EFM Academy

EFM Academy is a non-profit study association at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration of Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. It was formed as a "vereniging" under Dutch law in 2002 in a merger of EFM Alfa and EFM Imperator, two study associations that focused on Dutch and international students of the faculty respectively. EFM Academy is part of FAME Cooperation (former EFM), an umbrella organization that consists of EFM Academy and four other study associations: 3MA, FS Focus, IES Network, and Vectum. Within FAME Cooperation the associations’ target groups are separated in order to avoid cannibalization. EFM Academy focuses on all bachelor students of the subjects International Business and Economics who have not chosen a special study track or major yet. Effectively, most students become member of EFM Academy in the beginning of their studies and stay in the association for two or three semesters, before their membership is transferred to a study association specialized on their major or study track.While the spelling "EFM Academy" is usually used also in written communication of the organization itself, the name's official spelling - used in the bi-annual General Members' Assembly and for other official purposes - is "E.F.M. Academy".

Mission and goals

EFM Academy’s mission statement reads as follows: "“EFM Academy aims to provide maximized added value for the students at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at Maastricht University in various aspects of their life in close cooperation with the Faculty and other organisations.”".cite web| url = http://www.efmacademy.nl/mission.php| title = EFM Academy mission and values| accessdate = 2007-06-06| work = | publisher = EFM Academy]

EFM Academy tries to achieve its mission by serving the students with a number of events, activities and services throughout the year. A main focus of the organisation lays in its ability to integrate students in the beginning of their studies, making it easier to get acquainted with university life and studying. It is also important for EFM Academy to give an opportunity to its active members, who can learn teamwork and organizational skills in organizing the events and services of EFM Academy.

Membership

General Membership

General members of EFM Academy attain reductions on all admittance fees of events of EFM Academy and other FAME Cooperation associations, as well as a discount of 14% on book prices in the FAME Cooperation Bookstore, which is a collaboration between EFM Academy and Selexyz selling educational reading materials. In recent years, EFM Academy attracted over 90% of all first-year students studying International Business or Economics to become member of the association. In the fall semester the amount of general members is ranging usually between 1100 and 1300 students, while in spring semester, when most second-year students enter their major tracks, this number drops to 700 to 800 students. cite web| url = http://www.efmacademy.nl/membership.php?memform=general| title = EFM Academy :: Membership| accessdate = 2007-06-06| work = | publisher = EFM Academy]

Active Membership

Active members of EFM Academy are responsible for organizing all events and services of EFM Academy. Working as an active member is voluntary and not paid. An average of 40 active members is organized in committees that specialize on certain activities. Each committee has its own chair person and a responsible board member is also attending the weekly committee meetings. These two persons are responsible for leading the committee. The list of committees consists of the following (as of October 2008): Academic Committee, Social Activities Committee, Magazine Committee, Foreign Trip Committee, and Design Committee. Other committees can be set up by the board as the need arises. In the past there have also been an IT Committee, an Accounting Committee, a Marketing/PR Committee, and a Gala Committee. The Academic Committee has been formed in a merger of the Education and the Career Committee. cite web| url = http://www.efmacademy.nl/membership.php?memform=active| title = EFM Academy :: Active Membership| accessdate = 2007-06-06| work = | publisher = EFM Academy]

In order to increase social networking among its active members EFM Academy offers active member activities. These active member activities take place three to four times a year and are free of charge. In addition, a yearly active member weekend is organised in the fall semester.

The Board

The association is lead by an executive board of six. The board carries responsibility for all operations. Board members are elected on biannual General Member Assemblies – usually for a period of one year – and are bound to the association by contract. Their tasks are described in the association’s domestic regulations. The board meets weekly, but its board members are obliged to work for at least 20 hours per week in the office of EFM Academy. Board meetings are chaired by the President, with each board member having an equally weighted vote. In case of a tie the President’s vote is counted twice. cite web| url = http://www.efmacademy.nl/board.php | title = EFM Academy :: Board| accessdate = 2007-06-06| work = | publisher = EFM Academy]

Each board member is specialized on different fields. The positions are: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Academic Activities Coordinator, and Social Activities Coordinator.

President

The President of EFM Academy is the main representative of the association and has to keep contact with the university, advisory board and the other study associations within FAME Cooperation. Tasks include calling and chairing meetings, active member management and strategic planning.

ecretary

The Secretary keeps contact with General and Active Members, communicates with external parties and is responsible for the FAME Cooperation database. Furthermore the Secretary is responsible for the “Accent” magazine.

Treasurer

The Treasurer holds financial responsibility over the association. His tasks include financial forecasting and preparation of budgets as well as bookkeeping and reporting.

Academic Activities Coordinator

The Academic Activities Coordinator is responsible for the organization of study- and career-related activities.

ocial Activities Coordinator

The Social Activities Coordinator is responsible for organizing active member activities, the foreign trip and the Craze parties.

Members of the Board

_{*) In the startup board there was no such task division as in later years. cite web| url = http://www.efmacademy.nl/alumni/cob.php | title = EFM Academy Alumni :: Home| accessdate = 2007-06-06| work = | publisher = EFM Academy]}

Event Portfolio

EFM Academy offers curricular-related study help and programmes to increase specific skills, career-orientation activities, and social events. While its portfolio is frequently adapted to changes in demand, it usually entails the following: cite web| url = http://www.efmacademy.nl/committees.php | title = EFM Academy :: Committees| accessdate = 2007-06-06| work = | publisher = EFM Academy]

Extra Tutorials

Extra Tutorials supplement the problem-based learning education of the university. In six meetings per study block (each consisting of seven study and one exam week), EFM Academy’s extra tutorials recapitulate the course content to improve the student’s understanding and help them pass the exams.

Exam Trainings

Exam Trainings are one-time instructions offered to help especially first-year students to get acquainted with the university’s style of exams, most of which contain multiple-choice or true/false sections. They offer also the possibility to ask questions on the course matter and improve their abilities in the specific course.

kills Trainings

Skills Trainings offer the possibility to gain proficiencies beyond university courses. Trainings offered in the past included speed reading, time management, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint skills, as well as an introduction to Dutch culture.

Company Visits

Company Visits are offered by EFM Academy as a career-orientation activity. Company Visits are usually organised as day trips and include a presentation from the company’s staff, a guided tour through the company’s premises, and in some cases a workshop. Companies and institutions that have been visited include Bayer, TNT, Bitburger, Shell, the European Parliament and the German Cartel Office.

Inhouse Days

Inhouse Days are career-activities offered by companies on the premises of the university. They usually include a presentation and a workshop. The number of workshop participants may be limited, in which case entry is made possible via a CV selection.

Conferences

Conferences are held yearly. The EFM Academy Conference is of introductory nature, aiming also at students who have not attended such events before. The aim is to offer practical insights into topic that have been covered on a theoretical manner during university classes. The first EFM Academy Conference took place in November 2006, focusing on the topic “Rise to the Challenge – Crisis as an Opportunity”. Speakers were Dr. Heinz-Peter Behr, head of the Crisis Response Centre of the German Foreign Office, Arjan Erkel, former Country Manger for Doctors Without Borders, Ulrich Gartner, Vice President at AB Electrolux, Lex Geerders, CEO of Aon Risk Services, Maarten Ijzermans, Control Risks BeNeLux, Felix Rümmele, Director Integrated Marketing CEMA at IBM, Albert J. Tortorella, Managing Director, Crisis Management, Ogilvy PR, Christine Drexler-Walde, Corporate Security, SAP, and Dr. Horst Zölzer, former CEO of 3M Telecommunicatons Germany. cite web| url = http://www.efmacademyconference.nl/speakers.php | title = SPEAKERS :: EFM Academy Conference 2006 | accessdate = 2007-06-06| work = | publisher = EFM Academy]

Foreign Trips

A Foreign Trip per year is organized to a European location. Foreign Trips are usually a blend of career and touristic activities. The last excursions went to Kraków (2005), Budapest (2006), and Lisbon (2007).

Craze

Craze parties are the main component of EFM Academy’s social activities. The Craze takes place four times per year and with an average of 1100 visitors it is the biggest student party in Maastricht. The party is visited mainly by students from the Faculty of Economics and Business, but it is also known among students of European Studies. Music played on the Craze is mainstream, R’n’B, hiphop, and house.

Further Services

”Accent” Magazine

Accent is EFM Academy’s member magazine. It is sent to all members via mail and has thus a circulation slightly above the amount of registered members. Accent is published biannually and contains a mix of university- and study-related articles, as well as topics concerning career, politics, economics, and lifestyle. It is also used to promote main events of EFM Academy and serves as a recruitment platform.

Exam Books

Exam Books are published before each exam period and contain exams from previous years, serving as a learning aid for students. The exam database is updated frequently and especially the exam books for quantitative courses are downloaded more than 1000 times per year.

ummaries

Summaries of educational literature is provided by EFM Academy especially for non-quantitative courses. The summaries include a wrap-up of a course’s learning materials and are written by a number of students, who have attended the course in the past.

Committees

The active members of EFM Academy are organized in a range of committees. All committees are headed by a chair person. In addition to this position, a board member attends the committee meetings, creating a link to the board as a whole. The board members' role in the committees is to align the committees' work with the strategy of the organization, and communicate the committees' work to the board as well as board decisions to the committees.

Conference Committee

The Conference Committee is responsible for organizing the yearly EFM Academy Conference. As the conferences take place during fall semester, the committee usually seeks for new members in January, while the other committees have most personnel changes taking effect before and after the academic summer break. The committee is under supervision by the Treasurer.

Magazine Committee

The Magazine Committee is responsible for publishing the general member magazine Accent. This includes research, writing and editing of texts, and layout. The acquisition of sponsors is coordinated by the Vice President, while the committee itself is under supervision of the Secretary.

Academic Activities Committee

The Academic Activities Committee organizes all career- and education-related events, such as inhouse days and company visits. It is also responsible for organizing exam trainings and extra tutorials, however this task is usually performed by a single active member in cooperation with the Academic Activities Coordinator, who is also responsible for supervising the committee.

ocial Activities Committee

The Social Activities Committee is responsible for organizing social events, such as the Craze parties and active member activities. It is supervised by the Social Activities Coordinator.

Foreign Trip Committee

The Foreign Trip Committee organizes the yearly Foreign Trip of EFM Academy. It is supervised by the Social Activities Coordinator.

IT Committee

The IT Committee is responsible for both the web site of EFM Academy and its office work stations and network. While the supervision of this committee is the task of the Treasurer, this task has currently been delegated to the Vice President.

References

External links

* [http://www.efmacademy.nl/ Official EFM Academy website]
* [http://www.efmacademyconference.nl/ EFM Academy Conference website]
* [http://www.famecooperation.com/ FAME Cooperation website]
* [http://www.unimaas.nl/ Maastricht University website]