The balance sheet is a key instrument for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of a company and communicating them to banks, shareholders, rating agencies and other partners. It provides a view of internal and external risks and is therefore indispensable for successful and sustainable corporate management. However, the statements made in the balance sheet cannot be deciphered at first glance. For well-founded and critical dialogs about balance sheets, management needs the appropriate know-how. The Hochschule Niederrhein certificate course provides you with "compact knowledge to go" on the existential topic of balance sheet analysis from a management perspective and with immediate practical benefits. You will learn to analyze your own balance sheet and communicate it in a way that is appropriate for the target group.

With successful degree of the course you will be able to:

• Identify business improvement potential and derive appropriate measures, taking into account interdependencies.
• Identify internal and external dangers via balance sheet analysis and thus reduce entrepreneurial risk.
• Obtain information about the competition and the business environment from balance sheets and learn from it.
• Communicate with internal and external partners about balance sheets in a confident and well-founded manner.
• Optionally, your own balance sheet preparation can be submitted afterwards, for which a certificate is issued as a bonus.

• You will develop a sound assessment of the financial and earnings situation of your own company.
• You benefit from a high level of practical orientation and immediate usability of the content taught.
• Compact knowledge (to go!) in a nutshell.
• You receive a neutral qualification at the highest level.

Managing Directors, Commercial Directors and Owners of SMEs, Members of Examinations Boards and Supervisory Boards

The original knowledge transfer takes place in the form of a classic seminar. Accompanying exercises immediately link what has been learned with practical knowledge, which promotes a sustainable learning process and facilitates transfer to your own company. A wide range of media is used to support the learning success.

The curriculum and further information can be found in the flyer and in the download area.

• Dates: Tue., 02.09.2025 | Wed., 03.09.2025 | each from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
• Number of participants: approx. 12 persons
• Location: Technologie- und Gründerzentrum Niederrhein GmbH, Industriering Ost 66, 47906 Kempen, Germany

• Participation fee: 595 € | Alumni (5% discount) 565 | incl. catering
• Participation requirements: University degree with at least one year of professional experience or other professional degree with at least three years of professional experience
• Workload: 30 h, thereof 16 h attendance, 1 ECTS
• Degree: University certificate / certificate of attendance

Three questions for your lecturer, Prof. Dr. Ralf Ostendorf:

Why is continuing education in financial statement analysis currently of interest to many professionals?
For managers, balance sheets are often a closed book. But if you have the know-how to "read" balance sheets, you can analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your own company and its competitors. In addition, it is important for the survival of companies to be able to anticipate the assessment of their own balance sheets by banks, shareholders, rating agencies and other partners, and to be able to shape dialogs in this regard in a target-oriented manner.

What are you particularly looking forward to in this university certificate course?
I particularly enjoy working with highly motivated learners who critically question content and contribute their own examples. In the area of balance sheet analysis, your own financial statements can serve as a research object.

And what can participants look forward to?
Lively events with a high level of practical relevance and an intensive exchange of experience between the participants. At the same time, the events are largely animated, so that the joy of learning is not neglected.

The link to the vita and current publication list of Prof. Dr. Ralf Ostendorf can be found on the right under "Vita & Publications".