Steyr-Based FH Upper Austria Experts Launch European Competence Center for Sales

A successful company depends on more than just a strong product or a reliable service. Equally important is outstanding sales performance, which creates and maintains the relationship between businesses and their customers. The Global Sales and Marketing (GSM) degree program at the Steyr Campus of FH Upper Austria, together with thirteen partners from Italy, France, Denmark, Poland, and Germany, is establishing CoVE-Sales, a European network of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) dedicated to professional sales. Funded by the European Union with €3 million, the initiative aims to redefine sales professions and competencies through new technologies, strengthening the competitiveness of businesses. At the same time, CoVE-Sales promotes lifelong learning and seeks to make sales careers more attractive to women.

“CoVE-Sales is an important international collaboration for our GSM program,” emphasizes FH-Prof. Dr. Margarethe Überwimmer, Head of the Global Sales and Marketing degree program. “Sales professionals are facing increasingly complex challenges, not least because of the rapid adoption of new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. By contributing to a European framework that defines education, technological competencies, and support mechanisms for the profession, we ensure that our own academic offerings remain at the highest level.”

Enhancing the Image of Sales Careers Through Scientific Expertise
The attractiveness of sales professions will be strengthened through close collaboration between higher education institutions and companies. The project promotes new professional profiles and supports organizations in developing innovative learning and training opportunities, including AI-assisted approaches.

For Überwimmer, the initiative also has a clear societal dimension: “Sales continues to be perceived as a male-dominated profession. Through CoVE-Sales, we want to make sales careers more visible, attractive, and accessible to women, for example through targeted initiatives such as the ‘Women in Sales’ network.”

Realistic Sales Simulations as Part of Innovative Learning Methodologies

For FH-Prof. Dr. Piotr Kwiatek, Deputy Head of the Global Sales and Marketing degree program and Coordinator of CoVE-Sales Austria, the project provides an opportunity to rethink how sales competencies are developed: “The digital sales landscape is evolving rapidly. This makes lifelong learning, innovative teaching methods, and learning environments essential—spaces where professionals can explore, reflect on, and apply new technologies in practice. AI-supported labs and realistic sales simulations will play a key role in this process.”

Alongside FH Upper Austria, IUCAB (Internationally United Commercial Agents and Brokers)—the international umbrella organization for commercial agents, headquartered at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber—is also participating as an Austrian partner. Christian Rebernig, Secretary General of IUCAB, works closely with the Global Sales and Marketing team.

ERCULES: The Project Behind CoVE-Sales
The project is officially known as ERCULES (European Competence Center for Professional Sales and Business Development). As part of the European Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) initiative, it is co-funded by the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). The competence center aims to become a European reference point for the joint development of new commercial and sales-related competencies.

Laboratories for the Future of Learning and Teaching
Universities, training providers, companies, and institutions are working together to develop advanced competencies in key sectors of the economy. Education, innovation, and labor market stakeholders are forming regional ecosystems that can anticipate and respond to future economic demands.

Key Areas of Focus

Defining new European standards for sales-related professions
Mapping the jobs of the future to align educational pathways with the real needs of businesses.

Advancing the use of technology
Developing learning factories, innovation labs, and AI-supported learning environments to modernize education, simulate real-world sales processes, and enhance knowledge transfer.

Promoting inclusion and attractiveness
Implementing European initiatives and networks to reduce gender and access barriers, while strengthening the role of women through the Women in Sales network.

Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) projects are at the forefront of developing innovative teaching and learning methods, as well as educational and professional innovations across Europe.

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