How a canoe trip inspired leadership, team spirit, and technological courage
Volkach/Schwarzach, July 2025 – Students and professors from the Master Transformation continuing education program at the Technical University of Würzburg-Schweinfurt (THWS) recently embarked on a unique canoe trip together with representatives from FIS-ASP GmbH, a global IT service provider based in Lower Franconia, and a renowned AI thought leader from San Francisco.
Six boats from WaterWalker took us down the Main River from Volkach to Schwarzach. The focus was not only on paddling together, but also on experiencing first-hand how to navigate unfamiliar terrain, situational leadership, and teamwork. Those who took control of the boat as helmsmen or helmswomen had to learn how important it is to change perspectives, communicate clearly, act with foresight, and take responsibility—skills that are just as important in academic studies as they are in professional practice. “This orientation in unfamiliar waters and situational leadership is symbolic of what we want to promote in our degree program: the courage to change, to develop personally, and to take on responsibility,” said program director Prof. Bernd Ankenbrand.
Christoph Burkhardt, entrepreneur and futurist from Silicon Valley, who had led the seminar “Business Success in the Age of AI” at THWS in the days leading up to the tour, accompanied the tour personally and combined exclusive insights into the AI startup scene in San Francisco with the necessary skills for this excursion: “An adaptive roadmap is essential for both a canoe trip like ours and the digital transformation of companies. 80% of AI projects fail – not because of the technology, but because companies don’t have a roadmap.”
Another highlight was the participation of company representatives from FIS-ASP GmbH in Grafenrheinfeld, a leader in application service providing, IT outsourcing, and hosting in the SAP and Microsoft environment. Thanks to the active participation of Robert Schuhmann and Manuel Sammeth, the tour was enriched not only by enthusiastic paddlers, but also by expert discussion partners on a wide range of topics related to digital transformation. “Today’s experiences are the perfect metaphor for modern leadership as we have been practicing it at FIS-ASP for years: read the tides, navigate as a team, act with foresight,” said Robert Schuhmann, Managing Director at FIS-ASP since 2009, during the tour. And Manuel Sammeth linked the intensive discussions with his experiences as managing director with a focus on the implementation of new technologies: “Technological transformation is not an end in itself – it requires curiosity, structure, and people who are willing to take responsibility. That’s exactly what we experienced today on a small scale on the river.”
The Master Transformation continuing education program was delighted to receive a generous donation from FIS-ASP, which made this tour possible. “Contributions like this enable us to create practical, transformative learning experiences that go beyond a normal course of study,” said program director Prof. Uwe Sponholz, expressing his gratitude.
The crowning finale was a picnic together on the riverbank, where everyone reflected, laughed, and discussed intensively once again—before the group set off for home with many new impressions and a strengthened team spirit.
With events like this, the MBA Master Transformation program proves once again that learning doesn’t just happen in the lecture hall, but above all where people take on challenges together – on the water as well as at work.
Learn more & apply
The MBA program Master Transformation is aimed at professionals who want to actively shape change processes and take on leadership roles in times of change.
For further information, please visit our website: www.thws.de/master-transformation or contact us directly by email: master-transformation@thws.de
The application period for the 2026 cohort will begin on October 15, 2025.
Further information about Christoph Burkhardt, his lectures, and consulting services can be found on the website of Burkhardt Group LLC, a California-registered think tank based in San Francisco: www.burkhardtgroup.com
FIS-ASP GmbH has been supporting companies as a reliable IT partner in overcoming digital challenges for over 25 years. With specialized solutions for cloud, SAP hosting, IoT, and open-source technologies, as well as three of its own high-security data centers, the company ensures high-performance and future-proof IT infrastructures. For more information, visit: www.fis-asp.de