The evening reception prior to the 10th SKM Symposium on competence-based strategic management was attended by numerous scientists. The symposium was titled “Understanding transformation: theoretical, methodological, and practical challenges and implications from a competence-based perspective”. Professor Dr. Jochen Schiller (Freie Universität Berlin / ECDF Executive Board) initially presented the work of the ECDF, before Professor Dr. Martin Gersch (Freie Universität Berlin / PI at the ECDF) provided an overview of the upcoming conference days. The participants then had the opportunity to get to know each other and to network.