1. Bern University of Applied Sciences
  2. School of Architecture, Wood and Civil Engineering
  3. Continuing Education
  4. In-depth course Mindful Leadership
See table of contents See table of contents

In-depth course Mindful Leadership

Already completed an MBSR course and interested in practising more mindfulness? Exciting exercises, self-reflection and feedback from experts take you further.

The specialisation course in «Mindful Leadership» is intended only for people who have completed an MBSR course with a qualified teacher. Some content of the MBSR course overlaps with the specialist course «Mindful Leadership». As a result, our course largely involves self-study and you will be able to write your assessed report on the basis of your course materials and assignments.

  • You will be given mindfulness exercises (around 2 x 10 minutes a day) for a period of eight weeks.
  • These include formal and informal exercises as well as application-oriented exercises.
  • In the two coaching sessions, you will reflect on your own behavioural patterns and interests.
  • You will then write a report on your experience, following clear guidelines, and will be given development-focused feedback.
  • In the process, you will learn to better integrate mindfulness into your daily leadership practice and, as a result, lead in a calmer and more effective manner.

For those who have not completed an MBSR course, we recommend the specialist course «Mindful Leadership».

Factsheet

  • Degree/Certificate Specialist course
  • Duration 8 weeks
  • Schedule Guided self-study. Coaching sessions and feedback discussion are arranged individually
  • Application deadline -
  • ECTS credits None / 3 ECTS-credits
  • Costs CHF 900
  • Teaching language Deutsch
  • Location Self-study
  • School Business School
  • Next session An individual start is possible at any time

Contact

To register, please visit the German website. 

Content + structure

Portrait

Mindfulness results in relaxation but is not a relaxation technique. The relaxation is a positive side-effect of a change in mindset. This is systematically trained using traditional and contemporary mindfulness exercises. The focus is on integration into day-to-day working practices. Experience shows that this is the biggest challenge but also crucial for lasting effectiveness.

Learning outcomes

After completing this specialist course, you will:

Leadership

Be able to deal mindfully with staff, supervisors and colleagues and react calmly to challenges, leading more effectively as a result.

Burn-out prevention

Be mindful of yourself and cope better with professional stress. This will optimise your satisfaction with your own life and work.

Sustainability

Be familiar with simple exercises that fit into your life and make it easy for you to maintain and develop your own practice of mindfulness.

  • Diverse forms of meditation
  • Exercises using a range of forms of meditation (breathing, body awareness, walking, sitting, listening, planning, decision-making)
  • Experiments with different forms of everyday meditation
  • Mindfulness in leadership situations such as conflict talks and meetings

Adults learn differently. That is why the continuing education at the BFH Business school is committed to modern adult education. Our mission with «brain, heart and hand» is an important principle in the design of our offers. Questions in the lessons are based on the participants' professional and practical life experiences. Contact study and self-study phases are combined in a meaningful way, analogue learning environments are combined with digital tools. Microsoft Teams is available as a supplementary tool: you have access to documents, messages and information as well as a chat function within the class.

Guided self-study

Participants will be given assignments which they should be able to complete independently on the basis of their MBSR course.

These are meditation exercises that are particularly suited to busy people, plus a few challenges that will involve using mindfulness to create added value for the business. In the two coaching sessions and the feedback discussion, we will jointly work through your experience in carrying out the assignments.

  • Reflection report on your own experiences

Lecturers

Our lecturers are proven experts with extensive practical and theoretical knowledge in their subject areas. They have at least a university degree plus many years of experience in higher education. 

Professor Alexander W. Hunziker
Head of Degree Programme and lecturer in Mindfulness and Positive Psychology, Bern University of Applied Sciences, management trainer, MBSR teacher.

«Mindfulness is a digital skill. The more stress and emotional impoverishment we experience in the digitalised workplace, the more important it is to be able to be present as a person – particularly when we feel that we don’t have the time.»

Admission + further study

The course in designed for specialists and executives from the world of business and administration who have completed an MBSR course with a qualified teacher and are looking to optimise their leadership qualities through their own practice of mindfulness.

Typical participants:

  • Managers in sectors where stress levels are generally high (e.g. care professions).
  • Managers of teams that are exposed to particular stress over a long period of time (digitalisation).
  • Managers of teams that need to be particularly flexible or creative (agility).
  • Managers who have completed an MBSR course.

You do not need to meet any specific admission requirements to participate in this specialist course. If you wish to obtain ECTS credits, the general conditions for continuing education will apply: you will require a university degree or equivalent qualification and at least two years' professional experience. If you have any questions, please contact the study administration or the course coordinator. 

General admission requirements (in German)

To be admitted, you must have completed an MBSR course.

For those who have not completed an MBSR course, we recommend the specialist course «Mindful Leadership».

Specialist course «Specialisation in Mindful Leadership»

You will receive a certificate of participation. If you meet the general admission requirements for studies and successfully pass the competency assessment, you will earn 3 ECTS credits. These will appear on your certificate.

This specialist course can be counted towards:

Organisation + registration

The course takes eight weeks and comprises guided self-study. The coaching sessions are arranged on an individual basis.

To register, please visit the German website. 

Documents required for registration

You can register online via registration form. For registration we require following documents (in PDF format, max. 1 MB per document): 

  • Diplomas 

  • Curriculum Vitae 

  • Passport-sized photo (in JPG format) 

Please upload these documents even if you have already submitted them for another application. 

Information on the specialist course

Registration is continuous. The guided self-study programme is designed to take eight weeks.

CHF 900

All course materials, assessments and coaching are included in the tuition fee.

The continuing education regulations of the Bern University of Applied Sciences and the implementation regulations for the continuing education regulations apply. The right to make changes is reserved. In case of doubt, the wording of the legal provisions and regulations shall prevail.

Continuing Education Regulations of Bern University of Applied Sciences (WBR) (PDF, 81 KB)
Implementation Provisions for the Continuing Education Regulations WBR in the Business School (PDF, 81 KB)
Implementation Provisions for the Continuing Education Regulations (PDF, 77 KB)
Framework Study Regulations at Bern University of Applied Sciences (PDF, 127 KB)
Regulations on Scientific Integrity at Bern University of Applied Sciences (WissIR) (PDF, 140 KB)
Legal foundations

Information events + advice

Study Counselling

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Course leader

Programme administrator

Location + facilities

The course comprises guided self-study. The two coaching sessions and the feedback discussion are to be arranged individually.