Internationality, its high practical relevance, its focus on European & Austrian benchmarks as well as its orientation towards the future characterize the master’s program “International Health Care Management” at the Management Center Innsbruck.
Today, health systems and health policies are becoming more interconnected than ever. In the era of borderless commerce, extensive and rapid transportation, increasing health concerns such as spread of communicable diseases as well as health care problems like shortage of human resources in the health sector do not respect geographical boundaries.
The requirements for the management of health care at the international level are manifold. In addition to specialized knowledge and methodological expertise, social competence, executive know-how, entrepreneurial thinking and the willingness to take decisions are needed. The Master’s in International Health Care Management at MCI meets these expectations in satisfying the requirements of internationality alongside academic excellence and practical experience.
Blend of Specialized and Soft Skills
In the two-year full time master’s program a special focus is laid on fundamental and methodical competencies with the modules “International Economics & Politics”, “International Law”, “International Health Care Business”, “International Management”, “International Health” and “Evaluation Systems in Medicine and Care”. A further emphasis is put on the education of soft skills competencies with the modules “International Social Skills” and “Academic Research & Practical Integration”.
By providing an academic training that combines specialized (hard) and soft skills, the program ensures that students are prepared not just for the rigors of health management but also for the roles they play as members of a multidisciplinary team and of society in general.
Part of the World
MCI’s international orientation is achieved through consistent integration of international topics in our degree and continuing education programs, successful participation in international and European education and research programs, the emphasis on foreign languages, the opportunity of study and work abroad programs as well as the invitation of globally oriented instructors.
MCI therefore is not only able to provide its graduates with an internationally recognized education program, but also to make a contribution to the economic, political, scientific and cultural understanding and development on a multilateral level.
Internationality in the Master “International Health Care Management” is mirrored by a student body coming from all corners of the world, resident and guest lecturers who have an international background and/or reputation in the community of international scholars, a semester abroad and double degree option, which give students the chance to experience and live in a different environment as well as the opportunity of practical training in a foreign/multinational organization.
In this context, students of the Master’s program in „International Health Care Management“ take the module Academic research and practical integration‘ and choose from a broad range of relevant projects in cooperation with important companies or institutions, including SOS Children’s Village International, EHMA (European Health Management Association), World Wide Fund Austria, and Doctors Without Borders.
Prerequisites for Admission
Applicants are required to have completed a bachelor or equivalent degree (business administration, social / political sciences, medicine, economics or health sciences including public health) and have to take an online entrance exam in English on a current international health care topic followed by an interview.
By providing students a combination of both specialized and extra-functional skills, the Master’s in International Health Care Management shall ensure that graduates are able to respond to the complex challenges in international health care and thus, are well positioned in the job market. The medium-term outlook for graduates of the two-year master’s program is administrative and upper level management positions in the health care sector and related fields.
Number of Seats
On successful completion of the Master’s study students are awarded the internationally acknowledged degree “Master of Arts in Business”. Overall 30 seats are available each year. Excellent graduates from all over the world with a bachelor or diploma degree relevant to the field have access to the MCI master’s program “International Health Care Management”.
For more information, go to www.mci.edu/master-healthcare.
Prof. (FH) Siegfried Walch, ph.d. is the director of studies of the MCI-bachelor program “Nonprofit, Social & Health Care Management” and the MCI-master program “International Health Care Business & Management”. His areas of specialisation are strategic communication consulting as well as planning and guiding communication processes.
Siegfried Walch is also managing shareholder of SVWP communication management, Wien and Innsbruck since the founding of the company in 1997. In 2004 he participated in the Strategic Management Course of the Austrian Federal Chancellor’s Office.
