2. ‘I think of LAICS as ‘the’ education when it comes to innova-
tion.The educators and the teaching methods at LAICS work
together in creating an inclusive environment that embraces
all aspects of innovation. LAICS is therefore a way of thinking.
It has given me a comprehensive view of innovation and
process models, creativity, business models and psychology
and of how people interact.The whole package, so to speak.
But the most important outcome of attending and graduating
from the course is probably that we can’t stop looking for
new opportunities wherever we go.And it’s contagious!’
Jesper Hyhne Petersen, Innovation Consultant
and Programme Developer, Danmarks Radio
‘The programme helps people acknowledge the fact that
leadership is not easy; it is a very complex process, and if you
want to be able to involve people in complex processes, it is
very important to be true to yourself and to be well prepared.
Through LAICS I have found the courage and knowledge to
venture into something less safe but with a far higher level of
ambition.’
‘LAICS has given me the required qualifications for a career
change and has helped me develop skills that place me at the
very centre of where innovation is defined and initiated.’
Ingrid Læsøe Fink,
International Project Manager, Coloplast
Solving one problem often creates five new ones; this happens everywhere in
today’s organisations.The key challenge is to develop the competencies that can
help you think out-of-the-box and create the approaches and processes needed
to innovate. This is the story behind the LAICS Master: To enable you and your
company to navigate in a complex environment and to establish the organisation,
business opportunities and external relations you need in order to succeed…
‘In reality I have been on a personal journey that has trans-
formed my entire mindset towards innovation. Before
I discovered LAICS, I thought that innovation was just
about becoming good at getting ideas. Now I realize that
idea generation is only a very small part of innovation.
You need to deal with so many issues, both before and
after getting the idea, that determine whether it will
actually end up as an innovation!’
Mette Rødtnes,
Manager Research & Innovation, Arkitema
‘LAICS has given me the opportunity to gain experiences from
other fields of business. LAICS has changed my own language
about innovation. It has provided me with practical coaching
and guidance, working across a mono-professional culture in
my company, using my everyday challenges as a case. In this
way, my company gets value from my participation in LAICS.’
Pernille Weiss Terkildsen,
Head, Health Department, Arkitema
INNOVATE
3. ‘I think of LAICS as ‘the’ education when it comes to innova-
tion.The educators and the teaching methods at LAICS work
together in creating an inclusive environment that embraces
all aspects of innovation. LAICS is therefore a way of thinking.
It has given me a comprehensive view of innovation and
process models, creativity, business models and psychology
and of how people interact.The whole package, so to speak.
But the most important outcome of attending and graduating
from the course is probably that we can’t stop looking for
new opportunities wherever we go.And it’s contagious!’
Jesper Hyhne Petersen, Innovation Consultant
and Programme Developer, Danmarks Radio
‘The programme helps people acknowledge the fact that
leadership is not easy; it is a very complex process, and if you
want to be able to involve people in complex processes, it is
very important to be true to yourself and to be well prepared.
Through LAICS I have found the courage and knowledge to
venture into something less safe but with a far higher level of
ambition.’
‘LAICS has given me the required qualifications for a career
change and has helped me develop skills that place me at the
very centre of where innovation is defined and initiated.’
Ingrid Læsøe Fink,
International Project Manager, Coloplast
Solving one problem often creates five new ones; this happens everywhere in
today’s organisations.The key challenge is to develop the competencies that can
help you think out-of-the-box and create the approaches and processes needed
to innovate. This is the story behind the LAICS Master: To enable you and your
company to navigate in a complex environment and to establish the organisation,
business opportunities and external relations you need in order to succeed…
‘In reality I have been on a personal journey that has trans-
formed my entire mindset towards innovation. Before
I discovered LAICS, I thought that innovation was just
about becoming good at getting ideas. Now I realize that
idea generation is only a very small part of innovation.
You need to deal with so many issues, both before and
after getting the idea, that determine whether it will
actually end up as an innovation!’
Mette Rødtnes,
Manager Research & Innovation, Arkitema
‘LAICS has given me the opportunity to gain experiences from
other fields of business. LAICS has changed my own language
about innovation. It has provided me with practical coaching
and guidance, working across a mono-professional culture in
my company, using my everyday challenges as a case. In this
way, my company gets value from my participation in LAICS.’
Pernille Weiss Terkildsen,
Head, Health Department, Arkitema
INNOVATE
4. The research we have conducted shows that social fac-tors in modern organisations are often the key barriers
for effective innovation leadership – from ideationand creativity to problem solving and decision making.
There are many good models for managing innovation
but the social relationships, the power and politics,the culture and the organisational and environmental
complexity often end up destroying our best efforts. The
core question arises: How can we turn social complexity
to our advantage?
Unlike the more traditional innovation and executive
Master degrees, LAICS is focused on how to createand lead innovation in complex systems. The degree is
designed for managers, senior project managers, andkey specialists who work with innovation and business
development. Dealing with the leadership challengesof today, you will practice the social skills necessary tolead yourself and others to effective innovation that adds
value to your company.
The universities behind the LAICS Master constitute a
cross-cultural team, and we aim to let your organisation
benefit from this when we help you build and lead inno-
vative networks. It will be networks inside and outside
organisations, nationally and internationally – networks
consisting of colleagues, customers, community leaders,
and trendsetters. You will learn how to work with the
social dynamics of organisations, how to make thempart of the solution rather than the problem.
‘At the start I thought this was about constructing/leading
product development.As we have progressed my focus has
changed towards an understanding of which building blocks
make for an innovative organisation. I now think of innova-
tion as a process of learning and not only as an automated
system and structure process, which would be the belief of
the engineer.’
Carsten Damgaard,
Project Manager, Post Danmark
The LAICS Story…Your organisation has struggled hard to bring together some of the world’s
cutting edge trendsetters. Great ideas are everywhere. Yet, the divides and com-
munication barriers between the different professional cultures are leading to
major conflicts. Some of the key people are even threatening to leave. Through
a series of re-framing exercises and skillful re-designing of the organisational
structure, you manage to turn the cultural differences into a key innovation
driver. Your organisation becomes ‘the place to be’, and now the top talent is
knocking on your door…
The Master in Leadership and Innovation in Complex Systems
is a partnership between Copenhagen Business School and
Department of Learning at the Danish School of Education/
Aarhus University.
Applicant ProfileYour work is tied to the future competitiveness ofyour organisation. You have chosen a career track asInnovative Organisational Leader, Functional Leader,
major Project Leader, or Key Specialist. You are an up-
and–coming or established leader in your professional
discipline, be it in R&D, Sales & Marketing, Finance,Logistics, Operations, Human Resources, Informa-tion Systems, Engineering, Strategy Development,Organisational Development, Legal Support or anyother professional area. You already have experiencewith traditional management thinking in businessand innovation. Now you are ready for the next level:through a significant development of your innovative
problem solving and leadership skills, you want toenhance the competitiveness and value proposition ofyour organisation and give your career a strong pushforward.
5. The research we have conducted shows that social fac-tors in modern organisations are often the key barriers
for effective innovation leadership – from ideationand creativity to problem solving and decision making.
There are many good models for managing innovation
but the social relationships, the power and politics,the culture and the organisational and environmental
complexity often end up destroying our best efforts. The
core question arises: How can we turn social complexity
to our advantage?
Unlike the more traditional innovation and executive
Master degrees, LAICS is focused on how to createand lead innovation in complex systems. The degree is
designed for managers, senior project managers, andkey specialists who work with innovation and business
development. Dealing with the leadership challengesof today, you will practice the social skills necessary tolead yourself and others to effective innovation that adds
value to your company.
The universities behind the LAICS Master constitute a
cross-cultural team, and we aim to let your organisation
benefit from this when we help you build and lead inno-
vative networks. It will be networks inside and outside
organisations, nationally and internationally – networks
consisting of colleagues, customers, community leaders,
and trendsetters. You will learn how to work with the
social dynamics of organisations, how to make thempart of the solution rather than the problem.
‘At the start I thought this was about constructing/leading
product development.As we have progressed my focus has
changed towards an understanding of which building blocks
make for an innovative organisation. I now think of innova-
tion as a process of learning and not only as an automated
system and structure process, which would be the belief of
the engineer.’
Carsten Damgaard,
Project Manager, Post Danmark
The LAICS Story…Your organisation has struggled hard to bring together some of the world’s
cutting edge trendsetters. Great ideas are everywhere. Yet, the divides and com-
munication barriers between the different professional cultures are leading to
major conflicts. Some of the key people are even threatening to leave. Through
a series of re-framing exercises and skillful re-designing of the organisational
structure, you manage to turn the cultural differences into a key innovation
driver. Your organisation becomes ‘the place to be’, and now the top talent is
knocking on your door…
The Master in Leadership and Innovation in Complex Systems
is a partnership between Copenhagen Business School and
Department of Learning at the Danish School of Education/
Aarhus University.
Applicant ProfileYour work is tied to the future competitiveness ofyour organisation. You have chosen a career track asInnovative Organisational Leader, Functional Leader,
major Project Leader, or Key Specialist. You are an up-
and–coming or established leader in your professional
discipline, be it in R&D, Sales & Marketing, Finance,Logistics, Operations, Human Resources, Informa-tion Systems, Engineering, Strategy Development,Organisational Development, Legal Support or anyother professional area. You already have experiencewith traditional management thinking in businessand innovation. Now you are ready for the next level:through a significant development of your innovative
problem solving and leadership skills, you want toenhance the competitiveness and value proposition ofyour organisation and give your career a strong pushforward.
6. your innovation skills
At the LAICS Master Programme you will encounter new
thinking and acquire competencies that will help you become
an innovative leader able to:
Boost
Lead
• Create and lead through productive
relationships based on trust and respect
• Lead processes to achieve innovative results
in dynamic work environments
• Demonstrate personal leadership by providing
direction, communicating expectations and
providing constructive, inspiring feedback
• Lead yourself in ways that will help you
lead others
Network
• Build and maintain innovative networks
inside and outside the organisation, locally
as well as globally
• Make your customers and other key stake-
holders an integrated part of the innovation
process in order to create targeted results
Communicate
• Develop better presentational methods:
models, frameworks and symbols
• Improve innovation-based communication
flows in complex systems
• Represent yourself and other stakeholders
in more effective ways
Innovate
• Locate, frame, and work with complex
problems in ways that maximise innovation
opportunities
• Discover, effectively work with, and develop
a wide range of innovation tools, frameworks,
and practices
• Match people and ideas to form break-
through, radical innovations
• Form generative portfolios of problems,
inspiration sources, and innovation initiatives
Create results
• Turn innovation ideas into effective business
models and plans
• Create and communicate the connection
between the innovation process and the
strategic goals of the company
• Navigate the political landscape of the
organisation and use it to produce the
desired results
• Work with value creation and appropriation
as simultaneous challenge
Design
• Design and implement lifeful organisational
structures that stimulate innovation
• Design projects from a variety of complexity
and innovation viewpoints
• Create physical environments that stimulate
complexity-based innovation
‘The future is defined by those
who seize the opportunity’
Flemming Vang Sparsø, Senior Manager,
Technology and Business Development, Danisco
7. your innovation skills
At the LAICS Master Programme you will encounter new
thinking and acquire competencies that will help you become
an innovative leader able to:
Boost
Lead
• Create and lead through productive
relationships based on trust and respect
• Lead processes to achieve innovative results
in dynamic work environments
• Demonstrate personal leadership by providing
direction, communicating expectations and
providing constructive, inspiring feedback
• Lead yourself in ways that will help you
lead others
Network
• Build and maintain innovative networks
inside and outside the organisation, locally
as well as globally
• Make your customers and other key stake-
holders an integrated part of the innovation
process in order to create targeted results
Communicate
• Develop better presentational methods:
models, frameworks and symbols
• Improve innovation-based communication
flows in complex systems
• Represent yourself and other stakeholders
in more effective ways
Innovate
• Locate, frame, and work with complex
problems in ways that maximise innovation
opportunities
• Discover, effectively work with, and develop
a wide range of innovation tools, frameworks,
and practices
• Match people and ideas to form break-
through, radical innovations
• Form generative portfolios of problems,
inspiration sources, and innovation initiatives
Create results
• Turn innovation ideas into effective business
models and plans
• Create and communicate the connection
between the innovation process and the
strategic goals of the company
• Navigate the political landscape of the
organisation and use it to produce the
desired results
• Work with value creation and appropriation
as simultaneous challenge
Design
• Design and implement lifeful organisational
structures that stimulate innovation
• Design projects from a variety of complexity
and innovation viewpoints
• Create physical environments that stimulate
complexity-based innovation
‘The future is defined by those
who seize the opportunity’
Flemming Vang Sparsø, Senior Manager,
Technology and Business Development, Danisco
8. Seminar – Innovation
Processes
The topic of this seminar is innova-
tion processes and the demands they
present for the leader. Emphasis will be
on how to choose between different
innovation models and approaches.
You will acquire building blocks that
can be used to create customised
approaches for your organisation.You
will be able to analyse the innovation
process in your own organisation and
look for ways of improving this.You
will explore your personal preferences
when leading groups and processes in
a changing context.This will lead to
an examination of how social relations
both support and hinder the innovative
processes.
Your company will gain:
People who are conscious of their key
innovative potentials and are able to
leverage their strengths to become
leading catalysts for innovation and
change.
Seminar – Creativity
and Ideation
Finding the new can be hugely excit-
ing. So much so that we can end up
pushing out the old and bringing in the
new just for the thrill of it.We will look
at the countless ways actionable ideas
can be generated through the use of
various techniques and methods. It is
easy to become wrapped up in the ex-
citement of ideas and loose sight of the
problems they should resolve as well
as the ability to evaluate whether they
will actually make radical innovation
possible.Through a ‘deep dive’-process
which activates all of our senses, we
will practice transcending the mental
programming of groups and organisa-
tions.
Your company will gain:
People who are adept at finding effec-
tive ideas and who focus on creating an
environment that makes radical innova-
tion possible in organisations.
Seminar – Creating Space
for Innovation
This seminar is aimed to improve
the understanding of the intra- and
interorganisational landscape sur-
rounding the innovation process.We
will explore how an organisation works
with networks as innovation and learn-
ing mechanisms, and how these can
further the change process.And we will
focus on the ability to analyse power
bases and positions from an organisa-
tional perspective, hence enabling an
enlarged space of action to be created
in and around the organisation.
Your company will gain:
People who can work with the increas-
ing uncertainty of everyday life in an
organisation and who can turn poten-
tial into a constructive process.
Seminar – The Practise of Inno-
vative Business Development
There are many innovative approaches.
To help you turn a given approach into
value creation for the company, we will
discuss the analysis and management
of new business models.We will look
at the challenge of developing the busi-
ness plan and how to take it through
the organisation to implementation.
This will be drawn together in order to
sharpen the arguments we use when
we apply for resources internally and
externally.
Your company will gain:
People who can both evaluate the
business potential and consequence of
new ideas, and lead this process across
organisational areas.
Seminar – Communication,
Power and Innovation
At this seminar you will examine the
interplay between power, diversity and
communication in order to increase
the potential for innovation in your
organisation.You will be introduced to
complexity theory as well as new social
psychological concepts from social
constructionism, poststructuralism
and narrative psychology.And you will
reflect on how changing your optics
can influence sensemaking in your
organisation.
Your company will gain:
People who can lead innovation
effectively through communication
and power analysis.
Seminar – Mental and Physical
Space for Innovation
How can we create well organised
innovation environments that build
positive energy and social well-being?
We will examine mental and physical
spaces for innovation both in relation
to individual and team processes – and
we will investigate the connection
between the two: How does physical
space affect mental processes – and
vice versa? How can model making,
prototyping and sketching support
imagination, ideation, communication
and innovation?
Your company will gain:
People who stimulate innovation by
creating space for out-of-the-box think-
ing and ground-breaking results.
Seminar – Front edge
innovation
We will be looking at global trends -
how to make sense of them and how
to navigate them.What is emerging
outside organisations and how can we
tap into it and make the boundaries of
our organisations more transparent?
The market is created as an intersection
of customers, politics and companies
interacting and communicating.We will
discuss how to enter this dialogue and
how to influence and shape it.We will
investigate how leadership styles and
paradigms might change due to these
trends.
Your company will gain:
People who have a good grasp of large
scale developments and who can help
your organisation scout and navigate
within important macro-level trends.
Seminar – Leading authenti-
cally in a Global Culture
You will work on developing and articu-
lating your own innovative leadership
story, forming a creative and authentic
leadership style that is fit for dealing
with high complexity.You will be chal-
lenged to work with guiding principles
of leadership in order to create new
ways of dealing with command and
control.You will sharpen your ability to
put trust and respect at the centre of
your personal leadership style.
Your company will gain:
People who act and see leadership
as leading oneself as well as leading
peers, stakeholders, and customers –
including people over whom they have
no official leadership authority.
Seminar – Leading the
Customer Relationship
Examining ways to involve existing and
future customers we will establish an
overview of user-driven approaches to
innovation.You will practice designing
the process for energetic meetings and
for bringing customers into meaningful
relationships.We will build competen-
cies in hosting and facilitating networks
and large groups.
Your company will gain:
People who focus on creating value for
their organisations through innovative
and meaningful relationships with cus-
tomers and other critical stakeholders.
Module 1: Creating Innovative Organisations
Today’s dilemma in organisations is to balance innovation with the need for instant results. The best organisations are
those that nurture creativity and make the inherent constraints in its environment work for it instead of against it.
Module 2 – The Business of Innovation
At the end of the day, true innovation is when innovation adds value, be it profit, sustainability or perceived improve-
ments for the business and its customers. The leading businesses are those that experiment with new ways of value
creation through embracing diversity – both mentally and physically.
Module 3 – Leading Innovation in a Global Environment
Today’s world being global and local at the same time gives rise to new types of challenges. Both private and public or-
ganisations need to create innovative ways forward to identify leadership approaches that open new possibilities instead
of closing them. What can organisations learn from individuals and organisations working globally and at the front edge?
The journey to your Innovation Master
The programme, and the sequence of the
seminars, may be subject to change based
on participants’ innovation challenges,
learning needs and resources.
Module 4 – Master Thesis
The module comprises the writing of your Master thesis.
The thesis will be based on a portfolio where different projects
and learnings are woven together, addressing key strategic
challenges concerning innovation in your organisation. Innovation Master
‘Through LAICS I have developed leadership
qualities. My initial expectations were that
the course would provide me with tools for
innovation. And it did. But in addition to
that, and more importantly, the programme
has given me an education in leadership.‘
Mette Rødtnes, Manager Research & Innovation, Arkitema
9. Seminar – Innovation
Processes
The topic of this seminar is innova-
tion processes and the demands they
present for the leader. Emphasis will be
on how to choose between different
innovation models and approaches.
You will acquire building blocks that
can be used to create customised
approaches for your organisation.You
will be able to analyse the innovation
process in your own organisation and
look for ways of improving this.You
will explore your personal preferences
when leading groups and processes in
a changing context.This will lead to
an examination of how social relations
both support and hinder the innovative
processes.
Your company will gain:
People who are conscious of their key
innovative potentials and are able to
leverage their strengths to become
leading catalysts for innovation and
change.
Seminar – Creativity
and Ideation
Finding the new can be hugely excit-
ing. So much so that we can end up
pushing out the old and bringing in the
new just for the thrill of it.We will look
at the countless ways actionable ideas
can be generated through the use of
various techniques and methods. It is
easy to become wrapped up in the ex-
citement of ideas and loose sight of the
problems they should resolve as well
as the ability to evaluate whether they
will actually make radical innovation
possible.Through a ‘deep dive’-process
which activates all of our senses, we
will practice transcending the mental
programming of groups and organisa-
tions.
Your company will gain:
People who are adept at finding effec-
tive ideas and who focus on creating an
environment that makes radical innova-
tion possible in organisations.
Seminar – Creating Space
for Innovation
This seminar is aimed to improve
the understanding of the intra- and
interorganisational landscape sur-
rounding the innovation process.We
will explore how an organisation works
with networks as innovation and learn-
ing mechanisms, and how these can
further the change process.And we will
focus on the ability to analyse power
bases and positions from an organisa-
tional perspective, hence enabling an
enlarged space of action to be created
in and around the organisation.
Your company will gain:
People who can work with the increas-
ing uncertainty of everyday life in an
organisation and who can turn poten-
tial into a constructive process.
Seminar – The Practise of Inno-
vative Business Development
There are many innovative approaches.
To help you turn a given approach into
value creation for the company, we will
discuss the analysis and management
of new business models.We will look
at the challenge of developing the busi-
ness plan and how to take it through
the organisation to implementation.
This will be drawn together in order to
sharpen the arguments we use when
we apply for resources internally and
externally.
Your company will gain:
People who can both evaluate the
business potential and consequence of
new ideas, and lead this process across
organisational areas.
Seminar – Communication,
Power and Innovation
At this seminar you will examine the
interplay between power, diversity and
communication in order to increase
the potential for innovation in your
organisation.You will be introduced to
complexity theory as well as new social
psychological concepts from social
constructionism, poststructuralism
and narrative psychology.And you will
reflect on how changing your optics
can influence sensemaking in your
organisation.
Your company will gain:
People who can lead innovation
effectively through communication
and power analysis.
Seminar – Mental and Physical
Space for Innovation
How can we create well organised
innovation environments that build
positive energy and social well-being?
We will examine mental and physical
spaces for innovation both in relation
to individual and team processes – and
we will investigate the connection
between the two: How does physical
space affect mental processes – and
vice versa? How can model making,
prototyping and sketching support
imagination, ideation, communication
and innovation?
Your company will gain:
People who stimulate innovation by
creating space for out-of-the-box think-
ing and ground-breaking results.
Seminar – Front edge
innovation
We will be looking at global trends -
how to make sense of them and how
to navigate them.What is emerging
outside organisations and how can we
tap into it and make the boundaries of
our organisations more transparent?
The market is created as an intersection
of customers, politics and companies
interacting and communicating.We will
discuss how to enter this dialogue and
how to influence and shape it.We will
investigate how leadership styles and
paradigms might change due to these
trends.
Your company will gain:
People who have a good grasp of large
scale developments and who can help
your organisation scout and navigate
within important macro-level trends.
Seminar – Leading authenti-
cally in a Global Culture
You will work on developing and articu-
lating your own innovative leadership
story, forming a creative and authentic
leadership style that is fit for dealing
with high complexity.You will be chal-
lenged to work with guiding principles
of leadership in order to create new
ways of dealing with command and
control.You will sharpen your ability to
put trust and respect at the centre of
your personal leadership style.
Your company will gain:
People who act and see leadership
as leading oneself as well as leading
peers, stakeholders, and customers –
including people over whom they have
no official leadership authority.
Seminar – Leading the
Customer Relationship
Examining ways to involve existing and
future customers we will establish an
overview of user-driven approaches to
innovation.You will practice designing
the process for energetic meetings and
for bringing customers into meaningful
relationships.We will build competen-
cies in hosting and facilitating networks
and large groups.
Your company will gain:
People who focus on creating value for
their organisations through innovative
and meaningful relationships with cus-
tomers and other critical stakeholders.
Module 1: Creating Innovative Organisations
Today’s dilemma in organisations is to balance innovation with the need for instant results. The best organisations are
those that nurture creativity and make the inherent constraints in its environment work for it instead of against it.
Module 2 – The Business of Innovation
At the end of the day, true innovation is when innovation adds value, be it profit, sustainability or perceived improve-
ments for the business and its customers. The leading businesses are those that experiment with new ways of value
creation through embracing diversity – both mentally and physically.
Module 3 – Leading Innovation in a Global Environment
Today’s world being global and local at the same time gives rise to new types of challenges. Both private and public or-
ganisations need to create innovative ways forward to identify leadership approaches that open new possibilities instead
of closing them. What can organisations learn from individuals and organisations working globally and at the front edge?
The journey to your Innovation Master
The programme, and the sequence of the
seminars, may be subject to change based
on participants’ innovation challenges,
learning needs and resources.
Module 4 – Master Thesis
The module comprises the writing of your Master thesis.
The thesis will be based on a portfolio where different projects
and learnings are woven together, addressing key strategic
challenges concerning innovation in your organisation. Innovation Master
‘Through LAICS I have developed leadership
qualities. My initial expectations were that
the course would provide me with tools for
innovation. And it did. But in addition to
that, and more importantly, the programme
has given me an education in leadership.‘
Mette Rødtnes, Manager Research & Innovation, Arkitema
10. Seminar – Innovation
Processes
The topic of this seminar is innova-
tion processes and the demands they
present for the leader. Emphasis will be
on how to choose between different
innovation models and approaches.
You will acquire building blocks that
can be used to create customised
approaches for your organisation.You
will be able to analyse the innovation
process in your own organisation and
look for ways of improving this.You
will explore your personal preferences
when leading groups and processes in
a changing context.This will lead to
an examination of how social relations
both support and hinder the innovative
processes.
Your company will gain:
People who are conscious of their key
innovative potentials and are able to
leverage their strengths to become
leading catalysts for innovation and
change.
Seminar – Creativity
and Ideation
Finding the new can be hugely excit-
ing. So much so that we can end up
pushing out the old and bringing in the
new just for the thrill of it.We will look
at the countless ways actionable ideas
can be generated through the use of
various techniques and methods. It is
easy to become wrapped up in the ex-
citement of ideas and loose sight of the
problems they should resolve as well
as the ability to evaluate whether they
will actually make radical innovation
possible.Through a ‘deep dive’-process
which activates all of our senses, we
will practice transcending the mental
programming of groups and organisa-
tions.
Your company will gain:
People who are adept at finding effec-
tive ideas and who focus on creating an
environment that makes radical innova-
tion possible in organisations.
Seminar – Creating Space
for Innovation
This seminar is aimed to improve
the understanding of the intra- and
interorganisational landscape sur-
rounding the innovation process.We
will explore how an organisation works
with networks as innovation and learn-
ing mechanisms, and how these can
further the change process.And we will
focus on the ability to analyse power
bases and positions from an organisa-
tional perspective, hence enabling an
enlarged space of action to be created
in and around the organisation.
Your company will gain:
People who can work with the increas-
ing uncertainty of everyday life in an
organisation and who can turn poten-
tial into a constructive process.
Seminar – The Practise of Inno-
vative Business Development
There are many innovative approaches.
To help you turn a given approach into
value creation for the company, we will
discuss the analysis and management
of new business models.We will look
at the challenge of developing the busi-
ness plan and how to take it through
the organisation to implementation.
This will be drawn together in order to
sharpen the arguments we use when
we apply for resources internally and
externally.
Your company will gain:
People who can both evaluate the
business potential and consequence of
new ideas, and lead this process across
organisational areas.
Seminar – Communication,
Power and Innovation
At this seminar you will examine the
interplay between power, diversity and
communication in order to increase
the potential for innovation in your
organisation.You will be introduced to
complexity theory as well as new social
psychological concepts from social
constructionism, poststructuralism
and narrative psychology.And you will
reflect on how changing your optics
can influence sensemaking in your
organisation.
Your company will gain:
People who can lead innovation
effectively through communication
and power analysis.
Seminar – Mental and Physical
Space for Innovation
How can we create well organised
innovation environments that build
positive energy and social well-being?
We will examine mental and physical
spaces for innovation both in relation
to individual and team processes – and
we will investigate the connection
between the two: How does physical
space affect mental processes – and
vice versa? How can model making,
prototyping and sketching support
imagination, ideation, communication
and innovation?
Your company will gain:
People who stimulate innovation by
creating space for out-of-the-box think-
ing and ground-breaking results.
Seminar – Front edge
innovation
We will be looking at global trends -
how to make sense of them and how
to navigate them.What is emerging
outside organisations and how can we
tap into it and make the boundaries of
our organisations more transparent?
The market is created as an intersection
of customers, politics and companies
interacting and communicating.We will
discuss how to enter this dialogue and
how to influence and shape it.We will
investigate how leadership styles and
paradigms might change due to these
trends.
Your company will gain:
People who have a good grasp of large
scale developments and who can help
your organisation scout and navigate
within important macro-level trends.
Seminar – Leading authenti-
cally in a Global Culture
You will work on developing and articu-
lating your own innovative leadership
story, forming a creative and authentic
leadership style that is fit for dealing
with high complexity.You will be chal-
lenged to work with guiding principles
of leadership in order to create new
ways of dealing with command and
control.You will sharpen your ability to
put trust and respect at the centre of
your personal leadership style.
Your company will gain:
People who act and see leadership
as leading oneself as well as leading
peers, stakeholders, and customers –
including people over whom they have
no official leadership authority.
Seminar – Leading the
Customer Relationship
Examining ways to involve existing and
future customers we will establish an
overview of user-driven approaches to
innovation.You will practice designing
the process for energetic meetings and
for bringing customers into meaningful
relationships.We will build competen-
cies in hosting and facilitating networks
and large groups.
Your company will gain:
People who focus on creating value for
their organisations through innovative
and meaningful relationships with cus-
tomers and other critical stakeholders.
Module 1: Creating Innovative Organisations
Today’s dilemma in organisations is to balance innovation with the need for instant results. The best organisations are
those that nurture creativity and make the inherent constraints in its environment work for it instead of against it.
Module 2 – The Business of Innovation
At the end of the day, true innovation is when innovation adds value, be it profit, sustainability or perceived improve-
ments for the business and its customers. The leading businesses are those that experiment with new ways of value
creation through embracing diversity – both mentally and physically.
Module 3 – Leading Innovation in a Global Environment
Today’s world being global and local at the same time gives rise to new types of challenges. Both private and public or-
ganisations need to create innovative ways forward to identify leadership approaches that open new possibilities instead
of closing them. What can organisations learn from individuals and organisations working globally and at the front edge?
The journey to your Innovation Master
The programme, and the sequence of the
seminars, may be subject to change based
on participants’ innovation challenges,
learning needs and resources.
Module 4 – Master Thesis
The module comprises the writing of your Master thesis.
The thesis will be based on a portfolio where different projects
and learnings are woven together, addressing key strategic
challenges concerning innovation in your organisation. Innovation Master
‘Through LAICS I have developed leadership
qualities. My initial expectations were that
the course would provide me with tools for
innovation. And it did. But in addition to
that, and more importantly, the programme
has given me an education in leadership.‘
Mette Rødtnes, Manager Research & Innovation, Arkitema
11. Seminar – Innovation
Processes
The topic of this seminar is innova-
tion processes and the demands they
present for the leader. Emphasis will be
on how to choose between different
innovation models and approaches.
You will acquire building blocks that
can be used to create customised
approaches for your organisation.You
will be able to analyse the innovation
process in your own organisation and
look for ways of improving this.You
will explore your personal preferences
when leading groups and processes in
a changing context.This will lead to
an examination of how social relations
both support and hinder the innovative
processes.
Your company will gain:
People who are conscious of their key
innovative potentials and are able to
leverage their strengths to become
leading catalysts for innovation and
change.
Seminar – Creativity
and Ideation
Finding the new can be hugely excit-
ing. So much so that we can end up
pushing out the old and bringing in the
new just for the thrill of it.We will look
at the countless ways actionable ideas
can be generated through the use of
various techniques and methods. It is
easy to become wrapped up in the ex-
citement of ideas and loose sight of the
problems they should resolve as well
as the ability to evaluate whether they
will actually make radical innovation
possible.Through a ‘deep dive’-process
which activates all of our senses, we
will practice transcending the mental
programming of groups and organisa-
tions.
Your company will gain:
People who are adept at finding effec-
tive ideas and who focus on creating an
environment that makes radical innova-
tion possible in organisations.
Seminar – Creating Space
for Innovation
This seminar is aimed to improve
the understanding of the intra- and
interorganisational landscape sur-
rounding the innovation process.We
will explore how an organisation works
with networks as innovation and learn-
ing mechanisms, and how these can
further the change process.And we will
focus on the ability to analyse power
bases and positions from an organisa-
tional perspective, hence enabling an
enlarged space of action to be created
in and around the organisation.
Your company will gain:
People who can work with the increas-
ing uncertainty of everyday life in an
organisation and who can turn poten-
tial into a constructive process.
Seminar – The Practise of Inno-
vative Business Development
There are many innovative approaches.
To help you turn a given approach into
value creation for the company, we will
discuss the analysis and management
of new business models.We will look
at the challenge of developing the busi-
ness plan and how to take it through
the organisation to implementation.
This will be drawn together in order to
sharpen the arguments we use when
we apply for resources internally and
externally.
Your company will gain:
People who can both evaluate the
business potential and consequence of
new ideas, and lead this process across
organisational areas.
Seminar – Communication,
Power and Innovation
At this seminar you will examine the
interplay between power, diversity and
communication in order to increase
the potential for innovation in your
organisation.You will be introduced to
complexity theory as well as new social
psychological concepts from social
constructionism, poststructuralism
and narrative psychology.And you will
reflect on how changing your optics
can influence sensemaking in your
organisation.
Your company will gain:
People who can lead innovation
effectively through communication
and power analysis.
Seminar – Mental and Physical
Space for Innovation
How can we create well organised
innovation environments that build
positive energy and social well-being?
We will examine mental and physical
spaces for innovation both in relation
to individual and team processes – and
we will investigate the connection
between the two: How does physical
space affect mental processes – and
vice versa? How can model making,
prototyping and sketching support
imagination, ideation, communication
and innovation?
Your company will gain:
People who stimulate innovation by
creating space for out-of-the-box think-
ing and ground-breaking results.
Seminar – Front edge
innovation
We will be looking at global trends -
how to make sense of them and how
to navigate them.What is emerging
outside organisations and how can we
tap into it and make the boundaries of
our organisations more transparent?
The market is created as an intersection
of customers, politics and companies
interacting and communicating.We will
discuss how to enter this dialogue and
how to influence and shape it.We will
investigate how leadership styles and
paradigms might change due to these
trends.
Your company will gain:
People who have a good grasp of large
scale developments and who can help
your organisation scout and navigate
within important macro-level trends.
Seminar – Leading authenti-
cally in a Global Culture
You will work on developing and articu-
lating your own innovative leadership
story, forming a creative and authentic
leadership style that is fit for dealing
with high complexity.You will be chal-
lenged to work with guiding principles
of leadership in order to create new
ways of dealing with command and
control.You will sharpen your ability to
put trust and respect at the centre of
your personal leadership style.
Your company will gain:
People who act and see leadership
as leading oneself as well as leading
peers, stakeholders, and customers –
including people over whom they have
no official leadership authority.
Seminar – Leading the
Customer Relationship
Examining ways to involve existing and
future customers we will establish an
overview of user-driven approaches to
innovation.You will practice designing
the process for energetic meetings and
for bringing customers into meaningful
relationships.We will build competen-
cies in hosting and facilitating networks
and large groups.
Your company will gain:
People who focus on creating value for
their organisations through innovative
and meaningful relationships with cus-
tomers and other critical stakeholders.
Module 1: Creating Innovative Organisations
Today’s dilemma in organisations is to balance innovation with the need for instant results. The best organisations are
those that nurture creativity and make the inherent constraints in its environment work for it instead of against it.
Module 2 – The Business of Innovation
At the end of the day, true innovation is when innovation adds value, be it profit, sustainability or perceived improve-
ments for the business and its customers. The leading businesses are those that experiment with new ways of value
creation through embracing diversity – both mentally and physically.
Module 3 – Leading Innovation in a Global Environment
Today’s world being global and local at the same time gives rise to new types of challenges. Both private and public or-
ganisations need to create innovative ways forward to identify leadership approaches that open new possibilities instead
of closing them. What can organisations learn from individuals and organisations working globally and at the front edge?
The journey to your Innovation Master
The programme, and the sequence of the
seminars, may be subject to change based
on participants’ innovation challenges,
learning needs and resources.
Module 4 – Master Thesis
The module comprises the writing of your Master thesis.
The thesis will be based on a portfolio where different projects
and learnings are woven together, addressing key strategic
challenges concerning innovation in your organisation. Innovation Master
‘Through LAICS I have developed leadership
qualities. My initial expectations were that
the course would provide me with tools for
innovation. And it did. But in addition to
that, and more importantly, the programme
has given me an education in leadership.‘
Mette Rødtnes, Manager Research & Innovation, Arkitema
12. ‘To understand innovation we have to get it
under the skin.And the LAICS programme does
exactly that. Here it is learning by doing and
experiencing and feeling – not only listening.’
Jakob Stolt,
Regional Director, IDEA Copenhagen
The LAICS learning journey
The LAICS learning approach
combines a multitude of pedago-
gical elements all aimed to help
the participants become reflective
practitioners. This means that we
provide a theoretical understand-
ing of the topics that will not only
equip you to evaluate current prac-
tises and tools, but also to develop
your own tools.
The LAICS learning journey is
engaging and explorative in order
for you to gain first-hand personal
experience as material for reflec-
tion and dialogue. The seminars are
residential (3½ days) and located
in beautiful settings hence creat-
ing a highly stimulating learning
space. An essential feature of this
space is building a learning culture
and having this culture nurtured
by ‘gardener’ leadership. The
social relations thus become strong
and continue to develop between
seminars. Each seminar is carefully
designed to introduce the topics in
intellectually as well as emotion-
ally engaging ways. In addition, the
seminars offer space and time for
reflecting and writing in the LAICS
learning journals.
As a LAICS participant, you will
experience everything from arts
based work (theatre, bodywork,
music) to discussing theories, frame-
works and models, working with
participant cases, master classes, per-
sonal development, journal writing
as well as more traditional lectures
and group work exercises.
The LAICS learning approach
emphasises collaboration and co-
creation, distributed leadership, and
self-organisation. To stimulate ener-
getic new thinking, the participants
represent a wide range of diverse
background; bright people from a
variety of industries, professions,
cultures, positions, and countries
are brought together. Modules are
socially rich and heavily experiential,
aimed at forming connections that
will last long after the programme
ends.
‘If I were to start all over and redo my
LAICS master’s degree, I would espe-
cially look forward to the mixture of the
concrete, the playfulness, the know-
ledge, the appreciative approach to
both the theories and the difficulties we
encounter and, of course, to being in a
place with a really good atmosphere. It
is a real shot in the arm.’
Pernille Weiss Terkildsen,
Head, Health Department, Arkitema
‘One of the things I find great is how
many different learning approaches
we have experienced – hardly any of
them have been similar in the different
modules.We have tried everything from
the classical lecture methodology to
methods from the world of arts.’
Carsten Damgaard,
Project Manager, Post Danmark
13. ‘To understand innovation we have to get it
under the skin.And the LAICS programme does
exactly that. Here it is learning by doing and
experiencing and feeling – not only listening.’
Jakob Stolt,
Regional Director, IDEA Copenhagen
The LAICS learning journey
The LAICS learning approach
combines a multitude of pedago-
gical elements all aimed to help
the participants become reflective
practitioners. This means that we
provide a theoretical understand-
ing of the topics that will not only
equip you to evaluate current prac-
tises and tools, but also to develop
your own tools.
The LAICS learning journey is
engaging and explorative in order
for you to gain first-hand personal
experience as material for reflec-
tion and dialogue. The seminars are
residential (3½ days) and located
in beautiful settings hence creat-
ing a highly stimulating learning
space. An essential feature of this
space is building a learning culture
and having this culture nurtured
by ‘gardener’ leadership. The
social relations thus become strong
and continue to develop between
seminars. Each seminar is carefully
designed to introduce the topics in
intellectually as well as emotion-
ally engaging ways. In addition, the
seminars offer space and time for
reflecting and writing in the LAICS
learning journals.
As a LAICS participant, you will
experience everything from arts
based work (theatre, bodywork,
music) to discussing theories, frame-
works and models, working with
participant cases, master classes, per-
sonal development, journal writing
as well as more traditional lectures
and group work exercises.
The LAICS learning approach
emphasises collaboration and co-
creation, distributed leadership, and
self-organisation. To stimulate ener-
getic new thinking, the participants
represent a wide range of diverse
background; bright people from a
variety of industries, professions,
cultures, positions, and countries
are brought together. Modules are
socially rich and heavily experiential,
aimed at forming connections that
will last long after the programme
ends.
‘If I were to start all over and redo my
LAICS master’s degree, I would espe-
cially look forward to the mixture of the
concrete, the playfulness, the know-
ledge, the appreciative approach to
both the theories and the difficulties we
encounter and, of course, to being in a
place with a really good atmosphere. It
is a real shot in the arm.’
Pernille Weiss Terkildsen,
Head, Health Department, Arkitema
‘One of the things I find great is how
many different learning approaches
we have experienced – hardly any of
them have been similar in the different
modules.We have tried everything from
the classical lecture methodology to
methods from the world of arts.’
Carsten Damgaard,
Project Manager, Post Danmark
14. FACULTY
Nancy Adler
Professor of International Management
at the Faculty of Management, McGill
University Montreal, Canada.
Robert Austin
Associate Professor, Harvard Business
School, USA and Visiting Professor,
Copenhagen Business School.
Daved Barry
Banco BPI Chair of Creative Organiza-
tion Studies, School of Economics &
Management, Nova University Lisbon,
Portugal and Adjunct Professor in
Creativity and Leadership, Copenhagen
Business School.
John Bessant
Professor and Chair in Innovation and
Technology Management, Imperial
College London, UK.
Jacob Buur
Professor Mads Clausen Institute,
University of Southern Denmark.
Lotte Darsø
Associate Professor in Innovation,
Department of Learning, Danish School
of Education/Aarhus University.
Silje Kamille Friis
External Lecturer, Department
of Learning, Danish School of
Education/Aarhus University.
Colin Funk
Director of Creative Development,
Leadership Development Programme,
The Banff Centre, Canada.
Pamela Paquin Hall
Researcher and facilitator at The
Society for Organizational Learning’s
European Sustainability Group, Pioneers
of Change, and The Falkland Centre for
Stewardship.
Daniel Hjorth
Professor Entrepreneurship and Inno-
vation Management, Department of
Management, Politics and Philosophy,
Copenhagen Business School.
Piers Ibbotson
Director Directing Creativity, Fellow of
the Royal Society of Arts and Visiting
Fellow, University of Kingston, UK.
Hans Siggaard Jensen
Head of Research and Education,
Danish School of Education/
Aarhus University
Susanne Justesen
PhD, Innoversity Copenhagen.
Volker Mahnke
Professor of Innovation and Strategy
at the Department of Informatics,
Copenhagen Business School.
Mette Mønsted
Professor at the Department of
Management, Politics and Philosophy,
Copenhagen Business School.
Nick Nissley
Executive Director, Leadership
Development Programme,
The Banff Centre, Canada.
Miha Pogacnik
Violinist, Slovenia.
Ib Ravn
Associate Professor, Department
of Learning, Danish School of
Education/Aarhus University.
Alf Rehn
Professor and Chair of Management
and Organization, Department of Busi-
ness Studies, Åbo Akademi University,
Finland.
Otto Scharmer
Associate Professor MIT Sloan School
of Management, USA and Visiting
Professor at the Centre for Innovation
and Knowledge Research, Helsinki
School of Economics, Finland.
Patricia Shaw
Associate Director and Founding
Fellow of the Complexity and Manage-
ment Centre at the Business School of
the University of Hertfordshire, UK.
Ralph Stacey
Professor of Management at the Busi-
ness School, University of Hertfordshire
and Head of the university’s Complexity
and Management Centre, UK.
Dorthe Staunæs
Associate Professor at the Department
of Learning, Danish School of
Education/Aarhus University.
Morten Thanning Vendelø
Associate Professor at the Department
of Organisation, Copenhagen Business
School.
Margaret Wheatley
President Emeritus The Berkana
Institute, USA
Susan Wright
Professor, Department of Education,
Danish School of Education/Aarhus
University.
More information at www.laics.net
15. FACULTY
Nancy Adler
Professor of International Management
at the Faculty of Management, McGill
University Montreal, Canada.
Robert Austin
Associate Professor, Harvard Business
School, USA and Visiting Professor,
Copenhagen Business School.
Daved Barry
Banco BPI Chair of Creative Organiza-
tion Studies, School of Economics &
Management, Nova University Lisbon,
Portugal and Adjunct Professor in
Creativity and Leadership, Copenhagen
Business School.
John Bessant
Professor and Chair in Innovation and
Technology Management, Imperial
College London, UK.
Jacob Buur
Professor Mads Clausen Institute,
University of Southern Denmark.
Lotte Darsø
Associate Professor in Innovation,
Department of Learning, Danish School
of Education/Aarhus University.
Silje Kamille Friis
External Lecturer, Department
of Learning, Danish School of
Education/Aarhus University.
Colin Funk
Director of Creative Development,
Leadership Development Programme,
The Banff Centre, Canada.
Pamela Paquin Hall
Researcher and facilitator at The
Society for Organizational Learning’s
European Sustainability Group, Pioneers
of Change, and The Falkland Centre for
Stewardship.
Daniel Hjorth
Professor Entrepreneurship and Inno-
vation Management, Department of
Management, Politics and Philosophy,
Copenhagen Business School.
Piers Ibbotson
Director Directing Creativity, Fellow of
the Royal Society of Arts and Visiting
Fellow, University of Kingston, UK.
Hans Siggaard Jensen
Head of Research and Education,
Danish School of Education/
Aarhus University
Susanne Justesen
PhD, Innoversity Copenhagen.
Volker Mahnke
Professor of Innovation and Strategy
at the Department of Informatics,
Copenhagen Business School.
Mette Mønsted
Professor at the Department of
Management, Politics and Philosophy,
Copenhagen Business School.
Nick Nissley
Executive Director, Leadership
Development Programme,
The Banff Centre, Canada.
Miha Pogacnik
Violinist, Slovenia.
Ib Ravn
Associate Professor, Department
of Learning, Danish School of
Education/Aarhus University.
Alf Rehn
Professor and Chair of Management
and Organization, Department of Busi-
ness Studies, Åbo Akademi University,
Finland.
Otto Scharmer
Associate Professor MIT Sloan School
of Management, USA and Visiting
Professor at the Centre for Innovation
and Knowledge Research, Helsinki
School of Economics, Finland.
Patricia Shaw
Associate Director and Founding
Fellow of the Complexity and Manage-
ment Centre at the Business School of
the University of Hertfordshire, UK.
Ralph Stacey
Professor of Management at the Busi-
ness School, University of Hertfordshire
and Head of the university’s Complexity
and Management Centre, UK.
Dorthe Staunæs
Associate Professor at the Department
of Learning, Danish School of
Education/Aarhus University.
Morten Thanning Vendelø
Associate Professor at the Department
of Organisation, Copenhagen Business
School.
Margaret Wheatley
President Emeritus The Berkana
Institute, USA
Susan Wright
Professor, Department of Education,
Danish School of Education/Aarhus
University.
More information at www.laics.net
16. ‘The faculty has adapted the course to the
business world. The course has been organized
in such a way that I was able to base my
assignments on actual problems at work.
This meant that my company and I had the
luxury to work even more in depth with actual
challenges at work. Also, the intense seminars,
away from our everyday lives, made it easier
to stay focused and work effectively.‘
Kristine Schmidt,
Innovation Manager, Rynkeby Foods
Entry requirements
Applicants should hold a Bachelors Degree (or equiva-
lent) and be able to document at least three years of
professional (post-university) relevant work experience.
Since the programme is taught in English, fluency in Eng-
lish is expected (documented IELTS score of at least 6.0).
Application procedure
Applicants should submit a written application using
the application form, which is available at www.laics.
net, along with copies of relevant diplomas. Eligible
candidates will be invited to a guidance talk with a
faculty member. Notification of acceptance will be given
subsequently.
Application deadline
The following modules of the LAICS Master can
be completed separately and in any order: Module
1 – Creating Innovative Organisations, Module 2 –
The Business of Innovation and Module 3 – Leading
Innovation in a Global Environment. Module 4 – The
Master Thesis must be the final module. Participants
apply for each module separately. A module comprises
one semester. Modules 1 and 3 are offered during the
autumn semester and modules 2 and 4 are offered dur-
ing the spring semester. The application deadline for
the autumn semester is usually 1 June in the same year
and for the spring semester 1 November of the preced-
ing year. Please check www.laics.net for exact dates and
Study Regulations.
Tuition Fee and additional expenses
Please check www.laics.net for the exact tuition fee
of a given module and for any additional expenses.
Additional expenses include expenses for travel,
accommodation, study materials etc.
The Master of Leadership and Innovation in Complex
Systems (LAICS) is a two-year part-time Master Pro-
gramme resulting in 60 ECTS (European Credit Trans-
fer Systems). After successfully completing each module,
the participant can obtain a certificate worth 15 ECTS.
Each of the first three modules consists of three inten-
sive seminars. The duration of each seminar is typically
3½ days - with four to six weeks in between. The fourth
module – Master Thesis comprises one seminar and a
supervision process resulting in the written Master The-
sis. In addition to the modules, participants are expected
to spend between five and ten hours on homework
each week. The workload consists of required reading
(1.200 pages per module), journal writing, written mini
projects, and a Master Thesis.
‘We have the best teachers and are presented to
the newest research – hence the research that
is on the edge. It is a solid education that has its
roots in the institutions that know the most about
innovation in Denmark.At the same time it is an
education that dares to move beyound traditional
thinking and looks at innovation from new and
different angles.That is extremely inspiring.’
Jesper Hyhne Petersen, Innovation Consultant
and Programme Developer, Danmarks Radio
enrolment info
‘Through the programme I think a lot of us have
gained friends and colleagues for at least the
rest of our career with whom we can share both
professional and social challenges.That is a huge
strength. It is all about relations between people
and if that is missing you can forget everything
about being innovative.’
Pernille Weiss Terkildsen,
Head, Health Department, Arkitema
17. ‘The faculty has adapted the course to the
business world. The course has been organized
in such a way that I was able to base my
assignments on actual problems at work.
This meant that my company and I had the
luxury to work even more in depth with actual
challenges at work. Also, the intense seminars,
away from our everyday lives, made it easier
to stay focused and work effectively.‘
Kristine Schmidt,
Innovation Manager, Rynkeby Foods
Entry requirements
Applicants should hold a Bachelors Degree (or equiva-
lent) and be able to document at least three years of
professional (post-university) relevant work experience.
Since the programme is taught in English, fluency in Eng-
lish is expected (documented IELTS score of at least 6.0).
Application procedure
Applicants should submit a written application using
the application form, which is available at www.laics.
net, along with copies of relevant diplomas. Eligible
candidates will be invited to a guidance talk with a
faculty member. Notification of acceptance will be given
subsequently.
Application deadline
The following modules of the LAICS Master can
be completed separately and in any order: Module
1 – Creating Innovative Organisations, Module 2 –
The Business of Innovation and Module 3 – Leading
Innovation in a Global Environment. Module 4 – The
Master Thesis must be the final module. Participants
apply for each module separately. A module comprises
one semester. Modules 1 and 3 are offered during the
autumn semester and modules 2 and 4 are offered dur-
ing the spring semester. The application deadline for
the autumn semester is usually 1 June in the same year
and for the spring semester 1 November of the preced-
ing year. Please check www.laics.net for exact dates and
Study Regulations.
Tuition Fee and additional expenses
Please check www.laics.net for the exact tuition fee
of a given module and for any additional expenses.
Additional expenses include expenses for travel,
accommodation, study materials etc.
The Master of Leadership and Innovation in Complex
Systems (LAICS) is a two-year part-time Master Pro-
gramme resulting in 60 ECTS (European Credit Trans-
fer Systems). After successfully completing each module,
the participant can obtain a certificate worth 15 ECTS.
Each of the first three modules consists of three inten-
sive seminars. The duration of each seminar is typically
3½ days - with four to six weeks in between. The fourth
module – Master Thesis comprises one seminar and a
supervision process resulting in the written Master The-
sis. In addition to the modules, participants are expected
to spend between five and ten hours on homework
each week. The workload consists of required reading
(1.200 pages per module), journal writing, written mini
projects, and a Master Thesis.
‘We have the best teachers and are presented to
the newest research – hence the research that
is on the edge. It is a solid education that has its
roots in the institutions that know the most about
innovation in Denmark.At the same time it is an
education that dares to move beyound traditional
thinking and looks at innovation from new and
different angles.That is extremely inspiring.’
Jesper Hyhne Petersen, Innovation Consultant
and Programme Developer, Danmarks Radio
enrolment info
‘Through the programme I think a lot of us have
gained friends and colleagues for at least the
rest of our career with whom we can share both
professional and social challenges.That is a huge
strength. It is all about relations between people
and if that is missing you can forget everything
about being innovative.’
Pernille Weiss Terkildsen,
Head, Health Department, Arkitema
18. International Master in
Leadership Innovationin Complex Systems
and
Contact Information:
Master in Leadership and
Innovation in Complex Systems
Department of Learning
Danish School of Education/Aarhus University
164 Tuborgvej
DK-2400 Copenhagen NV
Denmark
Tel: +45 8888 9959
www.laics.net
Lotte Darsø
Study Leader
lotte@laics.net
Hilde Bollen
Program Coordinator
hilde@laics.net