In the heart of intellectual exchange at the Harvard Kennedy School, SAP stands as a proud supporter of the German American Conference 2023. As the largest transatlantic student-led conference of its kind in the United States, this event serves as a vibrant platform for leaders across academia, business, society, and politics to converge with the next generation of passionate minds. With approximately 700 attendees, mostly students from renowned American and German universities, such as Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Brown, or HPI, TUM, and Charité Berlin, the conference is a nexus of ideas and collaboration.
“The conference is a wonderful platform for SAP to engage directly with bright students from many of the world’s top universities. These are students that are passionate and eager to tackle society’s biggest challenges. The energy and level of engagement throughout the conference was inspiring. SAP is excited to support them on their journey as the next generation of leaders, making the world run better and improving people´s lives”
Dr. Karina Edmonds, SVP, Global Head of SAP Academies and University Alliances
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SAP’s Message: Get Future-Proof
When engaging with these great talents, SAP used the opportunity to equip the event attendees with the skills and insights crucial for navigating the evolving tech landscape. The team explained to students and other thought leaders from academia, business, society, and politics how to get future-proof.
Stefan Wagner, VP and Managing Director of SAP Labs Munich, set the tone to keep an innovation mindset in his conference keynote. He dared the audience to focus on new technologies like GenAI and to collaborate in academia-industry relations. At the SAP Booth, the audience could ask follow-up questions on the keynote topics and how they build foundations for intelligent and sustainable enterprises. Students and academia could further inform themselves about the concrete learning and teaching opportunities SAP offers, as well as possible career paths. And finally, Nina Strassner, Global Head of People Initiatives, explained to the future leaders in her fireside chat how important it is to put the people experience first and dares to care.
“We are very grateful for SAP’s impulses on the agenda. Our event attendees join the German American Conference to be challenged and think beyond in finding ways to shape the future through collaborations. SAP opened the room for conversations about the intersection of tech innovations, new relationships, and skills.”
Thomas Haskamp, member of the German American Conference Committee, Phd Student at the Hasso-Plattner-Institute
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Relationships are Crucial to Success
While different fields may have different views on the concrete steps and skills needed to shape the future, there is one strong consensus – no one can do it alone. Our society and industry are faced with major challenges now. And the future will continue to face us with a rapidly changing landscape to operate in. The time of individual heroes is left to stories, reality calls for collaborations. Our SAP team onsite was happy to feel this spirit, not only in their several coffee chats with attendees or the networking breakfast of SAP, but throughout the whole conference. We look forward to staying in touch with all the great minds we met at Harvard Kennedy School. Let´s think beyond and get future-proof together!
"The development of innovation hubs at strategic locations and their global networking with universities, research institutes, experts and future talents has the highest priority for me in my role at SAP. It was great to be able to transfer this work to the German American conference. I look forward to staying in touch with the bright minds and continuing our conversations.”
Stefan Wagner, VP, Managing Director at SAP Labs Munich
Do you have any questions about SAP’s activities with universities and students? Write it in the comments or check out sap.com/university-alliances.
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