WELCOME TO THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER!

The Professional Development Center (PDC) is the executive training institute of Webster University. It was founded in 1993 to complement the University's MBA program by offering management training seminars outside the academic program. The PDC is located on the university campus in the 22nd District of Vienna on the banks of the Danube, close to the Vienna International Center.

Coming out of a university tradition, the PDC knows how to design curricula that ensures a comprehensive treatment of any business topic, integrating individual seminars into a seamless program.  We understand the importance of a solid basis in theory, as well as the need to illustrate its application to the real world through workshop interaction, dynamic facilitation and engaging case studies. 

Our trainers are working professionally in their respective fields, many of which have retained a close relationship to academia.  They teach a variety of business and management courses at Webster University in Vienna and other universities here and abroad. All trainers are focused on skill development, teaching seminar participants how to put theory into practice. They have taught these skills all over the globe to business people from dozens of cultures.

What sets us apart from our competitors is not only our multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary make-up and our unique mix of solid academic theory and practical experience, but also the breadth of our seminar offerings.  Being integrated in an international university network allows us to tap into its vast resources, and any topic covered in one of our university courses can be adapted to fit a seminar format. 

An outstanding example of this strength is our “Doing Business Abroad” series. During this unique five day workshop, participants are guided through several topical areas surrounding a specific region or country of interest (e.g. financial, legal, and HR concerns, cross-cultural management issues, etc.).  Each topic is presented by an expert in that field - a trainer who is either a native of that country or has a deep knowledge of it.  With 100 campuses around the world, the PDC and Webster University can offer an additional “Study Tour” to that country or region for further in-depth lectures, networking possibilities with local business representatives, and a familiarization with cultural aspects, right on site!

While customization is our strength, our Standard Seminar package offers a wide range of topics for situations when a fully tailor-made program is not required. These seminars are adapted to your organization through case studies and examples, and are interactive and skill-oriented.

We understand that your human resources are your firm's most valuable asset, and our expertise is here for you to use - to develop and protect that asset. We want to become your Partner in Education and I would welcome the chance to meet you and hear about your training goals!

Sincerely,

Christian Newman
Director of the Professional Development Center