Open Call for FASPE Business Fellowship Program

Deadline: 03-Jan-2027

The FASPE Business Fellowship is a fully funded, two-week program for graduate business students and early-career business professionals interested in professional ethics and ethical leadership. The program takes place in Berlin and Poland, combining visits to significant sites of Nazi history with intensive seminars on the ethical responsibilities of modern businesses and business leaders. Each year, the fellowship brings together approximately 13 to 16 Fellows for an immersive learning experience led by specialized faculty. Participants examine historical examples of business complicity in unethical practices and apply those lessons to contemporary corporate decision-making, innovation, compliance, and leadership. What Is the FASPE Business Fellowship? The FASPE Business Fellowship is an intensive professional ethics program designed for emerging business leaders. The program uses the history of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust as a framework for examining ethical challenges that can arise in modern business institutions. Fellows explore how organizational structures, professional incentives, and institutional cultures can contribute to unethical behavior and consider how business professionals can recognize and address such risks. Where Does the Fellowship Take Place?

The two-week program takes place in:

- Berlin, Germany - Poland Participants visit important historical sites connected to Nazi history and use these locations as part of the fellowship’s broader ethics-focused learning experience. The combination of site visits, seminars, and group discussion creates an immersive environment for examining professional responsibility and ethical leadership. What Does the Program Cover? The fellowship examines a range of issues related to business ethics and professional responsibility.

Key topics include:

- Business complicity in unethical practices. - The difference between legal compliance and ethical behavior. - Ethical decision-making within corporations. - The ethics of innovation. - Institutional responsibility. - Corporate culture and professional incentives. - Strategies for addressing ethical dilemmas. - Ethical leadership. - Individual responsibility within organizations. The program encourages Fellows to consider not only whether an action is legal, but whether it is ethically responsible. Legal Compliance vs. Ethical Behavior One of the important themes explored through the fellowship is the distinction between following the law and acting ethically. Legal compliance establishes minimum requirements, but ethical leadership often requires professionals to consider broader questions such as: - Who could be affected by a decision? - Is the decision fair? - What responsibilities does the organization have? - Could an apparently legal action create significant harm? - How should professionals respond when institutional expectations conflict with personal ethical values? This distinction is particularly relevant for business professionals working in complex organizational environments. Business Complicity in Unethical Practices Fellows examine historical examples of how businesses and professionals became involved in unethical systems. The purpose is not simply to study history but to understand how organizational decisions, professional roles, incentives, and institutional pressures can contribute to harmful outcomes.

Participants consider questions such as

- How can professionals become complicit in unethical conduct? - What happens when organizational goals override ethical considerations? - How can employees challenge unethical institutional practices? - What responsibilities do business leaders have when facing harmful policies? These questions help connect historical lessons with contemporary professional ethics. Ethics of Innovation Innovation can create significant social and economic benefits, but it can also introduce new ethical challenges. The fellowship examines how business professionals can think critically about innovation and its consequences.

Participants may consider

- Potential unintended consequences. - Responsible development and deployment. - Risks created by new technologies. - Stakeholder interests. - Organizational accountability. - Ethical limits of innovation. The goal is to encourage professionals to consider ethical implications alongside commercial and technological objectives. Ethical Leadership in Corporate Institutions The fellowship emphasizes the role of individuals and institutions in creating ethical organizational cultures. Fellows examine strategies for responding to ethical dilemmas, including situations where professional expectations, financial incentives, organizational culture, and personal values may conflict.

Ethical leadership can involve:

- Recognizing unethical behavior. - Questioning problematic decisions. - Speaking up about ethical concerns. - Understanding institutional power structures. - Considering consequences beyond short-term business objectives. - Promoting responsible decision-making. Who Can Apply? The FASPE Business Fellowship is intended for people who are actively pursuing a career in business. Applicants must generally fit into one of the following categories: - Currently enrolled in an MBA or related graduate business program. - Have completed an MBA or related graduate degree and are working as a business professional. - Have completed an undergraduate degree and are working as a business professional. Applicants are generally expected to have no more than 10 years of professional experience. What Does “Early-Career Business Professional” Mean? The program is designed for emerging professionals rather than highly experienced senior executives. Eligible applicants may therefore include: - Current MBA students. - Graduate business students. - Recent MBA graduates. - Professionals with undergraduate degrees working in business. - Early-career professionals developing careers in business-related