On 10 November a group of five students from the University of Liechtenstein emerged triumphant at the world’s biggest conference for SAP developers and designers in Barcelona, on the strength of their innovative energy efficiency application – a solution that they had the chance of presenting to 10,000 visitors.
From 10 to 12 November 2015, SAP TechEd has been offering more than 1000 hours of training in technology for the standard business management software SAP, some involving in-memory computing and enterprise mobility, along with hands-on workshops and Q&A sessions. On the invitation of SAP University Alliance, a delegation of University of Liechtenstein students on the MA degree course in Information Systems, accompanied by Dr Bernd Schenk, had the opportunity of attending the conference. The university team had qualified for this on the basis of a competitive selection process.
Winners of the SAP InnoJam
At the start of the conference, the winning team had the chance of showing what they could do at the SAP InnoJam. The task facing the 18 teams participating was that of developing an innovative application as the basis for improved efficiency in the generation, transmission and use of electrical power. The groups worked for 36 hours practically without a break, before finally presenting their solutions to a jury of SAP experts. The presentation of the Liechtenstein student group, consisting of Kevin Bösch, Raphael Ender, Kevin Flesher, Bruno Saboia and Bolaji Smith, clinched a place in the DemoJam finale. Their idea of ‘Improving customer service and consumer loyalty of an energy company in the digital age’ succeeded in impressing the jury.
Presentation to 10,000 visitors
Having qualified for the final, the students had the accolade of being able to present their Innojam solution on the Tuesday evening at the TechEd in Barcelona, to an audience of around 10,000 visitors. ‘I see this as a major opportunity of acquiring first impressions of the international conference world, meeting exciting people, getting acquainted with the latest products and of course also having a fun time!’ said Raphael Ender, one of the students on the Information Systems MA degree course attending the InnoJam. In the finals, the University of Liechtenstein team only had six minutes to present the idea they had developed in competition with the other groups, but it was enough. After an exciting evaluation, the Liechtenstein team – one of the few that consisted only of students – came out on top.
‘The invitation, and the success of our students at the SAP TechEd, is a big tribute to the high quality of teaching in the Information Systems faculty of the University of Liechtenstein,’ said a satisfied Dr Bernd Schenk, lecturer at the Hilti Chair for Business Process Management.
Developing expertise while studying
Skills in standard business management software programs – ERP systems, as they are also known – are of major importance for students. Such systems serve for the control of business processes in the fields of procurement, production and sales, as well as in cross-departmental functions like accounting, HR and management, and they are used in a great many different application areas. The university’s close partnership with SAP under the auspices of the SAP University Alliance makes it possible for students to develop a knowledge of SAP while they are still studying, and so increase their market value. Companies benefit from university leavers who do not just develop these abilities on the job, but have been able to deal with business challenges directly while availing themselves of the relevant software.
