General Programme Practical How to apply? Target audienceThis postgraduate targets professionals with a least a full bachelor's degree. Students that come from a partner institution of Howest and that are looking for one or more exchange semesters, need to consult these pages: click here.The programme aims to have a diverse student body, therefore limiting the number of non-exchange students with the same nationality to four per country.AboutThe Postgraduate Certificate in Global Business Management is a modular programme. All modules concern business management topics, covering different kinds of expertise in a global context. During the autumn semester, emphasis will be on lectures as well as on learning-by-doing. The spring semester is more project based. Students will work on different projects, mostly in international teams.The aim is to integrate foreign students with Belgian students and stimulate teamwork, international communication and co-operation. During the semesters company visits are organized, so that students will also learn about Belgian corporate culture. Course overview autumn COMPULSORY MODULES = 27 ECTS (24 ECTS when Chinese Language and Culture is chosen)Note: Courses listed in the same cell cannot be taken separately.Note: Courses marked with an asterisk are taught by means of self study.CULTURAL & SOCIO-ECONOMIC INTRODUCTION TO BELGIUM - survival course Dutch - 3 ECTSIn this module you will learn about Belgian and Flemish culture and socio-economic data, all in comparison to the socioeconomic data of your home country. This module includes a survival course Dutch and visits to several important cities in Belgium.INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS - 3 ECTSInternational Business aims to introduce you to the basic concepts necessary for a broad understanding of the international business environment. You will be able to understand concepts relevant to International Business and the differences between the business systems of the world’s leading economies.GLOBAL TRENDS - 3 ECTSIn this course unit, we follow the professional news and trends in the field of International Business Management. Various topics and trends, prompted by current events and depending on the availability of study and research material, seminars, webinars, documentaries and guest speakers, are discussed.CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT - 6 ECTSCRMCRM is a customer relationship management (CRM) solution that provides the tools and capabilities needed to create and maintain a clear picture of customers, from first contact through to purchase and post-sales. Customer Relationship Management can be utilized for Sales Force Automation, Marketing Campaigns and complete Customer Service Management as out of the box functionalities.Students will learn to work with CRM-software, using the Salesforce Trailhead self learning platform. Badges and points need to be collected by the students at the end of each module.Supporting CRM & MKT tools - Next to the CRM-software students will also look into supporting tools:Google Adwords, Search Engine marketing (SEO/SEA), Display & video advertisingGoogle AnalyticsMarketing Automation: Flexmail, Mailchimp,...Customer journey mapping softwareCHANGE MANAGEMENT – 3 ECTSWhen the rate of external change exceeds the rate of internal change, an organisation is in trouble. Although the implementation of any change in a company is not an easy task, companies cannot afford a status quo. As students, you will achieve the competences needed to establish changes in your future professional environment.PROJECT ENTREPRENEURSHIP - 3 ECTSWithin only one intensive week and with the help of your team you will develop and present a business plan: you come up with the best possible business idea and learn how to develop this into a business plan.CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR- 3 ECTSConsumers in the marketplace.How consumers see the world and themselves.Consumers as decision makers.ELECTIVE MODULES: MAX. 3 ECTS FROM THE FOLLOWINGNote: Students who choose Chinese Language and Culture (6 ECTS) Omay drop Change Management (3 ECTS).INTRODUCTION TO HRM - 3 ECTSHuman Resource Management is a specific approach in personnel management which in recent years has set the norm. In this course the focus will be on operational human resource management. Examples of topics that will be discussed are selection, appraisal, rewarding, socialization, performance & development.NEW SUPPLY CHAIN AND BLOCKCHAIN – 3 ECTSWhat is supply chain and what is the "new" supply chain?Short introduction to Blockchain, physical internet and the new network economy. From new network economy to data driven supply chain. Digital transformation and disruption: impact on economy and on logistics. Internet of Things, Augmented Reality, Artificial intelligence and Big data and data analytics in the supply chain. Data Sharing Platforms: NxtPort, Nallian, Xynaps, RX/SeaPort, GTD (IBM/Maersk). State of affairs digital documents and blockchain (eCMR, eECD, eWaste, ePhyto, eBL,….). Legal aspects of Blockchain. Global logistics delivered through Blockchain. Lean thinking & Lean working with/through big data/Blockchain.CHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE - 6 ECTSNowadays, there is an increasing need and interest in Chinese culture and language. It is useful to know about the language when coming to China for travel or business. The Howest Confucius Institute offers (elementary – intermediary – advanced) Chinese language courses for students. The course also involves a small tailor-made and practical project. The course may be extended in the second semester (Spring).ENGLISH FOR EXCHANGE STUDENTS (evening course) - 3 ECTSThis English course provides students with training in speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, all focused on their ongoing or upcoming academic experience. The lecturer will take the diversity of academic areas of the participants into account, addressing a range of topics and choosing subjects that are relevant to the attending students wherever possible. The course aims at the B2 proficiency level.Course Unit Descriptions for All English-taught semester programmes (if not available yet for the upcoming academic year please select the current year)Next to ‘Taal’ select ‘English’Next to ‘Opleiding’ select ‘Global Business Management 1 – ETS GBM1’ for Autumn semester or ‘Global Business Management 2 – ETS GBM2’ for Spring. Course overview spring COMPULSORY MODULES = 27 ECTS (24 ECTS when staying a full year)Note: Courses listed in the same cell cannot be taken separately.Note: Courses marked with an asterisk are taught by means of self study.CULTURAL & SOCIO-ECONOMIC INTRODUCTION TO BELGIUM - 3 ECTS (this module cannot be chosen by students staying a full year)In this module you will learn about Belgian and Flemish culture and socio-economic data, all in comparison to the socio-economic data of your home country. This module includes a survival course Dutch and visits to several important cities in Belgium.SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT - 3 ECTSThe student gains insight in what sustainability is today, which theories and frameworks exist and which solutions are already implemented in the current business environment. We explore the domain of sustainable business management and look at the frameworks and challenges in the three main areas that can be defined: economic, social and environmental. We discuss practical solutions that could help face the challenges we talked about in the first part. We look into Corporate Social Responsibility, Social Entrepreneurship, Digitalization, Sustainable Energy and Circular Economy.ENTREPRENEURSHIP: BUSINESS GAME - 3 ECTSStudents will play an international business game in teams. The game consists of different rounds with increasing degree of difficulty in the team decisions.INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION- 3 ECTSLearning to communicate interculturally,Learning to communicate inclusivelyLearning strategies to apply this generally within companiesAbout intercultural communication, intercultural awareness and intercultural competence. Cultural models and dimensions will be dealt with in order to provide you with a framework for international negotiations and intercultural leadership and to improve your employability skills.About inclusive communication (meaning, sharing information in a way that everybody can understand). About creating strategies for companies that are committed to stay relevant in a diverse and ever-changing society.INTERNATIONAL MARKETING - 3 ECTSInternational marketing is the application of marketing principles in more than one country, by companies overseas or across national borders. International marketing is based on an extension of a company’s local marketing strategy, with special attention paid to marketing identification, targeting, and decisions internationally.INNOVATION MANAGEMENT – 3 ECTSNowadays companies make the difference, not (only) by keeping costs low, but by renewing products, processes or markets. You will learn why innovation is so important, how it can be triggered in a company, and which are the necessary ingredients in the innovation process. Furthermore, the topic of managing innovation is also covered.AI FUNDAMENTALS - 6 ECTSGOOD ICT background is recommended. Make sure your laptop runs on Windows Operating System otherwise you can’t install the required software.Turning data into knowledge.Presence in the lessons is required. When missing classes 4 times students need to send an email to the lecturer explaining the reason for their absence in order to be admitted for the examination.Data Visualisation and machine learningIntroductionBefore you can start learning how to use data science techniques and build machine learning solutions, it might be useful to start by defining what we mean by "data science".Working with DataNow that you have learned about the principles that underpin data science and you've been introduced to Azure Machine Learning, it's time to explore the ways you can prepare data for modeling.Visualizing DataAfter cleaning your data, it can be useful to explore it visually before selecting the features that will help you create a useful model.Building Machine Learning ModelsNow that you understand the iterative process of exploring data and building and evaluating models, it's time to examine some specific model types.E-COMMERCE - 3 ECTSThe objective of this course is to obtain insight in analogue and/or digital tools (e.g. UX Design and Customer/Buyer Journey) to gather and analyse quantitative and qualitative marketing data. You will come across the typical jargon in the field and the legal framework concerning privacy, intellectual property and e-commerce. You will be able to build a commercial website taking into account a specific target audience.ELECTIVE MODULES: 3 or 6 ECTS FROM THE FOLLOWINGCHINESE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE - 6 ECTSNowadays, there is an increasing need and interest in Chinese culture and language. It is useful to know about the language when coming to China for travel or business. The Howest Confucius Institute offers (elementary – intermediary – advanced) Chinese language courses for students. The course also involves a small tailor-made and practical project.EVENT & PROJECT MANAGEMENT - 3 ECTSYou learn how to organize an event in a professional way. A project needs to be SMART. It has a start, an end, goals, stakeholders, a target audience. Projects can be simple, like organizing an event e.g. a business conference, but also very complex, like building a space rocket. In this module you learn the basics of managing a project: P6 method, risk analysis, budget, roadmap, work breakdown structure, ...Focus on SMART, teamwork, phases of project management, after-action review.INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS LAW - 3 ECTSInternational Business Law aims to give students an understanding as well as practical knowledge of legal problems arising in the area of international business, and to equip them with the skills needed to prevent and tackle these problems.INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH - 3 ECTSThe research module is aimed at preparing students to write a final thesis. You will learn to select a relevant research topic in your field of study and you will get tips about writing a thesis partly on desk research, partly on field research. This module also focuses on the proper use of the English language, speaking and writing.FINANCIAL RISK MANAGEMENT - 3 ECTSStudents acquire knowledge and insight concerning the functioning of financial institutions and their environment, in general, and in the area of the main variables of the management of financial institutions, in particular, within an international legislative context. The student is able to judge in an uncertain context: able to cope with uncertainties that are specific to the banking environment or able to elaborate accurate forecasts of the main bank variables.The student can deal with complex problems: they are able to analyze a (risk) situation and contribute to a strategic solution for the organization. The student has knowledge of risks, can map these various risks that financial institutions and companies face, and has insight into some basic risk management techniques. The student acts ethically and morally responsible with respect for the applicable legislation and guidelines.ENGLISH FOR EXCHANGE STUDENTS - 3 ECTS (evening course)This English course provides students with training in speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, all focused on their ongoing or upcoming academic experience. The lecturer will take the diversity of academic areas of the participants into account, addressing a range of topics and choosing subjects that are relevant to the attending students wherever possible. The course aims at the B2 proficiency level.Course Unit Descriptions for All English-taught semester programmes (if not available yet for the upcoming academic year please select the current year)Next to ‘Taal’ select ‘English’Next to ‘Opleiding’ select ‘Global Business Management 1 – ETS GBM1’ for Autumn semester or ‘Global Business Management 2 – ETS GBM2’ for Spring. Dates and locationBoth semesters take place in Bruges.Address of the campus:Howest Brugge Station - BST5Rijselstraat 5, 8200 Brugge (Sint-Michiels), BelgiumTime investmentBoth GBM semester programmes offer a choice out of different modules from which the student selects a maximum of 30 credits per semester. 1 credit is equivalent to 25 hours of study time.ResultSuccessful completion of a postgraduate course leads to a certificate if you have a graduate, bachelor's or master's degree. If you do not meet these requirements, you will receive a certificate of attendance.PrerequisitesMinimum a Bachelor or Master degree. This will need to be confirmed by means of an official certificate, a survey of completed courses, or a signed letter from the sending university.A strong interest in Global or International Business Management. Work experience in Business Management is an asset.Click here for Howest language expectations.All Howest and exchange students should bring their own laptop (preferably with a Windows operating system), with all necessary and officially licensed software. The course overview above mentions the specific software (if any) necessary for the course unit. Howest applies a very strict policy on the use of legal software.Non-exchange students can only attend the international semester as a Postgraduate course and need to have completed at least a full Bachelor degree programme.Tuition feeThe tuition fee for this specific Postgraduate Certificate study is €2 300. Enrolment You can complete your registration for the 2025-2026 academic year starting 28 June 2025 at the info days on campus, online and during working hours (by appointment) at the student secretariat of the Howest campus where your course takes place.Online enrolment is done through our online system. Upon completion of your registration, you will pay the accompanying tuition and fees for the postgraduate course. Withdrawal before the actual start of the course allows a partial refund of the tuition fee. 20% of the tuition fee is a non-refundable administrative cost. Once the programme has started, no refund will be made, regardless of whether certain course units are offered in the first or second semester. What documents should you have in hand? A copy of your ID (front and back) will be requested during online registration.You will also need to upload a copy of your higher education diploma. Online registration Open your online registratie and check that all necessary documents have been uploaded.Are all of your documents in order? Not put your study programme together and sign it. After registering After completing your online registration, you will receive an e-mail with all the information needed to complete your enrolment.After your file has been checked and processed by Howest, you will receive your contract and a request for payment of tuition fees and extra study costs, delivered electronically. Info days Read more Meet Howest Academy Strengths of the programme Link with the business world Throughout your course of study at Howest Academy, you will work on cases and challenges from the professional field. Howest's teaching team is further complemented by leading guest speakers and experts in the field, guaranteeing practical, real-life demonstration of the content being taught. Strong teachers Choosing Howest Academy, is choosing quality. Our teachers are not only experts in their field, they are also solid in their teaching, translating lesson content into practical learning experiences. Beyond up-to-date Not only does this programme respond to the changes and challenges of today, it remains one step ahead through its links to the practice-based research conducted at Howest. Official diploma from Howest You will receive an officially recognised diploma from the Howest University of Applied Sciences, which will help you build a sustainable career. Nieuws Evenement Shaping Matter Event 02/04/2025 Join Howest/Industrial Product Design (IPO) and partners to explore why Pellet AM could be a game-changer—and whether it is right for you. Nieuws Gold for Industrial Product Design and Digital Arts & Entertainment Our bachelor's programmes in Industrial Product Design (IPO) and Digital Arts & Entertainment (DAE) have once again taken gold at the prestigious The Rookies Awards 2024! Nieuws Exceptionally Positive Quality Report for Howest We are still in full exam season, but Howest has already received its review this week. Colleges and universities undergo an institutional assessment every six years, and in 2024 Howest got a review. And we scored exceptionally well! Register now! Have you decided? We look forward to welcoming you to our Howest community! You can find all information about registering via the link below. Apply now Contact Do you have questions? Don't hesitate to contact us! International Coordinator - Global Business Management Contact