SAP and German Universities Develop Master’s Degree Program With SAP Certification

SAP® Corporate Master Program Includes a Master’s Degree and Certification as an SAP Consultant Combined With Hands-On Project Experience

HANNOVER, Germany - Together with several prominent German universities and the SAP® Education organization, SAP AG (NYSE: SAP) has developed a postgraduate study program as part of its SAP® University Alliances program that culminates in an internationally recognized master’s degree. Initially available only in Germany, the two-year SAP® Corporate Master program was co-developed with the Steinbeis Center of Management and Technology (SCMT) in Berlin, the SRH University of Applied Sciences Heidelberg and the Technical University in Munich (Technische Universität München). Participants may pursue a master’s degree at one of the participating universities while being simultaneously trained by the SAP Education organization to become approved SAP consultants. Those with bachelor’s degrees, skilled professionals and experienced executives from all industries now have the opportunity to gain additional education and qualification on a part-time basis with the costs for the program covered by the sponsoring companies. The announcement was made at the CeBIT trade fair, being held in Hannover, Germany, March 2-6.

In consulting firms as well as in many companies across industries, the success of projects depends on the qualifications of skilled professionals as well as their hands-on experience with SAP projects. This is of particular importance for SAP partner companies.

“With the SAP Corporate Master program, we offer advanced training that meets market needs,” said Prof. Dr. Gerd Moeckel, SRH University of Applied Sciences Heidelberg. “Companies profit from the verified specialization of the graduates, while participants enhance their qualification with a state-recognized master’s degree.”

During the first part of the SAP Corporate Master program, participants are trained and certified as “SAP Certified Associates” by SAP Education for a selected consultant profile, allowing them to immediately put their SAP knowledge to use in their companies. They can complete additional training for process integration for the enterprise resource planning (ERP) application SAP® ERP later in the program. The universities are responsible for the academic content that is taught part-time in seminar modules.

Hands-on project work is a central component of the SAP Corporate Master program. As part of the program, students work as junior consultants on a customer project or on one at their own company. Consultants from the universities act as advisors throughout the project.

“Combining study courses with project work allows participants to immediately test and deepen their theoretical knowledge in the field,” said Rainer Gehrung, CEO, Steinbeis Center of Management and Technology. “Their approach and the success of their projects are documented in their master’s thesis.”

The participating universities offer study courses in the areas of management and technology. Immediately following completion of their undergraduate studies, students can work toward obtaining a Master of Business Engineering (MBE), Master of Computer Science (MCompSc) or Master of Science (MSc) degree. Graduates with at least two years of work experience can additionally choose to study for a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Added Value for Students and Companies
The SAP Corporate Master program enriches the IT job market while opening up promising career perspectives and opportunities for students. They not only gain project experience but also receive an internationally recognized certification as a qualified SAP consultant. After completing the program, they have access to a growing alumni network as well as the worldwide SAP and partner network.

“Students gain a significant amount of experience that they can apply in their jobs,” said Prof. Dr. Helmut Krcmar, Technische Universität München. “The combination of advanced training in SAP technology and comprehensive, in-depth academic studies is what makes the SAP Corporate Master program attractive.”

For companies and SAP partners, the SAP Corporate Master program allows them to foster and retain young professionals at an early stage.

“By offering this additional qualification, partner companies show that they recognize and value young talents and are committed to fostering their careers,” said Björn Interthal, head of the Consultant Academy at SAP Germany. “In doing so, they become more attractive employers.”

Moreover, the program offers access to a joint talent pool comprised of all universities participating in the SAP Corporate Master program.

“As several SAP projects are run by partners, the continuous training of young professionals in our worldwide consultant ecosystem is of the utmost importance to us,” said Volker Piegsa, head of SAP Education Germany and vice president, SAP Education EMEA. “The program meets the needs of our partners who are looking for cost-effective and flexible training of SAP consultants, and increases the number of qualified SAP consultants on the market.”

For more information about the participating universities, visit:

* Steinbeis Center of Management and Technology (SCMT): http://www.scmt.com/en/ueber-uns.html
* SRH University of Applied Sciences Heidelberg: http://web.fh-heidelberg.de/en/fh-heidelberg-en/index.html
* Technische Universität München: http://portal.mytum.de/welcome/document_view?

Next Major Event: SAPPHIRE® 2010
SAPPHIRE® 2010, SAP’s premier customer conference and networking event, will be held simultaneously in Orlando, Florida, and Frankfurt, Germany, May 17-19, 2010. This year, SAP will utilize several new, unique, and compelling experiences online and at the events to share SAP insights and innovations, and connect customers and partners around the world. As in past years, SAPPHIRE offers the opportunity to meet top SAP customers, partners and executives for in depth discussions, and to experience the latest solutions being offered for today’s business needs. For more information about the Orlando show, visit www.sapandasug.com; for the Frankfurt event, visit www.sap.com/sapphire/emea.

About SAP
SAP is the world’s leading provider of business software(*), offering applications and services that enable companies of all sizes and in more than 25 industries to become best-run businesses. With more than 95,000 customers in over 120 countries, the company is listed on several exchanges, including the Frankfurt stock exchange and NYSE, under the symbol “SAP.” For more information, visit www.sap.com.

(*) SAP defines business software as comprising enterprise resource planning, business intelligence, and related applications.

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