A Semester in Germany: How Studying Abroad Changes Your Perspective on University, People and Europe
Timur Mukhammetzyanov, a second-year student in Marketing and Market Analytics, shares his experience of classes, student life and travelling in Germany.
Studies
The learning process at the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt is entirely in English and differs quite significantly from the format at HSE. Perhaps the most important difference is the semester schedule. The autumn semester runs from October until late January or early February, depending on the exam period, followed by a month-long break. Courses have to be selected a few days before the start of classes, and this determines the overall workload. Interestingly, exchange students are allowed to choose courses from the first and third semesters — in other words, the autumn semesters of the first and second years — which means that timetable clashes can occur. That said, attendance is often not compulsory, so this is not a major issue.
All subjects are worth 6 credits and, in practice, consist of pairs of related subjects that are equal in workload and assessment. For example, Financial Accounting and Managerial Accounting are taught one after the other: when the first one ends, the second begins. The assessment system is also noticeably different. As a rule, there are one or two assessment components per subject, which means three or four per 6-credit course. Some courses are assessed solely through an exam, so the result for the entire semester may depend on a single examination. Group discussions and presentations are also very common. In general, professors actively engage the audience and try to speak the students’ language, which makes the lectures consistently interesting.
As a result, studying at the university requires greater responsibility and involvement. Compared with HSE, the focus shifts away from the complexity and volume of the programme and towards discussion and greater freedom of interpretation. For example, when we studied SWOT analysis, the lecturers did not assess the exact wording of our answers, but instead focused on how practically applicable the results were.
Culture and New Connections
Germany is an extremely multicultural country, so at university I met people from many different places, from northern Finland to sunny Singapore. I particularly enjoyed the way, during discussions of cultural differences in the Intercultural Management course, we all actively shared features of our own cultures, sometimes confirming theoretical concepts and sometimes challenging them.
Everyone was open and genuinely interested in asking us about our country, as well as telling us about their own lives. As a result, group projects were often combined with attempts to learn how to say “Hi, how are you?” in new languages and to teach others some Russian. In addition, the international student club actively organises extracurricular events, such as city tours and evening bar crawls, where students can socialise in a more informal setting.
Life in Germany
Adapting to life in Germany was fairly easy for me, because all the necessary procedures were explained in detail by the international office of the Technical University of Applied Sciences during the orientation meetings. However, the number of these procedures still caused some difficulties: registration, obtaining tax documents, arranging insurance, paying the mandatory broadcasting fee, and so on.
Classes take place either in Würzburg or Schweinfurt, depending on the programme. Life in Würzburg is very calm compared with Moscow, and the city itself is incredibly beautiful. It has architecture that survived the Second World War, parks, the famous River Main and stunning views from Marienberg Fortress. From early December, the city is also decorated with a traditional Christmas market, where you can try real mulled wine and Bavarian sausages.
I lived in a student residence, although it was very different from the Russian idea of a dormitory: I was given my own studio flat with a magnificent view, and the only essential facility I had to share was the washing machine.
Travelling
Of course, in my free time I did not miss the opportunity to visit other cities and countries. Germany has the convenient Deutschlandticket, which costs around €26 and allows unlimited use of public transport across the country, including regional trains. Personally, I would strongly recommend visiting Nuremberg and Bamberg, both of which are less than two hours away by train.
The nearest airports are in Frankfurt am Main, Nuremberg and Stuttgart, from where you can find good-value flights to almost anywhere. What is more, Germany is located in the very heart of Europe, so travelling to other countries takes only a few hours.
Conclusion
For me, the exchange at the Technical University of Applied Sciences Würzburg-Schweinfurt became the most vivid and memorable period of my life. I am immensely grateful to the Higher School of Business, the Technical University of Applied Sciences, and the international exchange offices of both universities for this opportunity. I am confident that this university is the best option for anyone who has always dreamed of studying abroad. The competition is held every semester, and I wish the best of luck to everyone who decides to apply.
