Sustainable Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation

You understand social and ecological challenges as an opportunity for change. You develop sustainable entrepreneurial solutions for complex problems. You are an entrepreneurial changemaker and let deeds speak. You actively drive the transformation towards a sustainable economy, society and world in new and existing organisations.

Changemaker or Impact Entrepreneur? Make the future!

We see economic, social and environmental challenges as opportunities to shape the future. As a SESIN student, you analyse problems and develop economically viable, sustainable social and digital solutions. The focus is on your individual learning journey to become an entrepreneurial changemaker. We work in a well-founded scientific and application-oriented manner with an innovative teaching/learning concept. SESIN stands for strong network access, a learning climate at eye level, practical relevance, intercultural experience and future competences.

You can also find an insight into our work in our LinkedIn channel.

The degree programme is the optimal mix of practical entrepreneurial competence development and theoretical-academic knowledge transfer for the design of future social systems.

 

Corinna Jeß

Students, SESIN

Study content

Individual study content

Your studies are an individual learning journey towards a sustainable socially entrepreneurial thinking and acting personality. In the Social Innovation Project (SIP), this begins with exploring your own personality to form a team and analyse a problem of your own choosing. Building on this, you develop and test sustainable social ideas that you mature into a commercially viable concept. It is evaluated in an impact-oriented way and put into practice. Elective and in-depth modules as well as intercultural experiences flank your path.

Modules per semester

In the first semester, you will form competence-based teams and use collaborative creativity techniques and in-depth problem analysis to search for topics for your social innovation projects. You will also deal with personal, intercultural and macro-economic aspects of social transformation.

The module teaches you the basics and application-specific aspects of team dynamics and team learning processes and promotes the development of individual and collective creativity. The acquired team-oriented learning and personal competences contribute to the overall goal of all six SIP modules.

You will develop your analytical skills by working independently on both a theoretical research question and a practical complex problem analysis using scientific knowledge and methodology. The problem analysis is closely linked to the brainstorming in SIP 1.

In a combination of theory and practical examples, you will learn about regional economic problems and development approaches. Using design thinking, you as students will then develop your own socially effective ideas to address problems in rural areas of Brandenburg.

In this module we shed light on the macro-economic framework conditions under which sustainable economic activity can take place. The students get to know concepts, strategies and approaches to action for shaping sustainable development from different perspectives to promote their systemic thinking.

The aim of this module is to develop personal and intercultural competences. Self-assessment exercises in the context of intercultural learning and working conditions will enhance your cognitive and behavioural skills for respectful and effective intercultural communication.

The module serves as a shell module for study programmes on current topics from theory and practice. These include modules such as Sustainable Design or Economics of Happiness. In addition to courses offered by the HNEE, you can choose suitable courses offered by other Master's degree programmes in Germany and abroad.

In the second semester, you will hone your entrepreneurial mindset while developing prototypes and business plans from your ideas in the Social Innovation Project. In further modules, you will develop normative narratives of a more sustainable future and learn what role digitalisation can play in social transformation.

The module serves as a shell module for study programmes on current topics from theory and practice in English. These include modules such as Sustainable Design or Economics of Happiness. In addition to courses offered by the HNEE, suitable courses offered by other Master's degree programmes in Germany and abroad can be selected.

Get out of the seminar room. With design thinking, you iteratively develop a prototype from your innovation idea by analysing the needs, expectations and willingness to pay of potential customers. In this process, the focus is on direct interaction with customers and partners from practice.

Based on your idea, you will develop a commercially viable impact-oriented concept with all relevant aspects (business idea, team, market analysis, marketing and sales, company & organisation, financial planning, financing) in dialogue with practice partners and finally pitch to a jury of experts.

Organisational, technological and social innovations help solve some of the world's most pressing problems. You will explore these potentials during an excursion and learn what role digitalisation can play for a social transformation.

The module opens up a creative, collaborative learning space for you to create narratives of a better future using scenario techniques. Through cooperation with universities in countries of the Global South, this module is international and multi-perspective.

In the third semester, the focus is on publicly effective communication, financing, scaling and measuring the success of social innovations. In the course of the Social Innovation Projects, you will launch a crowdfunding campaign for your innovation idea and concretely implement a first pilot project in practice.

You will implement your social business idea in pilot projects with the involvement of practical partners. In addition, you will apply for funding in a business plan competition. You will learn methods of systemic coaching and apply them in advising other student teams.

You evaluate your social entrepreneurial activities through field research and calculate the social impact of your SIP. In addition, you will make calculations on possible scaling and its impact on profitability and social impact and present the collected results in the form of a crowdfunding campaign.

The module teaches you the most important instruments of communication and marketing of social innovations and shows the importance of authentic brand strategy, pricing and integrated marketing communication using practical examples. Based on what you have learned, you will develop a marketing campaign for social practice partners .

With sustainable and innovative human resources management, you can master the challenge of attracting qualified and motivated employees and retaining them in the long term.

Social impact and sustainable management are increasingly crucial for corporate success. You will be introduced to various sustainability reporting frameworks and learn to apply instruments and methods of impact measurement and controlling.

The module serves as a shell module for study programmes on current topics from theory and practice. These include modules such as Sustainable Design or Economics of Happiness. In addition to courses offered by the HNEE, you can choose suitable courses offered by other Master's degree programmes in Germany and abroad.

In the fourth semester, the individual learning journey culminates in a final reflection with the help of a business game and the writing of a Master's thesis, the writing process of which is accompanied by a colloquium to guide the most important steps and methods of scientific work.

In this module, the focus is on the playful teaching of the specifics of a public welfare-oriented start-up. The entire learning journey of your studies through the Social Innovation Projects is to be reflected on here once again.

You write your Master's thesis either in connection with your Social Innovation Projects or on any topic that is compatible with the contents of the degree programme. As teaching staff, we will guide you. You will present your results on an ongoing basis as part of a colloquium.

FAQ study contents

No, the students choose the topics independently in the course of the first semester in their groups.

In principle, it is possible to incorporate already existing ideas into the SIP. However, all ideas must be worked on in groups. Students with already existing ideas must therefore convince other students to work together on their idea. In principle, however, you do not need to bring an idea with you; they are developed together.

No, the students choose their groups independently in the course of the first semester.

Yes, at the beginning of the second semester there is the option to change teams, but it is mandatory to continue working in teams during the second semester. At the beginning of the third semester, there is another option to change teams; from here on, individuals can also work on a project idea.

Yes, at the beginning of the second semester there is the option to change the topics, but it is mandatory to continue working in teams during the second semester. At the beginning of the third semester, there is another option to change the topics; from here on, individuals can also work on a project idea.

The SESIN is a full-time programme in which attendance is important due to the project-based learning approach. A part-time job is not ruled out in principle, but should be well considered and the time should be as flexible as possible in order to be able to meet the requirements of the study programme.

A consecutive Master's degree is a follow-up degree that usually builds on a Bachelor's degree in the same subject area. In the case of SESIN, this means that the programme is essentially business-oriented, despite connections to other social science disciplines.

The module serves as a shell module for study programmes on current topics from theory and practice. These include modules such as Sustainable Design, Economics of Happiness or research seminars on Social Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation. In addition to courses offered by the HNEE, students can also choose suitable courses from other Master's programmes in Germany and abroad.

A semester abroad at SESIN is best completed in or after the third semester. Partnerships with suitable exchange universities in Europe and overseas exist and are being further developed.

After graduation

Career prospects

The Master's programme enables you to become competent and socially responsible entrepreneurs (impact entrepreneurs) or entrepreneurial changemakers. You will contribute to solving social, environmental and economic challenges worldwide.

Specialisation options

You can set your own thematic priorities in your studies by choosing the topics of your Social Innovation Projects (SIP) as well as the elective modules. The content of the SIP topics is based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

Prospects / job profiles

Our graduates have developed sustainability skills and an entrepreneurial mindset. They are able to develop (digital) social and sustainable innovations and innovative business models. You will find tasks in the development, planning and implementation of social transformation processes in organisations, in the consulting industry or you will found your own company. You see yourself as a changemaker and designer of the future.

I am always impressed by the trend-setting content and the outstanding quality of the teaching. For me, this is goal-oriented, meaningful learning par excellence.

 

Corinna Jeß

Student, SESIN

Application

I want to apply...

Application deadline
Summer semester: 1.12. to 15.1. (only possible for higher semesters)
Winter semester: 1.6. to 5.9.

 

Apply now

Please create an applicant account in the online application portal. You will receive a confirmation from us by e-mail with your user name and a password. Now you can log in and start entering all the information required for the application and uploading your documents. After submitting the online application, the "Print" button will take you to a summary of your details in the online application, which we recommend you print out and check. If you have discovered an error after submitting your application, please contact us by the closing date by e-mail at studieren(at)hnee.de.

Admission to the Master's degree programme requires a thematically relevant Bachelor's degree from a university or university of applied sciences or another, equivalent degree from a state-recognised university. This first university degree qualifying for a profession comprises at least 180 ECTS credits and must be obtained in the field of economics or in a degree programme with an economics component (e.g. business psychology, business informatics, industrial engineering, business education). At least 30 ECTS credits from thematically different economics study modules of the first degree programme, but not from transfer modules and theses, must be proven. The relevant study modules include general business administration, economics, accounting, business and corporate law, human resources management, controlling, marketing, market research, corporate management, sustainability management and business mathematics. Business administration study modules (such as general business administration and marketing) must be represented with a total of at least 10 ECTS credits.

In addition, knowledge of the English language on the level B2 CEFR must be proven. If this proof is not yet available at the time of application, it can be submitted at the end of the re-registration period for the second semester.

  • Certificate and diploma of the university degree (alternatively proof of achievement with at least 150 ECTS and provisional average grade).
  • School and professional career (curriculum vitae in tabular form)
  • If available: Certificates, references, employer's references or proof of employment.
  • If available: Proof of English language proficiency at level B2. Alternatively, the TOEIC can be taken during the first semester at the Language Centre of the HNEE.

Application deadline
Summer semester: 1.11. to 1.12. (only possible for higher semesters)
Winter semester: 1.4. to 5.9.

 

Apply now via uni-assist

If you have obtained your degree abroad, then - regardless of your citizenship - do not apply directly to our university, but via the application portal of uni-assist e.V. This is a service point for the preliminary examination of international study applications for many universities in Germany . The uni-assist website will inform you about the application procedure. Please also note the country information on the uni-assist portal.

If your application is complete and meets the formal admission requirements, uni-assist will forward your application to our university. After importing your application into our application portal, you will receive an email with access data to the HNEE application portal so that you can follow up on the status of your application.

Admission to the Master's degree programme requires a thematically relevant Bachelor's degree from a university or university of applied sciences or another, equivalent degree from a foreign university. This first university degree qualifying for a profession comprises at least 180 ECTS credits and must be obtained in the field of economics or in a degree programme with an economics component (e.g. business psychology, business informatics, industrial engineering, business education). At least 30 ECTS credits from thematically different economics study modules of the first degree programme, but not from transfer modules and theses, must be proven. The relevant study modules include general business administration, economics, accounting, business and corporate law, human resources management, controlling, marketing, market research, corporate management, sustainability management and business mathematics. Business administration modules (such as general business administration and marketing) must be represented with a total of at least 10 ECTS credits.

Applicants with a foreign educational background must also provide evidence of German language skills at level B2 CEFR. In addition, a good knowledge of English at level B2 is required.

They can be found on the website of uni-assist website to check whether you meet the formal requirements.

The following application documents must be uploaded exclusively via the uni-assist application portal. Please note that this list cannot be complete and further documents may be requested.

  • Copy of the university degree certificate incl. grade point average and Transcript of Records (see also Country information uni-assist). Alternatively, certificates of achievement from all semesters except the final semester as well as confirmation of expected graduation.
  • Copy of the university entrance qualification
  • Other certificates relevant for the Master's entrance qualification (e.g. certificate of the Academic Evaluation Centre for applications from China, India, Mongolia or Vietnam, proof of having passed the university entrance examination)
  • German language certificate B2 (according to the "Common European Framework of Reference" - CEFR)
  • If already available: English language skills at level B2. Alternatively, the TOEIC can be taken during the first semester at the Language Centre of the HNEE.
  • If available: Certificates, references, work references or proof of activity.

Foreign certificates must be translated into German or English by a sworn translator.

Application deadline

Summer semester: 1.12. to 15.1.

Winter semester: 1.6. to 5.9.

 

Apply now

 

As a secondary student, you can only apply for modules in the corresponding semester. You can find an overview of the respective offers here. Please note that the modules offered, their dates and contents may be subject to change.

Students who are already enrolled at a university as a main auditor can be admitted to the Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde as a secondary auditor, depending on capacity. The condition is that simultaneous studies at both universities are possible (parallel studies) and that the chosen module is a meaningful addition to the studies taken up.

Adjunct students are not members of the Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde. They may take part in examinations with the consent of the respective examiners and in accordance with the respective examination regulations. The scope of the examinations may not lead to a degree in a degree programme. There is no legal entitlement to take these examinations. Further details are regulated by the applicable matriculation regulations of the Hochschule für nachhaltige Entwicklung Eberswalde.

Formal applicationsare to be submitted during the application period by post or e-mailto the Student Services & International Office during the application period.

There is a fee for the secondary auditorium. The amount of the fee is based on the current fee schedule of the HNEE, the AStA and the Studentenwerk Frankfurt (Oder).

Application deadline

Summer semester: 1.12. to 15.1.

Winter semester: 1.6. to 5.9.

 

Apply now

 

As a guest student, you can only apply for modules in the corresponding semester. You can find an overview of the respective offers here. Please note that the modules offered, their dates and contents may be subject to change.

As a rule, an application for guest auditor status must be submitted to the Student Services Department prior to the start of the course (Guest auditor application).

Persons who are not matriculated can be admitted to courses up to 8 semester weeks as guest auditors without proof of university entrance qualification within the scope of the available educational capacity.

As a rule, guest auditors are subject to a fee. No fees are charged to students. Guest auditors for interested persons with a refugee background are free of charge.

Participation in the courses in the corresponding teaching areas is confirmed in writing. Participation in examinations is excluded.

Formal applications are to be submitted during the application period by post or e-mailto the Student Services & International Office during the application period.

Detailed information on how to apply can be found at the International Office.

 

Apply now

 

FAQ on application and admission

If the number of applications is expected to exceed the number of available study places, a degree programme is offered with limited admission. The study places are awarded to the applicants in a selection procedure. Several ranking lists are created. The average grade or waiting period of the most recently admitted applicant determines the selection limit for the respective year.
Here you can find the selection limits for the restricted-admission degree programmes of the past year:
Selection limits for restricted-admission degree programmes of the past years

No, you can only apply for one degree programme at our university. You are welcome to consult with us at an early stage to find out which degree programme might be the most suitable for you. Please contact us via e-mail to arrange an appointment. Consultations are possible by telephone, online and in person.

If the Fachhochschulreife consists of a school-based and a practical part, an application is only possible when both parts have been completed. If, for example, the practical part ends after the application deadline, an application is only possible the following year.
If you are applying for a Master's degree programme, we require a certificate of achievement from your university showing at least 150 ECTS, the provisional average grade and the expected end of studies.

Notifications of admission, rejection or exclusion are made available in the online application portal. At the same time, information on this is sent to the e-mail address stored in the applicant account.
Notifications for degree programmes with restricted admission are usually sent out two to four weeks after the end of the application period for the respective degree programme. Further information on notifications for degree programmes with restricted admissions in coordination with Hochschulstart (DOSV) can be found here.
If you are applying for a degree programme with open admissions, the notification will be sent promptly after the application has been reviewed.

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INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

Welcome Programme

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FAQ before starting your studies

Currently, there are no courses.

When and how do I start my studies?

You can find the semester dates and the programme for the introductory events for first-year students here. There you will find out where you can find your study plan in the campus management system EMMA and register for modules and exams, get to know the Moodle platform, where all learning materials etc. can be found, get to know your contact persons and student representatives and initiatives as well as your fellow students and get first insights into individual subjects. So it's definitely worth taking part!

Please bring a valid ID document for the identity check and something to write down. For catering, we have a great offer in our sustainability canteen.

You can find your study plan online via the account access in our campus management system, which you will receive by e-mail with your enrolment. You can also find the plans for the introductory events here.

No, attendance is not compulsory, neither for the courses nor for the introductory week (with the exception of the identity check at the start of your studies, most exams and excursions for which you have registered). But: Regular attendance is of course highly recommended, as this not only supports learning progress, but also contributes to the positive dynamics of our rather small learning groups.

Where can I get support at the beginning of my studies if I don't know my way around or have specific questions?

Most of your questions will certainly be answered during the introductory events at the beginning of the semester. If you still have questions or special needs, please make use of our advisory services, which we have clearly prepared for you here.

General information about studying

General student counselling

Stadtcampus House 5 ground floor, right
Schicklerstraße 5
16225 Eberswalde

+ 49 3334 657-149
studieren(at)hnee.de 

Consultation appointment
Please make an appointment by phone or e-mail and via this contact form.

Subject-specific information on the degree programme

Student counselling

Head of study programme

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