Basel, Switzerland: This year’s Syngenta Business Institute programme is switching to a virtual format.

“After much discussion, and with the health and safety of our customers in mind, we are excited to announce we will continue with the Syngenta Business Institute this year, but instead of in person, we are going virtual,” said Stephanie Schwenke, Turf Market Manager for Syngenta, an Executive Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

“This is not a decision we made lightly. We are committed to providing education and we are continuing to work closely with the staff at Wake Forest University to provide eight hours of quality higher education. This is the perfect hybrid of live teaching that will challenge and engage superintendents online,” she added.

A report in Golf Course Industry said the 2020 programme will be held via Zoom, beginning with an introductory social networking session (December 7). Educational courses will then be hosted in two-hour sessions for the following four days (December 8-11).

Faculty from the nationally ranked Wake Forest University School of Business will teach the curriculum, which will cover the following topics: 

• Work/Life Balance

• Negotiations

• Tools for Managing Employees

• Leading Across Cultures and Generations 

“It is wonderful to see Syngenta has a strong desire to continue providing golf course superintendents with critical leadership and business savvy to ensure they have professional growth opportunities they need to thrive,” Kerry Shronts, Executive Director of Executive Education at Wake Forest University School of Business, told Golf Course Industry.

“In working closely with our Wake Forest Executive Education team, Syngenta is reinforcing its commitment to the industry as we transition this programme to a virtual classroom and continue to provide an effective and safe learning environment,” added Shronts. 

To help encourage interaction and participation among attendees, the class size for SBI 2020 will be limited, like previous years. Syngenta will select approximately 24 individuals employed in the United States as a superintendent, director of agronomy or at an equivalent level to participate in the programme.