Interview with BTU Alumnus Martin Heinze (Urban Planning)

Martin Heinze studied Urban Planning at the BTU in Cottbus when the study program was still called Urban and Regional Planning. His professional career began at the planning office Thomas Jansen Ortsplanung and, after a stopover in local government, ultimately led him to the highest financial control authority in the state of Brandenburg, the State Court of Audit (LRH). A certain affinity for numbers cannot be denied, which is also of benefit to him in his involvement in the Cottbus Stock Exchange Club. Here he is deputy chairperson and regularly gives lectures for students, alumni and interested parties at the BTU main campus. The dates are online.

Hello Martin, how did you come across the study programme and BTU and what fascinated you about Urban Planning?
I first got to know the discipline of Urban Planning in my A-levels. Urban Planning was the subject of the advanced geography course in the preliminary examination. As I've always been interested in history and current social issues, it was easy for me to get into this subject area without too much effort. That's basically where the fascination lies. Urban Planning must provide answers to current social issues and objectives. In the 20th century, the questions and objectives were written down in the "Athens Charter". The 21st century presents us Urban Planners, as well as society as a whole, with new challenges. The mobility turnaround and climate neutrality will shape the city of the 21st century and merge into the model of the "smart city".

What do you do now professionally and what does your day-to-day work look like?
As I mentioned at the beginning, I have now found my professional home at LRH. The reason is simple and straightforward: Urban Planning students at BTU are trained as generalists, i.e. Plastic Modelling, Sociology, Economics, Design, 3D Animation, Law, History and Timber Construction are just some of the components of the course. The later professional activities in a planning office or an administration were much more focused, which is normal and right. However, the LRH offers me the opportunity to work in all areas of public building administration, from structural and civil engineering to Hydraulic Engineering. The right to audit extends to all construction projects of the state or of state holdings, e.g. from dyke construction, road construction to fire departments or waterways. In short, as soon as state funds flow into a construction project, I am always on board. Generalists are needed here, as each audit topic is special and unique and requires individual familiarization - pure variety. The aim of an examiner is to submit a report to the body being examined (ministries or state authorities). The report contains findings made during the audit. These are usually weaknesses in administrative action, structural implementation or the inefficient use of funds. In short, I check whether our tax money is being "spent" in the best possible way. If not, you can read about it in the LRH's annual report. Other publicly effective formats include "Das Schwarzbuch" from the Bund der Steuerzahler Deutschland e. V. or the TV format "Mario Barth deckt auf".

You have been interested in economic and stock market topics for a long time, how did this come about?
It all started with my father in the early 90s. Once a year, we went to Berlin for the annual report of a financial services provider that supervised private pension provision and asset accumulation. It wasn't the greatest day for a 7-year-old, but I was familiar with the financial markets and their products. I only reached the next "level" many years later, when I decided to actively shape my own private pension provision and wealth accumulation. The door opener for this was the Börsenclub Cottbus e.V. The decades of experience and the knowledge of the members inspire and shape me every day and help me to make independent, responsible and sustainable investment decisions.

You regularly give lectures at the main campus, including on the BVH stock market driver's license, who are the lectures aimed at and what is this license anyway?
The lectures are primarily designed for interested parties, newcomers and beginners. They can break the ice between "I should look into this" and "Now I'm getting started!". Experience has shown that we address age groups from 20 to 70. Their motivation is the same, but their goals may differ.

The stock market driving license was created by the umbrella organization of all German-speaking stock exchange associations, the BVH. The stock market driving license is designed to provide an initial insight into the stock market, shares and how they work, as well as tradable financial products. It follows a clear thematic structure. The aim is to impart a deeper awareness of the topic of asset accumulation and to provide a toolkit in this area. You can also successfully complete a national certificate, which is particularly interesting for students.

Almost 12.4 million Germans are involved in the stock market. This figure has risen massively, especially during coronavirus. What are your tips, especially for students who want to get started with the topic?
Corona has triggered a boom among private investors. Neobrokers have sprung up like mushrooms. Such phases in particular harbor great dangers for private investors; the last time we saw such a phase was around the 2000s in the "Neuer Markt" segment. At that time, it felt like everyone and even "your neighbor Lumpi" invested there. The rude awakening came with the bursting of the so-called dotcom bubble. This crash left an entire generation of investors with a skepticism towards the financial markets that persists to this day. But that's exactly what the stock market driving license is all about - learning about the risks and side effects. The basics for private investors, so to speak. This is where the Cottbus Stock Exchange Club helps and helped me a great deal. At the regular stock exchange evenings, we exchange ideas and bring each other up to date on relevant topics. This is how you grow from a beginner to the goals you pursue individually, similar to a sports club. With this in mind, we "train" every even week at 19:15 in the BTU main building, room 0.16. You can find all current dates at: https://www.boersenclub-cottbus.de/index.php/veranstaltungen/jahreskalender