16 Business Studies students from the Universidad de Medellín visited Fachhochschule Dortmund in March. On the program: lectures on "Hidden Champions", Lean Six Sigma and international project management, exchange and a visit to the stadium.
The visit was part of a close strategic cooperation between Fachhochschule Dortmund and the Colombian university. The declared aim of both institutions is to further expand their international exchange formats - in addition to traditional semester exchanges, in particular through short-term and online formats.
"They are all an important part of our internationalization strategy," says Prof. Dr. Stephan Weyers, Vice-Rector for Teaching, Studies and International Affairs. "The intensive short formats in particular create international learning experiences for students for whom a longer stay abroad is out of the question." Participation in the courses at Fachhochschule Dortmund is embedded as an "internship" in the studies at the Universidad de Medellín.
Prof. Weyers points out that Fachhochschule Dortmund and the Colombian university already work closely together in many formats, for example in online projects and in the double degree in the International Business Management Bachelor's study program. Last year, more than 300 students from the Universidad de Medellín and over 500 students from Fachhochschule Dortmund took part in joint Language Team Tasks, Cross Border Projects, COIL formats and design projects.
The program for the 16 students who were now guests combined academic content with a strong practical focus: on the first day, international project management and intercultural skills were on the agenda, designed by Dr. Henri de Jongste and Prof. Dr.-Ing. This was followed by a themed day on "Hidden Champions - Leading World Markets" with Prof. Dr. Jan-Philipp Büchler and a practical module on Lean Six Sigma with Prof. Dr. Lars Fischer and Prof. Dr. Jan Cirullies, including simulations in the Logistics Innovation Lab. "We don't just want to impart theoretical knowledge to the students, but also give them a very concrete insight into German corporate realities and management approaches in a short space of time," emphasizes Stephan Weyers.
The concept worked: The lecturers were impressed by the high level of interest shown by the students from Colombia. As soon as questions or discussions were possible, they actively participated in the exchange with great commitment.
"One student said very aptly that these practical courses were precisely the reason why she started the Master's," reports Stephan Weyers. She took a lot away from her stay for her professional future. The visit showed once again how beneficial international short-term formats are for teaching, exchange and personal encounters.