When my boss asked me, whether I had the time and felt like accompanying a delegation of bank specialists from Turkmenistan during their stay in Germany this year in August, my spontaneous reaction was: "Sure, no problem." But then I thought: "Actually where on the map do I find Turkmenistan?" I checked on the Internet and quickly found out: Turkmenistan is a Central Asian country on the Silk Road, bordered by Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the Caspian Sea, Iran and Afghanistan. 95 percent of the country is covered by the Karakum Desert. The name of its capital is Ashgabat. The country is a presidential republic, which is slowly opening to the West. Its most important natural resources are oil, gas and cotton. The majority of the population speaks Turkmen and Russian and are Modern Muslims.
Experiencing the German model on site – Turkmenistan visits the Sparkassen-Akademie Hessen-Thüringen (Savings Banks Academy of Hesse and Thuringia)
Since 2013 the Sparkassenstiftung executes a project on site in Turkmenistan, seeking to professionalise the employees of Turkmen banks and thus to improve the performance of Turkmenistan’s banking sector as a whole. The project to introduce a dual vocational training course for bank specialists is based on the German model applied in German Sparkassen (savings banks).
In order to experience the German example on site, a delegation of some ten employees of the Turkmen banking sector, including heads of personnel departments and trainers of the Turkmen Central Bank’s banking school, visited Germany and started their trip at the Savings Banks Academy of Hesse and Thuringia in the city of Erfurt, which belongs to the German federal state of Thuringia. During their two-day visit in Erfurt the delegation was informed about the tasks and working procedures of the savings banks academy. A main focus of the lectures and presentations was put on the topics of education and training as well as governance and management. The lecturers Mr. Thomas Klingenstein and Mr. Christoph Müller introduced the Turkmen guests into the schedule of a typical training year at a German savings bank. In the following, Mr. Christoph Kind, Branch Head of the savings bank Sparkasse Mittelthüringen guided the delegation through the modern branch at the "Fish Market", where the guests were also given the opportunity to have a look at the savings bank’s state-of-the-art vault.
In addition to banking topics, the delegation was also offered a cultural programme. The delegation members were as much impressed by a guided tour through the historic parts of Erfurt and a visit to the Wartburg in Eisenach as they enjoyed the Thuringian cuisine.
On the second seminar day, the delegation visited Frankfurt, the German banking metropolis. Mr. Johannes Behrens-Türk, Head of Sustainability Management of the DekaBank, which is the securities trading house of the German Savings Banks Finance Group, guided the delegation through the building and informed about DekaBank’s business. One of the highlights was the stay on the rooftop garden of the Trianon Tower, offering an overwhelming view over the skyline of Frankfurt.
From Erfurt to Eppstein – A German-Turkmen exchange on the topic of "Leadership"
After the successful seminar start in Erfurt and Frankfurt, the delegation continued its trip to the Savings Banks Academy of Hesse and Thuringia in the city of Eppstein, which belongs to the German federal state of Hesse. Mrs. Katrin Gundermann and Mr. Christoph Müller accompanied the delegation and informed the Turkmen guests about the "Leadership of trainees in German savings banks". The intercultural exchange on banking topics was highly gainful for both sides. During the many discussions and work in groups the participants received interesting insights into the German and Turkmen ways of thinking and working. The guided tour through the castle of Eppstein built in the 10th century, which was followed by a dinner at the Atrium of the Savings Banks Academy in Eppstein, marked the end of the delegation´s Germany visit.
Due to the positive experience and results of this year’s exchange between German and Turkmen banking and training specialists, a second seminar is scheduled to take place in the next year. As the delegation was particularly interested in the approach of "holistic consulting within the scope of the Financial Concept of German savings banks", this topic will be one of the central issues of next year’s seminar.
Learn more about the project "Introduction of dual vocational Training for bank specialists (customer Consultants) <link http: www.sparkassenstiftung.de en projects projekt einfuehrung-der-dualen-berufsausbildung-zum-bankassistenten-kundenberater _blank>here
Contact partners:
Christina Heuft / Carina Lau
Savings Banks Foundation for International Cooperation
Simrockstraße 4
53113 Bonn / Germany
Tel.: +49 228 9703-618/-608
Fax: +49 228 9703-613