Bioeconomy Business Management

Programme overview

Students studying in the new Bioeconomy Business Management program will acquire not only management, but also economic and technological knowledge, necessary in the period of economic transformation.

In order to develop the bioeconomy as a separate sector of the economy, business management specialists are needed who:

• Have the knowledge and abilities necessary to manage and develop organizations.
• Are familiar with management processes, technologies for the production, processing and conversion of biological resource.
• Are able to perform management functions.
• Understand the economic, political, legal and social context in global society, able to evaluate it and make management decisions in business and public organizations operating in the bioeconomy sector and government institutions responsible for the development of the bioeconomy sector.

The bioeconomy sector and the business organizations operating in it are unique in terms of management functions. First, the development of the bioeconomy sector is impossible without radical and disruptive innovation. Radical innovations are related to the introduction of new technologies and management processes, they cause a lot of uncertainty for existing business models and companies, and lead to the need to create new business models. Disruptive innovations destroy an existing market and create a fundamentally new market.

In addition, the bioeconomy sector is characterized by systemic rather than linear innovations, which are necessary to ensure circularity. Thus, innovation management becomes one of the cornerstones in the development of the bioeconomy sector. Secondly, the development of the bioeconomy sector is characterized by cross-sectoral relations and includes many different sub-sectors. Thanks to cross-sectoral connections, limited biological resources can be used from energy and heat supply with the lowest added value to the production of pharmaceutical and cosmetic products with the highest value. For this reason, business planning and modelling, process and project management, human resource management and corporate social responsibility are characterized by specificity.

Thirdly, the consequence of the development of the bioeconomy sector is newly created biological products not only from primary biological resources, but also from secondary biological resources and their waste. Thus, consumer behaviour and the search for markets for newly developed biological products are quite challenging activities for management specialists. All this presupposes the need to train specialists who can describe and explain the systems and processes of organizations and their management, social responsibility, and ethical behaviour, make reasonable organizational management decisions, analyse unstructured problems, and propose solutions in business and public organizations and government institutions operating in the bioeconomy sector.

Choosing this study programme you choose to be a professional of:

• Innovative bioeconomy sector.
• Higher added value bio-product creation.
• Sustainable circular production without any waste.
• Production of high-quality durable products.
• Own bio-business establishment.
• Use of renewable resources, which will prevent resource scarce in the future:
  Principle – to keep the same amount of resources for future generation

Competencies acquired

After studies business managers of bio-businesses will be able to:

• Explain the regularities of circular economy and bioeconomy development, describe the economic, political, legal and social context in global society, evaluate it when making managerial decisions that ensure sustainable use of resources in the organization.
• Describe and explain organizational systems and processes and their management, social responsibility and ethical behaviour in business and public organizations and government institutions operating in the bioeconomy sector.
• Explain and apply the principles of production, processing and conversion of biological resources and describe the processes necessary for sustainable economic development.
• Independently collect, systematize, analyse and interpret information and data needed to conduct relevant research and support management decisions in business and public organizations and government institutions operating in the bioeconomy sector.
• Independently analyse and critically evaluate various economic, political, legal and social factors, justify management decisions that ensure the sustainable use of resources.
• Make sound organizational management decisions integrating existing and new technologies of biological resources, including statistical data analysis, management, and application of methods, analyse unstructured problems and propose solutions.
• Prepare, evaluate and implement investment projects and programs, conduct market research, conduct product marketing, manage changes in the organization.
• Manage and evaluate biological resources production, processing and conversion technologies and technological processes using appropriate experimental, analytical, and statistical methods.
• Communicate in writing and orally, learn and work independently, able to think analytically and reflectively, adapt to changes and master new technologies.

Career Opportunities

After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, You will be able to work:

• Managers, project managers, management and organization analysts, management consultants, sales, marketing and development managers, market research analysts, sales managers, public relations specialists in the bioeconomy sector in operational and public organizations.
• As group leaders, department administrators, program coordinators, advisors, consultants, evaluators, experts, public relations specialists in government institutions responsible for the development of the bioeconomy sector.
• Create your own business.
• Continue studies at a master’s degree, obtaining a master’s degree in business management or other social sciences.

Programme structure

During the first two years of your studies university provides a list of courses in the fields of social sciences, humanities, biomedical, physical, and technological sciences as well as Arts and foreign languages for students to get interdisciplinary knowledge and abilities. Curriculum combines elective and compulsory courses during the first two years of studies.

Fundamentals of Management Accounting, Basics of Circular Economy, Economic Statistics,  Sustainable Food Systems, Sustainable Forest Use and other are just a part of your compulsory courses list.

Curriculum

Admission Requirements

• A high school diploma or equivalent degree.
• Proof of English Language: applicant has to present document proving B2 level (TOEFL 87-109 iBT/534-633 PBT, IELTS 5-6,5, Cambridge English First (FCE) 161-180, BEC Vantage 161-180, Michigan ECCE (min. 650), PTE General Level 3, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785, TOEIC Speaking & Writing 310, Duolingo 100-125, EnglishScore 400-499) if the applicant is not native speaker and/or had not received education in English.
• Admission score counting is based on: Mathematics * 0.4 + English * 0.4 + Motivation letter/Interview * 0.2.