regional Academy

In 2012, the Regional Academy for Latin America was relocated from Nicaragua to Colombia, where the

new campus was built in Fusagasugá, 60km southwest of Bogotá. But what is the role of the Regional

Academy in Eastern Europe, and what is its relationship with the Academy in Fürth?

The consistency of our development policy, which determines the form of our contribution to eco-

nomic development in our countries of operation, is also an important topic at the Regional Academy. The

apparent contradiction between a profit-oriented approach to management and a socially responsible

and ethical corporate policy is only evident if one takes a short-term view. The various financial crises

in the individual countries and regions have clearly shown that speculation, untransparent activities and

overheated markets in the area of consumer lending neither foster development nor generate profit in

the long run. For this reason, the ProCredit banks have concentrated on lending to very small, small and

medium enterprises from the very beginning. We are convinced that careful analysis of these enterprises

and a long-term planning horizon are the most stable sources for economic growth and job creation. We

therefore most definitely do not want to limit discussion of this issue to the managerial level. The mission

of the Regional Academy is to pursue this discussion on a broader basis. As a rule, the difficulties in imple-

menting our vision of development policy first tend to appear in concrete situations and circumstances in

our countries of operation. On the other hand, we need a certain supra-regional platform against which

to evaluate local nuances and particularities. The Regional Academy thus represents an important point

of contact between the holding company and our regions of operation, providing a forum for the discus-

sion of issues at the group and local level.

The position and importance of the Regional Academy is especially apparent in light of the new

salary structure for ProCredit employees. In recent months, job descriptions and the number of different

salary levels were standardised across all of the ProCredit banks. The most important aspect of this new

policy is that positions and salary levels are linked to participation in training programmes, both locally

and at the academies. In addition, the banks will be holding annual feedback sessions, which will contain

both quantitative and qualitative elements, with all employees. These changes have a high degree of

transparency and clarity with respect to the mutual expectations between the bank and the employees

as well as with regard to the skills needed and therefore the training steps needed to qualify for a cer-

tain position or salary level. In view of the new salary structure, successful participation at the Regional

Academy is a necessary precondition for certain positions, such as branch manager, as well as for partici-

pation in courses at the academy in Germany. Generally speaking, all employees from the banks in Eastern

Europe and Africa who have successfully completed the local training in financial mathematics and book-

keeping are eligible to attend the Regional Academy. The preliminary selection of applicants takes place

according to special assessments conducted at the individual banks. The candidates who are selected in

this process are invited to a two-week preparatory course in Macedonia. From among these individuals,

the teaching staff at the Regional Academy will select the most eligible applicants. The Academy teachers


write their own evaluations and provide feedback on the employees that is independent of the banks’

assessments. This feedback is also taken into account in local staff evaluations. As we do with our clients,

we offer our employees a precise analysis of their potential, transparent communication, the opportunity

to grow and long-term prospects for working together.

The programme at the Regional Academy in Eastern Europe is split into three broad categories:

ProCredit Banking, Business Economics, and Humanities, which are described in more detail later in this

brochure. However, the teaching methods applied are just as important as the content of the curricula.

Training at the Regional Academy does not take the conventional form that universities are known for,

i.e. a series of lectures to passive listeners. Our dialectical approach does not merely aim to transmit

knowledge; it is carefully designed to encourage participants to examine themselves critically and to

form their own point of view. Drawing hasty conclusions or falling back on one-size-fits-all solutions is

to be avoided under all circumstances. Instead, we strongly prefer to guide participants to analyse situ-

ations more closely and to structure their thoughts in a clear and logical way.

In addition to these demanding requirements, we expect our participants to be good team players

with a high degree of social competence. We are convinced that the best managers are not superstars,

but people who lead by example and understand that they are part of a team. We do not expect anyone

to come up with magic solutions, as we know that there is no such thing: experience tells us that only

persistent hard work leads to positive results for everyone. Furthermore, we expect our managers to

demonstrate strong character, to endure the challenges set before them, and to carry on through despite

hardships. As we have never believed in instant success, we expect our managers to grow steadily as pro-

fessionals and as individuals, and thus positively contribute to the development of their institutions and

their countries. In addition to being decent individuals with strong ethical values, our managers need to

stand with both feet firmly on the ground and resist the temptation to engage in socially irresponsible

behaviour. Finally, we need our managers to be deeply aware of our responsibilities towards preserving

nature and the environment. For these reasons we have chosen the oak tree to be our symbol, as it rep-

resents strength, perseverance, stability and endurance.

In addition to the courses in the abovementioned curricula, various supra-regional specialised

seminars also take place on the premises of the Regional Academy. Starting in 2013 a series of

trainings that address the challenges associated with certain positions,

such as those involved in branch management, will be offered to selected

graduates of the regular academic programme. We consider the Regional

Academy as a meeting place for the region as well as a link to the acad-

emy in Germany. Due to the fact that the Regional Academy welcomes

students from two continents, English is the official language of the


programme; good English skills are therefore considered as an important prerequisite for successful par-

ticipation. The broad range of topics discussed during the programme requires the students to have a

wide vocabulary. In addition, the frequent essays and oral presentations they are asked to prepare further

underscore the importance of being able to write and speak English well.

The other main prerequisites for participation at the Regional Academy are a high level of curios-

ity, the desire to develop oneself further and a long-term perspective. We cordially invite all employees

who wish to undertake this challenge to take part in the local assessments for the Regional Academy.

10 Learning Objectives and Expectations towards our Students

The central goal of the Regional Academy is to make a significant contribution to the professional

development of the middle managers of our group. In this context we encourage the participants to build

on their existing knowledge and inspire them to make a lifelong commitment to learning and to develop-

ing themselves, both personally and professionally. This prepares them for their roles in more senior posi-

tions and ensures that they have the necessary technical competence and sense of responsibility expected

of serious professionals in their institutions, and in society at large. Against this general background we

propose a variety of more specific learning objectives.

First of all, it is crucial for our managers to thoroughly understand our business policy. As we have

made significant adjustments to our business model and the way in which we implement our approach

to banking in recent years, we dedicate a considerable amount of time to discussing these issues. We

expect participants to develop a deeper understanding of the changes and their consequences, from our

HR policy to our customer-oriented approach to business. At the same time, we want our students to

have a clear vision of the non-negotiable elements that constitute our identity as a socially responsible

bank. The ProCredit approach to banking can only be successful if our managers are able to implement it

in the day-to-day operations of the banks and to communicate it to their colleagues and clients.

Given that the ProCredit banks operate in dynamic environments, our middle management staff

need to be able to communicate well, solve complex problems and make decisions effectively, even when

these decisions are hard to reach. At this level, it is imperative that our employees think in a logical,

structured and creative manner, and they must be able to analyse diverse types of information and arrive

at solutions, be it independently or in discussion with their colleagues. This requires a solid understanding

of business economics and related subjects. We therefore offer a variety of courses on relevant issues in

this field. Augmenting the analytical skills of our managers with relevant technical knowledge is another

important learning objective at the Regional Academy.

However, having a profound understanding of our group policy and good analytical skills with

a solid technical basis is not enough: our managers must also be able to act responsibly in a complex

social and political environment. Thus, fostering their capacity to question historical developments and

contemporary political discussions and to understand basic human and ethical problems is an additional

learning objective at the Academy. This will not only help to enrich the personality of our students, but

will also strengthen their values and contribute to a common understanding of the way we want to deal

with people – be it our clients or our colleagues.

Our managers need to be excellent communicators; we therefore devote a significant part of the

programme to honing their skills in this area. In the classroom they learn to be active listeners, to make

open and constructive contributions to discussions, to accept differences in opinion, and to be receptive

to criticism. However, these valuable skills should not be left behind at the Regional Academy; graduates

are strongly encouraged to pass on the knowledge and experience they acquire to their colleagues back

Learning Objectives and Expectations towards our Students

11Learning Objectives and Expectations towards our Students

home. This will help to ensure that our corporate values are properly understood and clearly communi-

cated to all of our employees. Additionally, our students come to truly understand the importance and

benefits of belonging to a group, and they develop close bonds with their peers during their stay at the

Regional Academy. They learn to support each other, to sacrifice individual interests for the benefit of the

group, and to make sure that each individual is both fully integrated and able to help shape the overall

group dynamic.

Most importantly, over the course of the programme our students experience a new way of learn-

ing. In contrast to the authoritarian school systems and universities which most of our participants have

gone through, we take a participative and discussion-oriented approach to learning. Instead of merely

having a lecturer hand down “absolute truths”, we encourage the participants to learn from each other

by expressing their own point of view and defending it with supporting arguments. Students do not nec-

essarily need to be good at all of the subjects on offer at the Regional Academy, but it is of the utmost

importance that they demonstrate a self-motivated and proactive approach to learning. This requires

strong involvement and a readiness to tackle the challenges posed by our diverse curricula. We consider

the development of these qualities as a learning objective in itself – and therefore do not expect our

students to have perfected them by the time they start their training at the Regional Academy.

For many of our students, participating in a discussion-oriented environment is the biggest chal-

lenge of all. Those who cannot cope with it typically choose to hide behind their more vocal colleagues

and hope to sneak through the programme. At the other extreme are those who stubbornly cling to their

narrow-minded opinions, with no trace of self-critical reflection. Both “strategies” are destructive and

contradict our corporate values, and will thus get those students nowhere at the Regional Academy.

The two-week introduction course gives the prospective students a taste of Academy life and helps

them to understand what is expected of them as attendees. Academically, it serves as a platform for dis-

cussion on a range of challenging socio-political topics. Particularly during the second week, participants

are encouraged to reflect upon and question their basic moral standards and ethical values through an

intensive dialogue with their classmates and lecturers. Besides a willingness to engage and contribute, a

strong command of English and the ability to articulate one’s thoughts in a structured and coherent way,

both orally and in writing, are key prerequisites for successful participation.

Successful completion of the Regional Academy programme does not automatically guarantee

a specific career at a ProCredit bank or the opportunity to attend the Academy in Fürth; it is merely a

prerequisite. We have deliberately chosen to make this opportunity for professional and personal devel-

opment available to a broad range of staff in order to help strengthen our corporate spirit and reinforce

our special way of banking, as well as to communicate these values to a large group of colleagues.

12 Summary of Course Content - ProCredit Banking

ProCredit Banking

The courses in this curriculum aim to help our students develop a better understanding of the his-

tory, strategy and philosophy of the ProCredit group as well as the aspects that characterise us as a socially

responsible and development-oriented bank. In this context, we focus on our business approach and our

human resources policy. Both areas are vital for our self-conception; we therefore consider it crucial for our

managers to share the key values and principles that shape our policy in this regard.

At the beginning we will familiarise our students with the development of the ProCredit group, with

emphasis on the way in which our history as a group has been shaped by strong values and non-negotiable

ethical principles. We have always aimed to contribute to development and to offer high quality financial

services in a socially responsible way. We have always tried to build a business model based on respectful,

professional relationships with clients and with colleagues. This means building relationships with clients

around banking services which promote their long-term economic well-being. The concrete strategies and

policies implemented to achieve these goals have to be adapted to the changing environments in which

we operate.

Our positioning and philosophy have evolved over the years based on the lessons learned from dif-

ferent market developments and changes in the societies in which we are present. For example, 25 years

ago, socially responsible banking meant lending to very small clients that were excluded from the formal

banking system. Today, however, we need to be careful when granting loans to these clients to make sure

that we do not contribute to their overindebtedness, because the market is now flooded with irresponsible

competitors who also target this segment. This is just one example of how the same principle – socially

responsible banking – can require different responses and strategies.

As we will discuss in more depth with our students, recent economic developments, especially the

consequences of the financial crisis, have led us to embark upon a critical and constructive analysis of

key aspects of our business model, including our strategy and human resources policy. As a consequence,

we have made some significant changes, some of which have serious consequences for our employees.

However, we have remained true to our ethical principles and development goals.

The realisation that it would be socially irresponsible and a hindrance to economic development to

continue to pursue our previous strategy led us to redefine our approach to doing business. Above all, we

now place greater emphasis than ever on the “quality” of the services we provide. For example, we shifted

from a product-oriented approach to a customer-oriented approach, focusing on business clients and

private clients. But what do we really mean when we say that we focus on “quality” or that we no longer

view our business clients solely as borrowers and our private clients strictly as depositors? What strategic

challenges are implicit in the new approach? What problems does this changed focus create in our day-

to-day work in the branches? These are only some of the key questions we will discuss with participants.

We will also provide them with insight into the consequences for the banks’ organisational structures, the

13Summary of Course Content - ProCredit Banking

requirements in terms of training and the level of our staff’s knowledge and discuss the various strategies

for addressing the financial needs of our customers. These issues will not remain on a purely theoretical

level, however; the course will include practical exercises, case studies and field trips.

The second area to undergo significant changes is our human resources policy. In the past we pursued

an approach that satisfied our need to increase the number of staff, mainly as a consequence of the strong

growth in our business development. As the situation evolved, however, it became necessary to adjust our

strategy and reduce our branch network and the number of employees. Due to our renewed focus on staff

quality, for example, we have restructured our recruitment policy and implemented the Young Bankers

Programme, which entails a longer process and stricter selection criteria. We have also introduced annual

feedback sessions with all employees, a procedure in which our managers play a key role. The course will

focus on these new policies and will include practical exercises, such as simulated feedback sessions or job

interviews. At the same time participants will become familiar with the other key principles of our HR policy

and learn to apply them in practice.

Last but not least, there will be room in the course to discuss the practical problems our participants

might face as a consequence of the changes to our HR policy and business strategy.

ProCredit and You

Getting to Know Ourselves, Each Other, Our Banks and the Markets in which They Operate

Introduction

The first two days of your Regional Academy experience are your first encounter with the col-

leagues who will accompany you throughout the 12-week programme. Since we see group cohesion as

the most important prerequisite for effective communication and performance, it is crucial that your

colleagues get to know you, both as an individual and a professional, as each of you brings different

skills, points of view, and strengths and weaknesses. Getting to know each other at an early stage of your

training contributes to developing a strong group identity and helps to create a bond that will help the

group to achieve its common goals. Furthermore, it is equally important that you and your colleagues

develop an understanding of the ProCredit banks, the milestones of their development, and the specific

market environments in which they operate.

Learning objectives

During this course, you will:

• Cometounderstandyourselfandyourpersonalhistoryonadeeperlevel.

• Becomeawareofyourstrengthsandweaknesses.

• Gettoknowtheclassmateswhowillaccompanyyouthroughouttheprogramme.


• Acquireamorein-depthunderstandingofyourownbankaswellasotherProCreditinstitutionsby

learning about their rich and varied historical development.

• Obtainamoredetailedandcomplexviewofyourselfandyourinstitutioninplaceofonethatismerely

superficial and descriptive.

Content

Who are you? What “made” you who you are today? What are your values? What are your personal

and professional goals? What challenges do you face as a Business Client Adviser in your market? What

steps is your bank taking to establish itself as the “house bank” for small businesses? What are the key

challenges and opportunities you see for your country and your bank for the coming year?

This is just a sample of the range of questions that will be raised during the two days of this course.

To answer them, you will have to reflect upon your own development as well as upon the relevant fac-

tors and circumstances that have shaped your character. You will have to take a critical look at yourself,

your value system, your principles and your priorities. In other words, you will learn to tell the story of

your life, and it is certainly more colourful than the dry facts chronologically outlined on your curriculum

vitae. Examining yourself a little more closely is a challenging yet rewarding task, as it not only helps you

to understand yourself better, but also hones your ability to express your thoughts in a more structured

and coherent manner.

Your next task will be to present the market in which your bank operates. You will soon realise that

even though the markets in transition economies and developing countries might seem similar, there are

also significant differences and peculiarities deriving from the specific historical, political and economic

conditions under which these markets developed. You will understand why it is more challenging in some

markets to build confidence in local financial institutions, while in others it is more difficult to estimate

the future growth of the economy in which our clients, very small and small enterprises, run their busi-

nesses. You will also learn that it is more difficult to find well-educated young professionals in some

countries, while in others the challenge might be to retain committed and loyal employees who meet

ProCredit’s ethical and professional standards.

Finally, you will be asked to present your ProCredit institution. As with the presentations of our-

selves as individuals, we will go beyond the mere figures in your bank’s reports and will take a deeper,

more critical look at the evolution of your institution. We will ask you to present the milestones of your

bank’s development as well as the challenges your institution is likely to face in the coming year. We will

discuss our strengths that distinguish us from traditional commercial banks, but we will also address the

mistakes we have made in the past and the lessons we have learned from them. Last but not least, we

would like to hear about your relationship with your bank: tell us why you chose to work for ProCredit,

and how you, both as an individual and a professional, contribute to the mission of your institution.

15

The ProCredit Group: Past, Present and Future

Development of the ProCredit Group

Lessons Learned from the Financial Crisis

Current Group Perspective and the Focus for the Year Ahead

Introduction

Our next module will address the importance of developing a deeper understanding of the

ProCredit group. Who are we? Where did we come from? Where are we headed? Over the course of three

days, we will embark on a quest for the answers to these questions. Taking a deeper look at ourselves is

an exciting journey, and it will not only help us to understand our path to success, but also to recognise

the mistakes we have made along the way. The learning process must also address the lessons we have

learned from the financial crisis and the organisational changes we have implemented in response to it.

We will round off the course by addressing the current focus of the group, as well as our priorities for

the year ahead.

Learning objectives

By the end of the course, participants will:

• KnowtherootsandhistoryoftheProCreditgroupandhaveabetterunderstandingofitsvaluesand

business concept.

• Understandtherationalebehindtheorganisationalchangeswehavemadeinthelastthreeyears.

• AppreciatethecurrentfocusoftheProCreditgroupandourprioritiesfortheyeartocome.

• Haveaclearunderstandingofthegroup’scorevalues:criticalthinkingandcontinuousinstitutional

learning and innovation; open communication and dialogue; ownership and responsibility; social

responsibility and a customer-centred approach.

Content

The course gives an overview of the origins and history of our group, starting from the early years

of IPC in the 1980s as an adviser in the field of development finance. The next milestones were the foun-

dation of IMI (since renamed ProCredit Holding) and the first ProCredit banks in 1998, followed by the

formation of the ProCredit group in its current setup, with one common name and logo and consolidated

ownership five years later. The course reflects upon the development of the group with regard to chang-

ing approaches in international development co-operation. It also takes into account the development

of ProCredit and IPC as a process of continuous institutional learning, which has served as the basis of

the companies to this day.

Looking at our historical development, particularly during the last three turbulent years, the course

further explores the factors that led to the gravest financial meltdown since the Great Depression and

how it has worsened the macroeconomic environments in which our institutions and clients operate.

Summary of Course Content - ProCredit Banking

16

Who is to blame for the crisis, and could it have been avoided? Should we at ProCredit share the respon-

sibility,ordoestheblamerestsquarelywiththeirresponsiblelendersintheU.S.housingmarket?Howdid

we respond to the crisis, and how have we learned from it as institutions? It is of the utmost importance

that we discuss these questions openly, as our response to the crisis was based on a critical and objective

analysis of the underlying factors. The outcome of that analysis led us to review our business model, our

branch infrastructure, our staff’s skills and the quality of the services that we offer to our clients.

Since 2010, we have focused on providing loans and other banking services to sustainable very

small and small businesses that promote our development goals; reorganising our branch networks and

front office operations to reflect the changes in our approach towards small businesses; increasing effi-

ciency so that we can offer fast, reliable financial services to our clients; and ensuring greater profession-

alism among our staff by carefully selecting our employees and providing them with excellent opportuni-

ties for further professional development. Discussing these issues in greater depth with your classmates

and instructors will help you to develop a better understanding of who we are – a “house bank” for very

small and small businesses and ordinary people – and what we stand for: a socially responsible bank that

seeks to be transparent, efficient and profitable on a sustainable basis.

Staff Management

The ProCredit Human Resource Policy

The Myths of Motivation

Evaluation and Feedback

Staff Development

Introduction

The institutional culture, values and vision of the ProCredit group are solidly entrenched and fully

reflected in our responsible, long-term approach to staff management. This includes who we are looking

for, the way we recruit employees, how we train them, and how we strive to develop our staff – pro-

fessionally, but also personally – with the aim of establishing lasting bonds with them. A value-based

approach is essential for the further development of solid institutions in our countries of operation,

where not only economic, but also social and political conditions sometimes develop in a way that can

make it difficult to behave responsibly. This is not only of relevance for the HR departments of our insti-

tutions, but also and above all for each of our employees, especially those in management positions.

Learning objectives

In this course, participants will learn to:

• UnderstandthefundamentalsofthehumanresourcespolicyatProCreditbanksintermsofidentity,

recruitment, remuneration and professional development.


17

• Createanopen,stimulatingandenjoyableworkingenvironmentforouremployees.

• Understandtherationaleandmeansforbuildingupouremployeesonacontinualbasis.

• Fosteracultureoffairevaluationandfeedbackaswellasencouragecrediblecommunicationwithin

teams.

Content

The course is built around the different phases through which our employees pass at their institutions:

recruitment, training, professional development, salary reviews, a continuous appraisal process (including the

annual feedback conversations that will begin in 2013), and sometimes dismissal or resignation. Depending

on their position in the institution, our participants may or may not be actively involved in all of these

phases. Nevertheless, it is of the utmost importance that they all develop a sound understanding of the

principles upon which our human resources policy and salary structure are based, and they should be able

to communicate them convincingly to their colleagues back in their banks.

As we discuss these topics, we will highlight the fundamental principles behind our decisions and

approach at ProCredit and examine in detail how they are implemented in practice in our banks. This will allow

us to closely analyse some of the key concepts of our staff management policy, such as the different dimen-

sions of motivation, the mechanisms of communication, the role of feedback and appraisal sessions and the

challenges of conflict management, and then relate them directly to the ProCredit way of managing people.

The course thus does not aim to address the latest management trends, but rather to discuss our own

way of working with our colleagues. This is very important, as our approach to staff is based on strong core

values that make it unique – and not only in the countries in which we operate. The participants will be at

the centre of the course, under the guidance of the trainers. Consequently, we expect our students to dem-

onstrate a high level of interaction and participation throughout the course.

ProCredit and its Clients: Businesses

Providing Meaningful Banking Services to Very Small and Small Businesses

Understanding their Needs and Supporting them in their Development

Introduction

The way that ProCredit banks provide financial services, in particular to very small and small

enterprises, defines our core business. While our overall approach to serving businesses has not changed,

it has developed over time. During the last few years we have shifted away from a product-oriented

approach – in which business clients were seen mainly as borrowers and private clients as potential sav-

ers – towards an approach that puts our clients and their needs at the centre of attention. As always, we

remain a socially responsible and development-oriented group of banks that contributes to economic

growth, employment and greater prosperity in our countries of operation.



Learning objectives

At the end of the course, students should have a clear understanding of:

• Ourstrategyandpositioningasa“housebank”forverysmallandsmallbusinessesandourspecific

focus on long-term client relationships.

• Who our very small, small and medium business clients really are, how they operate and which

banking services they need.

• The best way to organise the client acquisition process and ensure good customer relationship

management and long-term customer satisfaction.

Content

The course starts with a discussion about our business strategy and our positioning as a “house

bank” for very small and small businesses, and how our focus on serving small businesses stems from our

identity as a development-oriented and responsible group of financial institutions. We will discuss how

our goal of building long-term client relationships is relevant for clients and for us, from both a com-

mercial and development perspective.

The second part of the course focuses on giving the participants a clear understanding about who

our very small, small and medium business clients really are, how they operate and which banking services

they need. We will spend time analysing the characteristics of our client groups in the classroom and also

organise on-site visits to some of our customers in order to obtain a close-up view of how a small business

really operates, what it expects from its bank and how it assesses its relationship with its bank. In these

terms we will also assess what high quality service really means for a business client and what the benefits

are for clients of working with a ProCredit Bank as opposed to any other bank.

In the third part of the course we will try to identify the key elements for building successful and

long-term relationships with our business clients. We will cover the organisational aspects and the type

of banking services we want to offer them as well as discuss how to ensure that we can provide good

customer care at the branch level. In addition, participants will learn how to manage the tensions which

can arise from the divergent interests of the client and the bank in a constructive manner.

The overall approach of the course is highly practical. It will include case studies prepared in small

groups, whereby the participants will visit branches, conduct market studies, visit clients, and present

their findings and recommendations to their colleagues. This will enable the students to better under-

stand the specifics of the ProCredit strategy in serving very small, small and medium businesses and to

recognise the challenges we face.

19

ProCredit and its Clients: Private Clients

Responsible Banking Services for Private Clients

Providing Good Customer Service while Achieving High Levels of Efficiency

Introduction

“Promoting a savings culture” is one of key responsibilities of our bank, as we are convinced that

savings play a crucial role around the world, especially in societies with relatively weak social welfare

provisions. At the same time, private savings represent the most stable portion of our deposit base, thus

allowing us to develop our credit portfolio sustainably without having to depend too strongly on external

financing. Last but not least, in line with our goal of becoming the “house bank” for small businesses,

serving private clients ensures an integrated approach to serving businesses, because behind every busi-

ness entity stands a business person, his or her employees and family members, and other individuals

connected to the enterprise in some way, such as clients, suppliers or friends.

The scope of our business with private clients varies from market to market, but the key principles

of serving this category of clients are common across the group: our focus is on providing responsible

banking services, including savings facilities and transaction services, in a transparent and responsible

way. In addition, we employ a cautious lending policy and strive to promote financial literacy in our

communities. We want to be a friendly, open bank where our clients feel welcome and well advised. The

course aims to elaborate these principles and provide a clear understanding of our business strategy with

respect to private clients. Furthermore, it addresses some of the practical issues related to the implemen-

tation of this strategy and seeks creative solutions from the group through project work.

Learning objectives

Participants in this course will:

• Obtainaclearunderstandingofourbusinessstrategywithregardtoprivateclients.

• Becomefamiliarwiththerationalebehindourstrategyandseehowourpolicyframeworksupports

its implementation.

• Receive greater insight into the interdependence between our business client and private client

strategies.

• Becomeacquaintedwithcertainpracticalissuesrelatedtotheprocessofimplementingourprivate

client strategy efficiently and work in groups to come up with potential solutions to these issues.

Content

The Private Clients course follows and complements the Businesses course and thus completes

the comprehensive overview of our business strategy, market positioning and competitive advantages.

In addition, our business with private clients supports our strategic orientation in two ways: it provides

a sustainable source of funding (savings) and serves the banking needs of all individuals related to busi-


20

nesses in one way or another (such as owners, decision-makers, employees or family members). In this

way, our business with private clients helps us to achieve our goal of being a “house bank” for businesses.

The course starts with a discussion about the profile of our “Private Clients”, i.e. who they are and

what they “need” and “want” in terms of banking services. Our private clients represent a wide range

of people, including ordinary savers, salary receivers, remittance receivers, pensioners, students, self-

employed persons and the many individuals associated in one way or another with our business clients

(owners, managers, employees, friends and family). Broadly speaking, we divide our private clients into

two large categories: savers and other private clients who directly or indirectly contribute to the comple-

tion of the business cycle of small businesses.

Next, we define our strategy with respect to serving private clients. In this context we discuss

the importance of savings as well as the importance of this client category in ensuring an integrated

approach to serving business clients. Bearing in mind the intense competition, costs and potential scope

of this part of our business, it is very important to clarify who we want to serve, the services that we

want to offer them and the rationale for this approach.

Finally, we take a look at the practical aspects of implementing our business strategy with regard

to serving private clients. This part of the course deals with issues such as training front officers to pro-

vide good customer service, setting standards, measuring results, categorising private clients and iden-

tifying their needs (not wants), finding the right balance between good customer care and operational

efficiency, transforming the branches in our network from “transaction points” to “service points”, and

keeping abreast with technological advancements without sacrificing simplicity.

The course requires active participation from all participants and consists of student-centred,

discussion-based lectures, small group and classroom discussions, and a group project. The project aims

at addressing practical concerns related to the implementation of our private client strategy, using one

of the ProCredit banks as a case study. The participants work together to find creative solutions and rec-

ommendations on how to implement the strategy in the most effective manner while making sure that

our business principles are preserved.


21Summary of Course Content - Business Economics

The topics covered in the Blue Curriculum in the area of business economics aim to develop par-

ticipants’ overall awareness of our core business operations and to enhance their technical skills.

Given that economic problems in individual countries can have worldwide consequences, includ-

ing a negative impact on the financial situation of our clients and our business, it seems obvious that a

ProCredit manager must demonstrate sound knowledge of the general economic climate in which our

institutions operate. Otherwise he or she will not understand the background of the problems and chal-

lenges we or our clients have to face. Thus, we consider it vital for our employees to understand the

macroeconomic environment of the country in which they work and to possess the skills to foresee the

impact of the central bank’s decisions on the overall performance of the local banking sector.

On the microeconomic level, the managers enrolled at the Regional Academy develop a better

understanding of how their operational decisions translate into business and financial results. We ensure

that they are able to read and interpret the financial statements of their banks, that they can compare

different institutions and identify the similarities and differences between them, and that they know how

to prepare for the future by forming sound business plans.

In addition, we seek to enhance our managers’ awareness of the various financial and economic

risks inherent to the banks’ day-to-day activities, and to further deepen their understanding of the most

important tools and instruments for managing risk. Each bank’s management team implements a specific

system of internal controls for addressing risk, and so it follows that our middle managers should also

have sound knowledge of this system and of their own role in implementing it successfully.

To make sure that all participants can follow these lectures, we offer an additional course in math-

ematics aimed not only at refreshing their knowledge of financial mathematics, but also at fostering their

ability to interpret solutions to mathematical problems and understand how they are applied in the banks.

The course covers a range of practical topics and skills that every ProCredit employee should be well versed

in, from the time value of money to analysing and interpreting large sets of data.

Business Economics

22 Summary of Course Content - Business Economics

Mathematics Reloaded

Time Value of Money

Dealing with Large Sets of Data

The most essential step in applying mathematics in order to explain or solve real-world problems is

always the translation of the text (in most cases a verbal – very often though fuzzy – description of the

problem) into a mathematical form (model). Hence, real-world relationships and dependencies must be

addressed and transformed into formulations which can be subjected to mathematical analysis. The result

of this process is almost always a system of equations, functions and/or inequalities. The procedures of

finding and formulating these relationships are generally the most difficult steps in solving the problem at

hand, because:

• Thereisnogeneralconsensusonhowtodothis.

• Anerrorintheformulationwillalmostcertainlyresultinamodelthatdoesnotadequatelyrepresent

the real-world problem.

• Thedataandconditionsarenotalwaysobvious;theyaresometimeshidden.However,itisgenerally

essential to identify all relevant information.

• Afalserestrictionmayimproperlyreduceorwidenthesetofsolutions.

The business of our banks is to collect deposits and lend money. In both situations the owner of

the money collects interest, which changes the value of the money over time. The “time value of money”

expresses this concept in mathematical terms, i.e. that value is a function of time. However, the class goes

far beyond simple cash flow calculations, which is of course one of the main applications in banking.

During the course we will discuss various problems regarding our banking business, e.g. the comparability

and design of different banking products or strategies concerning the interest margin and commission

income. We will examine these issues by means of structuring the given information from the various banks

quantitatively, which is a very common step in general problem-solving. The importance of structuring will

be repeated in our study of the most important issues of financial mathematics, which is compounding and

discounting interest. Because interest is the price paid for the use of money over a given period of time, we

have to calculate this price exactly when balancing an account. This discussion leads almost inevitably to an

understanding of compounding periods and the effective interest rate. Great importance will be attached

to the analysis of the results and the discussion about their implications for the banks.

The second objective of this course concerns the presentation of quantitative data and the infor-

mation behind the data. Business-related activities typically produce such a vast amount of recorded data

that summaries are indispensable. Descriptive statistics, the art of summarising data, which is introduced

in the second part of this course, is a powerful tool for presenting these data in a meaningful manner.

The topics covered include centre and spread information, such as averages, standard deviations and the


normal distributions. We continue by analysing the dependence of various sets of data, using a range of

mathematical tools, including correlation coefficients and regression analysis. Our discussion ends with a

coherent presentation of the results with the use of graphs that are easy to interpret.

Macroeconomics

Measuring a Nation’s Wealth

Determinants of Economic Growth

The Mechanism of Money Supply

Introduction

Business cycles and government countercyclical fiscal and monetary policies directly affect key

macroeconomic aggregates such as GDP, national income, disposable income, exports/imports, unem-

ployment rate and many others. These variables in turn determine the size, structure and quality of

any bank’s portfolio. ProCredit employees are expected to be able to understand these macroeconomic

aggregates and their potential growth trend as well as to grasp the way these changes can affect the

business environment. The course will therefore provide the necessary basic knowledge for discussions

with other staff and clients. In addition, participants will come away with a better understanding of the

rationale behind some of the decisions taken by monetary and fiscal authorities, as well as of the business

decisions taken by senior management.

Learning objectives

Uponcompletingthecourse,participantswillhaveabetterunderstandingof:

• Hownationalaggregatesaremeasured,affectedandinterpreted.

• Businesscyclesandtheproblemsassociatedwiththem,suchasunemploymentandinflation.

• Thekeyfactorsrequiredforeconomicgrowth.

• Governmentpoliciesthatcanbeutilisedtoinfluenceeconomicactivity.

• Theroleofbudgetdeficitsandpublicdebt.

• Themechanismofmoneysupplyanditsimpactoninterestrates.

• Theprinciplesunderlyinginternationaltrade.

Content

As the academic objective is for participants to obtain a well-grounded understanding of how a

market economy functions at the aggregate level, the knowledge gained during the five-day course serves

as a valuable foundation for any further study of economics and can help participants to understand the

world around them. Economic topics are continually in the forefront of news reporting, and students who

successfully complete the course will have the knowledge needed to comprehend these events.


This course familiarises participants with the essential features of macroeconomics. In addition to

learning about the major elements of macroeconomics, including national income accounts, unemploy-

ment, inflation, price indexes, the exchange rate mechanism and trade balance, participants will also

study how these aspects of the macroeconomy interact and how economists think about and model these

phenomena. Consequently, our participants will be able to apply economic concepts and perspectives

when addressing different economic matters.

We feel that it is very important for our students to develop a sound understanding of the material

presented and discussed during the five days of this course. For each topic covered, participants will work

through many exercises and tutorials aimed at improving their understanding of the theory. Towards the

end of the course students will also engage in group work and prepare a presentation, which will provide

them with an opportunity to apply the knowledge they have acquired.

Risk Management and AML in ProCredit Banks

Risk Management Organisational Setup

Institutional Communication

Money Laundering Prevention

Introduction

The objective of this course is to provide an introduction to the general aspects of risk manage-

ment at ProCredit banks. The quality of risk management in any institution depends above all on an

appropriate organisational structure and on the implementation of the effective processes and proce-

dures for identifying, measuring, assessing, treating, monitoring and communicating risk. The course cov-

ers the relevant risks that our banks are exposed to besides credit risk, namely market risk, counterparty

risk, liquidity risk, operational risk and fraud risk.

The course will also outline the framework for preventing money laundering and terrorist financ-

ing at ProCredit banks. Business ethics and strong corporate values play a key role in this respect. As

socially responsible institutions, ProCredit banks place the highest value on transparent business conduct.

They therefore refrain from financing harmful activities or from acquiring money from dubious sources.

Still, money laundering and terrorist financing require extreme vigilance with regard to prevention,

detection and prosecution. The many sophisticated techniques used to launder money and finance ter-

rorism add to the complexity of these activities.

Learning objectives

By the end of the course, participants should:

• Haveabetterunderstandingoftherelevantrisksandpotentialimpactfacedbyourbanks.

• Haveabetterunderstandingoftheorganisationalsetupformanagingtheserisks.


• Befamiliarwiththetoolsandtechniquesusedtomanagerisk.

• Have a better understanding of their role and responsibility in the overall risk management in

the institution.

• Be acquainted with the roles and responsibilities of the specific functions and bodies within the

bank that have been put in place to manage risk.

• Haveabetterunderstandingofthestagesofthemoneylaunderingprocessandglobalillicitfinancial

flows.

• Haveabetterunderstandingoftheorganisationalframeworkandthedifferenttoolsformanaging

the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing.

Content

The course starts with a discussion of the notion of risk, with emphasis on the meaning and rel-

evance of a lively risk culture for the business model of the ProCredit banks. After becoming acquainted

with the abovementioned risks faced by our banks, we will proceed by explaining the roles and respon-

sibilities of every employee as well as the specific functions and bodies in the institution that constitute

the risk management framework. Each risk is analysed on a theoretical level with reference to practical

examples which illustrate the impact that each type of risk can have on day-to-day banking operations.

The case studies presented in the course are based on situations that have actually occurred at ProCredit

banks and also include some famous examples from other institutions that illustrate the consequences

that can result from negligent risk management.

The second part of the course highlights the significance of money laundering and terrorist

financing, especially with regard to the impact they have on developing and transitional economies, and

outlines the risk management obligations for ProCredit banks arising from the need to address these

activities. We will learn about the three stages of the money laundering process and examine global illicit

financial flows. We will also explore the possible ways to identify the risk and then proceed to develop

a risk profile for ProCredit banks. Last but not least, we will look at the organisational framework and

the various tools for managing the risk of money laundering and terrorist financing. In this context, we

alsodiscusstheimportanceofcustomerduediligence,theKnowYourCustomer(KYC)principle,therole

oftheUltimateBeneficialOwner(UBO),andtheimplicationsofdoingbusinesswithPoliticallyExposed

Persons (PEP).


Financial Analysis

Understanding Your Bank’s Financial Reports

Interpreting Key Indicators

Linking Financials and Strategy

Introduction

Transactions with our clients are captured and summarised in our financial statements. The state-

ments are therefore not a theoretical concept detached from reality, but rather serve to reflect reality

in a condensed form. Because financial statements summarise the performance of an institution, it is

important to be able to read them in order to understand the messages which they contain. In addition,

financial statements show the interrelation of different activities and the connected financial positions.

Managers in our banks should have a basic understanding of the primary structural relationships

in financial statements as well as the main drivers of success. They should be able to follow a high-level

management discussion and explain the key aspects in the financial statements of our banks. This course

aims to provide a basic tool set that is easy to remember and which helps participants – particularly

those with less knowledge of the topic – to navigate the labyrinths of balance sheets and profit and loss

statements without getting lost.

Learning objectives

By the end of the course, participants should be able to:

• Understandthemainbalancesheetpositions,theirqualityandrelevance.

• Applykeyratiostoanalysefinancialstatements.

• Judgeratiolevelsinlightofabank’sstrategyandoperationalperformance.

• Structuretheresultsoftheanalysis.

• HighlightkeyaspectsofthefinancialstatementsofProCreditbanks.

Content

Building on the knowledge acquired in basic accounting courses, we will walk through the main

financial positions of a bank. To avoid an unnecessary level of detail, we will summarise positions where

appropriate and focus on the key items. We will also discuss the specific role and relevance of individual

financial positions for banks, and how to judge them depending on their size and strategic fit.

Based on this review we will apply a simple analytical framework, the CAMELS1 analysis, to review

bankfinancialstatements.Usingastructuredapproach,wewillhighlightthekeyrelationshipsandratios

in balance sheets and profit and loss statements; limiting the focus to the most relevant aspects helps to

1 CAMELS stands for Capital adequacy, Asset quality, Management quality, Earnings, Liquidity and Sensitivity to market risk.


simplify the analysis. In this way, we can analyse the financial results of an institution for a given period

while also following its financial performance over time.

As a next step, participants will apply the tools they have learned, perform an analysis and sum-

marise the results in front of their classmates. As part of this exercise students will also learn to identify

the key characteristics of the financial statements which arise from our strategy and mission and which

distinguish the ProCredit institutions from other banks.

29

Humanities

Summary of Course Content - Humanities

We consider it important for our managers to have an open-minded but critical attitude towards

the environment in which they operate. We want to encourage them to question the world as it is and

to seek answers based on facts and information that can be verified. Our aim is for participants to use

their reasoning skills and their capacity to think logically when attempting to analyse the complex world

in which we live. This type of critical thinking can be fostered by studying many different subjects and

intellectual disciplines, in particular those that are part of the humanities. In the Green Curriculum we

offer courses aimed at strengthening the participants’ capacity to think critically and to analyse a social

or political situation by using their intellectual skills.

To improve the abovementioned skills, it is crucial for participants to be able to process informa-

tion from different sources and to develop their own opinion. The courses in this curriculum therefore

contain a large number of reading activities, discussions and presentations. As many of our participants

are not used to this approach to academic work, we offer a course in study skills in which students are

trained to improve their general reading comprehension skills, understand the argumentation and infor-

mation given in a text, interpret the author’s point of view, and present their own arguments convinc-

ingly in a structured presentation or essay. Although study skills are useful for all subjects and courses in

the Academy, we consider them to be particularly important for analysing the material in this curriculum.

Furthermore, we expect our participants to understand that excellent communication skills are a

prerequisite for successful management and its most vital tool. Our managers must be able to communi-

cate in a way that encourages their colleagues to voice their opinions, because this is beneficial: exposure

to other points of view broadens their perspective and enables them to take better decisions. In addition,

our managers must be able to effectively translate ideas into words and actions, ask critical questions,

listen actively to their colleagues, and above all, know how to convey messages from senior management

to their employees and ensure that directives are followed. Therefore, the Managing by Communicating

course will not only teach participants to communicate in a clear, structured and convincing manner,

but will also enable them to engage in solution-oriented discussions with their colleagues when conflicts

arise.

On the other hand, argumentation and reasoning skills will be trained in the introductory course

to philosophical reflection. The rational and critical way of looking at the world that emerged in Ancient

Greece, which is the cradle of modern thought and science, will be approached through the reflections

of early Western philosophers. Course participants will become acquainted with the main features of

rational thought and the basic elements that have shaped the way that we see the world today. In addi-

tion, learning to question everything in a systematic manner will help the participants to structure their

thoughts and to critically analyse the current problems of the environment in which they operate.

30 Summary of Course Content - Humanities

As an example of a complex current issue that involves a broad variety of scientific and political

angles, we will study and discuss environmental problems and solutions, including ProCredit’s approach

to energy and the environment. We believe that social responsibility includes being environmentally

responsible. For this reason the ProCredit group was among the first financial institutions to develop

and promote programmes in the area of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources as well as to

develop tools for financing energy-related projects. This requires bank staff to know about energy- and

environment-related topics and to understand how ProCredit banks can contribute to positive economic

development in a systematic and sustainable manner.

31Summary of Course Content - Humanities

Study Skills: Learning How to Learn

Studying More Efficiently

Getting Your Message Across: Presentation Skills

Getting Your Message Across: Essay-writing Skills

Introduction

On your journey through the Academy programme you will have to read numerous texts, watch

documentaries, and extract and process information from these sources. You will also prepare many

presentations, write essays and contribute to discussions by expressing your opinion in a structured way.

Although you will not be alone in this process, we expect you to engage in independent thinking and

autonomous learning. You will therefore need to acquire certain techniques which are essential for this

type of learning: study skills.

Many of us are not used to applying these basic techniques, as we either never learned them or

have not used them in a long time. We therefore want to help you to develop the ability to read and

analyse a text critically, develop your own opinions and structure your arguments convincingly – be it in

oral presentations or in written essays. These skills are not only crucial for your success in the Academy,

i.e. for learning and intellectual development in a more academic environment, but they will also help

you in your daily work. The ability to extract the most important information from a text or discussion,

or knowing how to structure a problem quickly and clearly, are essential skills for everybody, in particular

for a manager who works in an environment as complex and discussion-oriented as ProCredit.

Learning objectives

In this course, participants will:

• Improvetheirgeneralreadingcomprehensionskillsandlearntoapplydifferentreadingtechniques,

depending on the type of material.

• Beabletobetterunderstandtheargumentsandinformationpresentedinatext.

• Learn,practiceanddeveloptheircapacitytotakenotesandwritesummariesinvariousways.

• Improvetheircapacitytopresenttheirargumentsandthoughtsconvincinglyinpresentations.

• Becomefamiliarwiththebasicstructureofanessay,andpracticeandimprovetheircapacitytowrite

an academic essay.

Content

At the beginning, we will concentrate on your reading skills. Therefore, we will use texts which are

either relevant for your work at ProCredit (e.g. articles from ProCredit Holding News) or texts that you

might find interesting from a social or political point of view. You will practise different types of read-

ing, such as previewing, scanning and skimming. These exercises will entail summarising texts, making

inferences and determining the author’s point of view.


We then continue with lessons that will improve your ability to take notes. We will watch docu-

mentaries and listen to lectures and show you different ways to take notes. You will also use these tech-

niques to write abstracts of texts, which is an important step in preparing your presentations and essays.

You will become familiar with basic rules for preparing and giving a presentation. We will focus on

your ability to express your arguments in a structured and convincing way. Numerous practical examples

presented by you and your colleagues will serve as the basis for these exercises.

Finally, we will work on your essay-writing skills, taking you through all of the steps, from planning

and drafting to writing and revising. The learning process will not merely be limited to theoretical explana-

tions, however: you will write several smaller essays on different topics and practise what you have learned.

Although you might not win the next Nobel Prize for literature, you will certainly see some progress in your

ability to express your opinion and the supporting arguments behind it in a structured way.

Introduction to Philosophy: The Origins of Western Rational Thought

The Rise of Greek National Thought

The Pre-Socratic Philosophers

Truth and Relativism

The Influence of Greek Thought on Early Christianity

Introduction

The rise of Greek philosophy was a crucial event in the history of thought because it ushered in a new

way of relating to the world. This school of philosophy had a dramatic impact on the further development

of Western thought and continues to play an important role in the contemporary world. The core feature of

this new way of thinking was rationality, allowing old problems and questions, such as why the world exists

and how to lead a good life, to be examined by means of rational arguments. In other words, these issues

were no longer the exclusive domain of tradition, religion or poetry, but could now be analysed, albeit in a

rough manner, using human understanding as the primary tool. Greek philosophy gave birth to a continuity

of thought in which many theories proposed by earlier philosophers were later called into question.

On the other hand, leaving aside the peculiarities of this new way of thinking, the links between

modern thought and Greek philosophy can be traced in a continuous line. The rise of early Christianity

took place in a Hellenised world that was absorbed by the Roman Empire. As a result, the Christian ele-

ments hailing from Judaism were mixed and reshaped with scattered fragments of the ancient philoso-

phy, giving birth to the vast Christian heritage which would spread across the Western world. Centuries

later, during the Renaissance, the renewed interest in ancient thought meant that Greek philosophy

would once again directly influence the formation of modern thought.

The course aims at giving participants insight into some core elements of contemporary thought

via the study of two basic topics: the main features of rational thought and its popularity in modern


times, and the historical link between Greek philosophy and the formation of early Christianity. In the

course of studying these subjects, participants will exercise their argumentation skills and receive an

introduction to rational and abstract discussions.

Learning objectives

By the end of the course, participants should be able to:

• Identifyanddescribethedifferencesbetweenmythandrationalthought.

• UnderstandthehistoricalandgeographicalcontextwhichenabledtheriseofGreekphilosophy.

• UnderstandthedifferentproblemsandtheoriesdiscussedinancientGreekphilosophy.

• IdentifytheelementsfromGreekphilosophywhichshapedearlyChristianity.

• IdentifytheelementsfromGreekthoughtwhicharestillpresentinthecontemporaryworld.

• Engageinabstractdiscussionsaboutavarietyofsubjects.

Content

This course consists of four parts. The first part aims at introducing the cultural and historical

background which enabled the rise of Greek rational thought, and examining the differences between it

and other lenses for viewing the world, such as religion, poetry and mythology. On the one hand, special

emphasis will be placed on the geography of Greece and its relationship with the ancient civilisations of

Egypt and Mesopotamia; on the other hand, we will study the specific form that Greek religion took as well

as the cultural influence exerted by Hesiod and the Homeric poems in the further development of Greek

culture. These two areas of study will form the basic axes of this part of the course.

The second part of the course will focus on the study of the pre-Socratic philosophers. Starting with

the first speculations of the Ionian cosmologists, the dialectic of the philosophical discussion will lead us

through the opposition between the Eleatic concept of being and the ever-changing nature of Heraclitean

reality. Pythagorean thought will be studied as one of the central influences on later thought, mainly

through Plato, and special attention will be given to the rise of Materialism in Atomistic philosophy.

The third part of the course addresses the practical turn in philosophy which characterised the main

objects of reflection at the new historical juncture, where Athens would become the centre of Greek intel-

lectual life. The issues of truth and relativism will be studied, taking into account the problems posed by the

Sophists and the rise of the Socratic method as a means to reach the truth. Finally, we will focus on some

of the main aspects of Plato’s philosophy (especially his Theory of Forms and mind-body dualism), which

will pave the way for understanding the later development of Western thought.

Finally, in the fourth part of the course, the elements of Greek thought which shaped early

Christianity will be studied. In a world that was deeply Hellenised, elements of ancient Greek philosophy

fused with Judaism to give rise to a new religion which would spread across the world. The course closes

with some remarks about the relationship between Greek philosophy and the contemporary world.


Environment and Energy: Issues, Answers and the ProCredit Approach

The Fundamentals of Energy

The Role of Oil

Climate Change and International Responses

Renewable Energy

Energy Efficiency

Introduction

Human activities frequently have a severe impact on the environment and can lead to air and

water pollution, land degradation, loss of biodiversity and the depletion of natural resources. On a local

and global scale, these environmental problems represent one of the most urgent and challenging issues,

as they constitute the main cause for global warming. The environmental issues at hand not only affect

the natural environment, but also our health, economy, society and even ProCredit. This is a consequence

of humans being inextricably linked to the environment: whatever we do to the environment comes back

to us, be it in a positive or negative way, in the short or long term, directly or indirectly.

It is against this backdrop that ProCredit has established environmental protection as one of its

core values. Responsible banking is not only limited to socially responsible banking, but also includes

environmentally responsible banking. ProCredit aims to achieve this goal within the scope of its capa-

bilities by effectively managing the environmentally relevant activities of its employees, clients and

suppliers. Such an approach not only benefits the natural environment in general, but also lessens the

environmental impact of the banks, their clients and their suppliers. This can lead to a reduction in the

consumption of energy and resources, access to new markets of eco-minded and energy-conscious cli-

ents, lower levels of credit risk, and reinforcement of the banks’ “green” public image.

However, in order to firmly anchor the idea of environmental protection in all ProCredit depart-

ments and operations, it is necessary that staff be aware and well-informed about environmental and

energy-related topics. This course is designed to provide a sound knowledge base, along with practical

applications and concrete case studies related to the participants’ countries. An additional goal of this

course is to motivate participants to apply what they learn and thus actively take part in protecting the

environment in their daily activities.

Learning objectives

• Acquirebasicandvariedknowledgeabouttheenvironmentandenergy.

• Learnhowtoidentifycommonenvironmentalissues.

• Learnaboutpossiblesolutionstoenvironmentalissuesonaglobalandlocallevel.

• PuttheProCreditapproachtoenvironmentalmanagementintopracticeandlearnhowtocommuni-

cate it.


Content

The course is divided into three modules. The first module addresses key environmental issues

resulting from human activities in households, businesses or governments. The causes and effects of cli-

mate change and global warming on the local and global level will be studied. Students will learn about

the different types of environmental impacts and the subsequent social and economic consequences

these can have. In order to understand the link between climate change and energy, we will take a close

look at the generation and consumption of different forms of energy, such as electricity, heat, movement

or light. The use of non-renewable energy sources such as fossil fuels and nuclear energy will be critically

discussed.

The second module deals with potential solutions to the abovementioned environmental and

climate issues. Participants will be introduced to international climate politics as an option to mitigate

climate change and adapt to its negative effects. We will focus on major organisations and conventions,

suchastheInternationalPanelonClimateChangeandtheKyotoProtocol,anddiscusstheiroutreach.In

addition, we will study solutions and concepts on the business and household level, such as the applica-

tion of energy-efficient technologies and the use of renewable energies.

In the third module, we will look at ProCredit’s approach to tackling environmental issues, i.e. the

introduction of a comprehensive Environmental Management System (EMS). Participants will learn about

the objectives and benefits of such a system, and also about the organisational structures and procedures

that ProCredit has established to ensure the system’s effective implementation. We will discuss the three

pillars of the EMS, i.e. bank-internal environmental measures, the management of environmental risks in

lending, and green finance, and then discuss practical examples and conduct case studies.

By the end of this course, participants will have a sound understanding of the topics relating to

the environment and energy and will be able to apply their newly acquired knowledge in their daily work

at their respective institutions by integrating this knowledge into their own personal behaviour.

Managing by Communicating

Improving the Effectiveness of Your Communication

Understanding the Person Across

Sending Clear and Convincing Messages

Resolving Conflicts in a Constructive Way

Introduction

Excellent communication skills are a prerequisite for successful management and its most vital

tool. As a manager and senior specialist, you need to be able to communicate effectively with the people

around you. This can be challenging because everyone has a preferred communication style and way of

sending and understanding messages. Additionally, factors such as the relationship we have with others


and the mood we or our discussion partners happen to be in may impede us from conveying our mes-

sages in the right way.

Effective communication does not merely entail getting your own messages across. Even more

importantly, you need to listen carefully in order to understand the other person’s point of view. Listening

in a respectful manner encourages your colleagues to voice their opinions and allows you to better

understand and connect with them. This approach to communication will help you to build long-term

relationships based on mutual understanding. In addition, it will help you to manage conflicts in a con-

structive way and thus avoid damaging your relationships with others.

Learning objectives

In this course, participants will:

• Cometounderstandtheirresponsibilityasmanagersinensuringeffectivecommunication.

• Developabetterunderstandingofthecomplexityofcommunicationandstarttomanagetheprocess

more effectively.

• Havetheopportunitytocriticallyreflectupontheirwayofcommunicatingasmanagers.

• Learntoapplytheconceptsdiscussedinclasstoanalyseandimprovethewaytheycommunicatewith

others.

• Learntosendwell-structuredandconvincingmessages.

• Becomemoreawareofhowtheyandothersmayunderstandmessagesdifferently.

• Learntobetterunderstandthepersonacrossfromthemandcommunicateaccordingly.

• Learntodealwithconflictsituationsinamoreconstructive,solution-orientedmanner.

Content

On the first day, we will start by taking a closer look at what we mean by “Managing by

Communicating”. What is good management behaviour and how does that relate to communication?

What are the obstacles to effective communication? From day one, you will also have the opportunity

to learn more about how others perceive you and whether their perception matches your own.

After having laid the groundwork, we will examine the ways in which messages can be understood

differently and how you to deal with those differences. You will have the opportunity to reflect upon

your own communication style and that of the people you work with. Through exercises and discussions,

we will review your ability to listen carefully – and teach you how to improve your skills. From receiving

messages and ensuring that we understand the person across from us, we move on to the art of sending

clear and convincing messages. You will also have the chance to practise this essential skill and receive

feedback both from your colleagues and the teacher.

The course culminates in the topic of conflict management. You will learn how to solve the prob-

lem at hand without compromising your relationship with colleagues and clients. In class, we will focus

on cases from your daily work and discuss how typical conflicts can be solved in such a way that the

interests of all parties involved are recognised and taken into consideration.


Your contributions play an important role in this course; the experience, examples and cases you

contribute from your work, along with your willingness to critically examine your communication style,

will make this course worthwhile and valuable.

38

Block I

ProCredit and You Getting to Know Ourselves, Each Other, Our Banks and the Markets in which They Operate

Study Skills: Learning How to LearnStudying More Efficiently Getting Your Message Across: Presentation Skills

Study Skills: The "Art" of Essay WritingGetting Your Message Across: Essay-writing Skills

Excursion: Skopje

Block II Block V

Block III

Block VI

Block IV

The ProCredit Group: Past, Present and Future Development of the ProCredit GroupLessons Learned from the Financial CrisisCurrent Group Perspective and the Focus for the Year Ahead

Mathematics Reloaded Time Value of Money Dealing with Large Sets of Data

Financial Analysis Understanding Your Bank's Financial Reports Interpreting Key Indicators Linking Financials and Strategy

Staff Management The ProCredit Human Resource PolicyThe Myths of Motivation Evaluation and Feedback Staff Development

Macroeconomics Measuring a Nation’s WealthDeterminants of Economic GrowthThe Mechanism of Money Supply

Introduction to Philosophy: The Origins of Western Rational Thought The Rise of Greek National Thought The Pre-Socratic Philosophers Truth and Relativism The Influence of Greek Thought on Early Christianity

ProCredit and its Clients: Private Clients Responsible Banking Services for Private Clients Providing Good Customer Service while Achieving High Levels of Efficiency

ProCredit and its Clients: BusinessesProviding Meaningful Banking Services to Very Small and Small Businesses Understanding their Needs and Supporting them in their Development

Excursion: Hiking

Risk Management and AML in ProCredit BanksRisk Management Organisational SetupInstitutional Communication Money Laundering Prevention

Environment and Energy: Issues, Answers and the ProCredit ApproachThe Fundamentals of Energy; The Role of Oil;Climate Change and International Responses;Renewable Energy; Energy Efficiency

Managing by Communicating Improving the Effectiveness of Your CommunicationUnderstanding the Person AcrossSending Clear and Convincing MessagesResolving Conflicts in a Constructive Way

Introduction Course (before starting the Programme)

This two-week course is part of the selection process for the Regional Academy

Programme Structure

Programme Structure

39

Supplementary Courses

Branch Manager Training

In addition to the regular programme, the Regional Academy offers supplementary training courses

for branch, business centre and service point managers. The courses place strong emphasis on the practi-

cal management capacity of the participants by providing a specially tailored curriculum and a platform

to discuss the specific challenges that managers face in different branches and countries. The training

programme consists of four one-week blocks.

Here again, the training is geared to be as practical and as interactive as possible. Therefore, in

addition to group discussions, group work and case studies, the participants will take on individual proj-

ect assignments during the four- to six-week period between the blocks. This “homework” will consist of

activities such as analysing the participants’ time management, assessing their efforts to drive business

or identifying conflict situations in the branches and developing solutions for them. The participants will

present the results of their individual work to the plenum in the following block and discuss them with

their colleagues. Needless to say, the subsequent discussion of the presentations will enable the partici-

pants to learn not only from their own experience but also to benefit from the problems and challenges

presented by their colleagues.

The basis for these “homework” assignments will be developed during the classroom discussions.

For example, we will focus on the question of how a branch manager can help to implement our business

strategy in day-to-day operations. The theoretical background of our business approach will be presented

beforehand, while the plenum discussions and group work activities will focus on the practical challenges

related to the way we deal with clients, weaknesses in the implementation of our business strategy and

how to make a business plan. The programme also contains a block almost entirely dedicated to staff

management. Among other things, we will give participants the opportunity to do role-play exercises

about feedback talks, staff assessments, team work, and conflict management.

In addition, we will provide practical tools designed to help participants to become more effective

managers. This includes “daily issues”, such as how to make meetings more productive, how to handle

e-mail communication in an efficient manner, how to prioritise tasks, how to successfully delegate and

follow up in a systematic manner, and how to manage one’s time most efficiently.

Throughout the course, every participant will have the possibility to review the most important

aspects of what he/she has learned and will receive continuous feedback on his/her performance. In addi-

tion, the managers will develop a specific action plan for themselves and their branches, which should

help them to take ownership of the results and the business strategy on the job. Obviously, successful

participation in this course requires a good command of English, in particular a solid grasp of business

vocabulary, and a high level of active participation.


40

Business Client Adviser Training

The Regional Academy also offers a two-week training programme tailored to the needs of our

front office business staff, in particular Business Client Advisers (BCAs). The main objective is to train

BCAs in client acquisition and customer relationship management as well as to teach them how to ensure

long-termcustomersatisfaction.Uponcompletionof theprogramme,participantswillhaveaclearer

understanding of our positioning as a “house bank” for small businesses and see how our focus on serving

small businesses stems from our identity as a development-oriented and responsible bank. In addition, at

the end of the two weeks, graduates should also be able to hold a conversation with a client in a natural

and friendly manner and to effectively manage the tensions which can arise from the divergent interests

of the client and the bank.

As the course is based on classroom lectures, discussions, working groups and role-play exercises,

participants are required to have a good command of English. The target group for this course is all front

office business staff and senior specialists in the business departments in the headquarters of the differ-

ent banks.


41

The Campus

We believe that management training is best conducted in a pleasant and natural setting, away

from the hustle and bustle of city life and the distractions of the workplace. For this reason we decided

to build the Regional Academy in the tranquil surroundings of Lake Veles, overlooking the scenic lake

and nearby vineyards. The location is also very convenient, situated 40 minutes away from Macedonia’s

capital, Skopje, and just 20 minutes away from Skopje Airport.

The Academy building has 66 bedrooms, three fully equipped classrooms, six smaller rooms for

group work, and a large dining hall. In addition, there are two lounges with fireplaces where informal

gatherings and evening discussions can take place. A computer room with Internet access is also available,

as are facilities for sport and leisure activities.

A team of 19 people strive to make the participants’ stay a pleasant experience from the moment

they arrive until their departure.

The Campus

Vesna Prentoska, Cvetanka Mihajlovska Misheva and Sarita

Daminovska work in the administration. They are responsible

for the day-to-day operations of the facility and do their best to

make participants feel at home during their stay at the Regional

Academy. Their duties range from arranging arrival and depar-

ture schedules and liaising with the banks and local authorities

to organise visas, to making sure that each participant has a

room to stay in, and that the classrooms are equipped with all

of the necessary training materials.

Pavlina Nikolova, Daniela Arsovska and Ljubica Teovska are the

first to welcome people at the reception area. They look after

the participants during their stay and attend to any individual

needs or concerns.

42 The Campus

The team of cleaners, co-ordinated by Ljubica Mitova, makes

sure that the building is always kept tidy, and that the seminar

rooms in particular are spotless and ready to use again each day.

As the Academy’s technical support specialists, Pance Papazovski

and Branko Gjorgjiev deal with any IT or electrical issues that

might arise. They make sure that all equipment is fully func-

tional, and ensure that immediate attention is given to technical

problems.

Vlade Dzufovski and Angel Velev are responsible for maintain-

ing our beautiful gardens and tending the plants. They help to

provide a pleasant environment for our participants to enjoy

when they have time to relax or play sports.

Our cooks, Zagorka Stojanova and Elizabeta Mitrova, prepare

fresh, delicious meals three times a day. A wide variety of dishes

is placed on a self-service buffet and salad bar, allowing partici-

pants to choose whatever they like.

43

Our dogs have very few responsibilities, but they are always will-

ing to give you a warm welcome too. We hope that you will have

the opportunity to visit us soon and that you will enjoy your stay

at the Regional Academy in Macedonia.

The Campus

ProCredit Regional Academy Eastern Europe

Ul.DimitarNecevbb

Ezero Mladost

1400 Veles, Macedonia

Phone: +389-(0)43-800-365

E-mail: [email protected]

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procredit regional academy – macedonia · a training centre for procredit bank managers from...

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