Plenty of congratulations received the Heidelberg Print Media Academy (PMA) not only because of its tenth anniversary, but also for a top-class congress on learning from and with each other conducted on May 6, 2010 on the occasion of the anniversary. Some 200 guests took up the invitation issued by Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) and gathered at the Print Media Academy.

Following a welcoming address and introduction by Heidelberg Management Board members Bernhard Schreier and Marcel Kiessling, Professor Norbert Walter, formerly Chief Economist at Deutsche Bank, set out the prospects for the future and for economic development.

Dr. Eike Wenzel from the Zukunftsinstitut (Institute for the Future) then gave a keynote speech highlighting the impact of new media and communication channels on social structures and customs.

Learning, training, and knowledge transfer are considered extremely important at Heidelberg - a fact underlined by CEO Bernhard Schreier. "The opening of the Print Media Academy in Heidelberg ten years ago and the associated expansion of our international training activities laid the foundation for offering comprehensive practical training to our customers - and to our customers' customers. Without sound, ongoing training activities, it would be impossible to master the ever-changing day-to-day challenges we are now facing. We see learning and teaching as a life task," he said.

The Print Media Academy in Heidelberg
Representing the city of Heidelberg, mayor Dr. Joachim Gerner offered his congratulations and stressed how important the PMA was to the city and the region. "Heidelberg's economy is not based on smoking chimneys, but on state-of-the-art technology and services. The combination of universities, research laboratories, and other educational establishments creates a unique high-density knowledge network - a key requirement for innovation and development. In the ten years since it was founded, the Print Media Academy has become an important hub in this network," he stated.

Heidelberg customer Jörn Kalbhenn, proprietor and director of B&K-Offsetdruck in Ottersweier, summed up: "My experiences with the PMA - both as a member of the Advisory Board and a former student - have been extremely positive, and I would like to say thank you for all the productive and informative years. It never ceases to amaze me how this state-of-the-art institution combines training with unusually high levels of synergy through the facilitation of international contacts. The wide range of opportunities offered by the PMA is an effective way of enabling companies and their personnel to make progress. The Academy also provides a valuable platform for discussion within the framework of interesting events and lectures. I hope the excellent program will continue and I look forward to some new ideas and opportunities," said Kalbhenn.

Center for training at all levels
From equipment and specialist training to management seminars, the Print Media Academy (PMA) provides a comprehensive and practical range of training at all levels to prepare employees and companies in the print media industry for a successful future. Specialists from Heidelberg team up with external experts to train participants on state-of-the-art equipment and deliver lectures on topical issues in the sector. The latest project is a collaboration with the ifm (Institute for Small Business Research) at the University of Mannheim - a seminar with relevance beyond the borders of the graphic arts industry that, for the first time, is open to anyone with an interest in smoothing the way for corporate succession.

Every year, some 7,000 to 9,000 people take part in the PMA's training courses and seminars.

Global network
The Print Media Academy in Heidelberg is the hub of a global network extending across 18 locations in 15 countries. It offers training courses and seminars for employees and decision-makers in the print media industry. The program is globally coordinated yet also caters to specific local needs. Ongoing communication between sites ensures the up-to-dateness and internationality of information and content.

Venue
The Print Media Academy in Heidelberg has also become firmly established as a regional and national conference and event center. Companies both large and small from the Rhine-Neckar region regularly hold seminars and forums at the PMA. They particularly appreciate the conference rooms' cutting-edge technical equipment and the excellent links with the train station and local public transport network.

Even organizing large events such as product launches in the automotive industry is no problem for the PMA team. The swing door was recently dismantled to give Porsche & Co access to the generously proportioned foyer.

The PMA welcomes some 50,000 visitors every year.

"Passion for Print" exhibition
The permanent exhibition "Passion for Print" in the basement of the PMA provides an interactive multimedia presentation on the medium of print and print production. A tour gives visitors an insight into how a print product is produced and the role Heidelberg plays in this process.

The building
Since it opened on April 14, 2000, the PMA has become one of Heidelberg's landmarks. It proudly appears alongside the castle and the Old Bridge in brochures of all kinds. The materials and architecture create a sense of transparency and a feeling of lightness and openness that defies the building's size (it has 37-meter sides and is 50 meters high). This openness extends to the public - the PMA is open to all, welcoming guests, passers-by, and anyone curious enough to want to take a look inside. A lounge on the ground floor is the perfect place to sit and enjoy culinary delights and cocktails, while diners at Manfred Schwarz's restaurant on the twelfth floor can expect top-quality fare.

The front of the Print Media Academy is dominated by the "S-Printing Horse", a metal sculpture 13 meters high by Jürgen Goertz.