RB Roland Bernhard Character · Leadership · School Improvement
New Making Others Great: character‑based leadership for educators · 10 live online sessions from 28 January 2027 · early-bird price until 30 November · taught in German Details & access code →

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Teaching · continuing education

Courses and seminars

From a free online seminar to a micro-credential and a university certificate course

With colleagues and partners, Roland Bernhard teaches courses and seminars on character education, character-based leadership and school development — for teachers, school leaders, school quality managers and other leaders in education. Most of them are taught in German; two carry ECTS credits from the KPH Vienna/Lower Austria.

With ECTS credits

Micro-credential and university certificate courses

Both programmes are offered by the KPH Vienna/Lower Austria and recognised with ECTS credits; they are taught in German and designed so that participants can work on real cases from their own school.

The folder for Making Others Great: cover and the page on the ACE it method
From the folder: the cover and the page on the ACE it!® method (PDF, 8 pages).
Micro-credential · from 28 January 2027

Making Others Great — character‑based leadership

A programme of the Autoris Leadership Institute, in cooperation with the KPH Vienna/Lower Austria: school leaders, teachers and educational leaders learn to lead development conversations, coach classes and teams and help people through setbacks — with the ACE it!® method (Address – Create – Execute), professional coaching tools and three assessments, applied to their own cases from school. Led by Prof. Dr. Dr. Matthias Ehrhardt and Verena Lauffs; Roland Bernhard leads the programme on the part of the KPH.

Between the sessions, participants continue in learning teams. The programme ends with a certificate of the Autoris Leadership Institute and a micro-credential of the KPH worth 3 ECTS. Booked through the KPH by 30 November 2026, the special price for educators is € 1,800 (then € 2,200); the access code is available on request.

  • 3 ECTS
  • 10 live online sessions
  • Thursdays, 4–6 pm
  • 28 Jan – 24 Jun 2027
  • € 1,800 until 30 Nov 2026
  • In German
Programme page & access codeFolder (PDF)
The folder for the university certificate course Schulische Persönlichkeitsbildung für psychische Gesundheit
The folder for the course (PDF, 4 pages).
University certificate course · from February 2027

School‑based character education for mental health

“Schulische Persönlichkeitsbildung für psychische Gesundheit”: in one semester, teachers and school leaders of all types of school from all over Austria learn how character strengths such as resilience, gratitude, self-regulation and courage protect young people’s mental health — and how to foster them in their teaching and their school. The course is grounded in the Jubilee Centre’s framework, the seven strategies of the Oxford Character Project, flourishing research and positive psychology.

Over 14 live online sessions, participants carry out a supervised and evaluated practice project at their own school. Led by Roland Bernhard, with Prof. Dr. Peter Stippl, Dr. Evelyn Kropfreiter and Verena Lauffs, in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Association for Psychotherapy (ÖBVP), the Autoris Leadership Institute and EULEAD.

  • 6 ECTS
  • 1 semester
  • 100 % online
  • 14 live online sessions
  • € 700
  • Registration until 1 Jan 2027
Course pageRegisterFolder (PDF)
Folder cover of the university certificate course Charakterbasiertes Leadership und Persönlichkeitsentwicklung in Schulen, Unternehmen und NGOs
The cover of the folder.
In preparation · planned from autumn 2027

Character-based leadership and personal development in schools, companies and NGOs

A further university certificate course of the KPH Vienna/Lower Austria, “Charakterbasiertes Leadership und Persönlichkeitsentwicklung in Schulen, Unternehmen und NGOs”, is in preparation: one semester, 6 ECTS, alongside work, with a planned start in person in autumn 2027.

  • 6 ECTS
  • 1 semester
  • In person
Stay informed (in German)

Free of charge

Free seminars and online courses

Cover of the folder for Making Others Great
Live online seminar · 30 November 2026

“Making Others Great”: how leaders make others stronger

Two hours on Zoom, 4 to 6 pm, with Prof. Dr. Dr. Matthias Ehrhardt, Verena Lauffs and Roland Bernhard — the introduction to the ACE it!® method. For school leaders, teachers and school quality managers; in German.

Register (in German) →
Title image of the MOOC Schulische Persönlichkeitsbildung für psychische Gesundheit
MOOC · iMooX

School-based character education for mental health

Fifteen short lessons with videos and ready-to-use materials on courage, self-regulation, gratitude and honesty, for primary and lower secondary schools — open to all, with a certificate of participation and further-education points of the KPH. Ideal as joint in-service training, one lesson a week.

To the course on iMooX →
Radcliffe Camera, Oxford
Recommendation · 30 days

Leading with Character

A free 30-day online course of the Oxford Character Project that helps leaders develop their own leadership character — a good start for school leaders and steering groups, on their own or as a team.

About the course →
Training with more than 100 leaders at the EULEAD Summerschool 2026
EULEAD Summerschool 2026 at Lilienfeld Abbey.

Every summer · since 2021

EULEAD Summerschool

Austria’s summer school for leaders in education: keynotes, workshops, peer coaching and time to think, at Lilienfeld Abbey. School leaders, school quality managers and leaders from administration, business and civil society work together on character-based leadership — in 2026, more than 100 participants spent a day with Prof. Dr. Dr. Matthias Ehrhardt on “Making Others Great”. Organised by the KPH Vienna/Lower Austria and EULEAD within the Austrian Character Initiative, in cooperation with the Education Directorates of Vienna and Lower Austria.

The Summerschool 2026 →  ·  Programmes and photos since 2022 →

For your school or region

Workshops, talks and in-service training

Roland Bernhard and Aron Marton with school leaders in Scheifling, Styria
Workshops · with Aron Marton

Character-building classroom management

Calm, respectful routines that protect learning time and treat every child with dignity: Roland Bernhard brings in the research on highly effective London schools, Aron Marton shows practical techniques — and then everyone practises. In 2026 with all school leaders in Styria.

The first session →
Roland Bernhard with the heads of Lower Austria’s academic secondary schools in St. Pölten
Lower Austria · school year 2026/27

Workshops on the annual theme “Leadership and Character Education”

With the school leaders of every type of school in Lower Austria’s education regions — together with Johannes Dammerer of the University of Teacher Education Lower Austria, and with the workbook, questionnaires and templates for every school.

Workbook and tools →
Main lecture at Melk Abbey to 540 teachers and school leaders
On request

Talks and school-based in-service training

Talks and workshops on character education and character-based leadership — at meetings and conferences of education directorates, at universities of teacher education, at in-service days of school providers and within schools.

Get in touch →

Never miss a date

Members of the Austrian Character Initiative’s network receive invitations to courses, seminars and new materials. Joining is free.

Join the network (in German) →  ·  All news →