Structure of the SCIE Program

The SCIE program comprises 5 modules designed to build foundational knowledge and advanced competencies.

Orientation Module
Familiarize yourself with ICI’s online campus and meet your peers.

Module 1: Setting up a CI system

Success factors, deliverables (output), processors, resources/investments, organizational fit & evolution, implementation planning, change management.

Case Study: Design of a CI system

Module 2: Corporate Reporting and Communication - the art of getting it right the first time

Competitor deep-dive example (incl. analysis frames such as financial analysis, key performance indicator analysis, competitors' strategy analysis, scenarios, benchmarks etc.), information warfare, counterintelligence, creative and critical thinking.

Case Study: Technology and Strategic Intelligence in a B2B market

Module 3: Getting a grip on the future through "Strategic Foresight"

Scenarios - A powerful tool for strategic foresight and strategy development, Early Warning Systems, Business/Innovation War Gaming, CI and Internal Power Games.

Case Study: Building competitive advantage in the retail industry

Module 4: Projects

A critical element of the SCIE program is the learning application. Work on two supervised projects that address real-world challenges in your organization or industry context. You can balance your work commitments with the workload of this module

Module 5: Final Exam
Demonstrate your mastery of CI concepts through a written exam.

Benefits

For you:

• Earn a University Certificate of Advanced Studies degree including 6 credit points (CP) according to the ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System).
• Ability to drive the design process for a competitive intelligence function within your company.
• Competence in assessing the cost/benefit ratio of strategic competitive intelligence.
• Proficiency in the evaluation of a portfolio of strategic intelligence tools (“Strategic Foresight”) for your company, such as scenario planning, early warning systems, and war gaming.
• Become an agent of change for driving the implementation process for competitive intelligence.

For your company:

• Learn about the potential benefits that strategic competitive intelligence can bring to your company as well as the potential threats if intelligence is managed poorly.
• Understand the legal and ethical implications of running a competitive intelligence function.
• Define the pre-emptive measures that your company should engage in with respect to information warfare and counterintelligence.

Aimed at

• Board members, managers with P&L responsibility
• Product managers and department managers involved in strategic intelligence operations that are either planned or in the early stages of deployment.
• Strategic planners, investment bankers, strategy and technology consultants, finance managers with a related strategic scope

Your support team

Enjoy a personalized, people-based learning experience that will make you feel supported at every step of your journey with the ICI.

• Your faculty will guide you through any content-related challenges.
• A dedicated helpline will support you with administrative steps, from application to receipt of your printed certificate upon completion of the program.
• One-on-one support is available during working hours (9am–5pm CET) to help resolve any technical issues.

Application Procedure

Places on our program are limited and are allocated on a strict first-come, first-served basis. We recommend that you submit your completed application form as early as possible, preferably six weeks before the program start date. The Admissions Committee will review your application and let you know the outcome as soon as possible. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about which program is most suited to your objectives or if you need any additional information.

About the Institute for Competitive Intelligence (ICI)

Founded in 2006 and headquartered in Germany, ICI is a leading, independent institution dedicated exclusively to competitive/market intelligence education. With an international expert faculty, ICI provides world-class programs designed for working professionals from over 100 countries. Most participants work in B2B industries and generally have at least 10 years of professional experience. ICI’s proprietary programs guarantee a learning experience that is of superior quality, intimate and personalized for CI professionals. All programs are seamlessly interconnected, offering opportunities for you to continue your learning journey.