A Blog about Education Abroad

Tag: Reutlingen University

  • Marion Kretzschmar at Reutlingen University, Germany

    Marion Kretzschmar at Reutlingen University, Germany

    In December 2017, which was the end of my third year of my bachelor’s degree program in Industrial Engineering, I started to conduct some research about Stellenbosch’s partner universities in Germany.  My dream was to either complete my full masters at a German university or at least attend one semester.  Throughout my research, I coincidentally stumbled across Reutlingen University.  This university works in close collaboration with the Industrial Engineering department, offering a relatively unique opportunity for the master’s students:  a double degree program.  The Digital Industrial Management and Engineering master’s program is an exchange program where students have the opportunity to attend three semesters at their home university and one semester as an exchange student at the host university (German students would come to University Stellenbosch and the South African students would go to Reutlingen University).  In my view, this was a WIN-WIN situation, as I would be able to commence an exchange semester, while also receiving an additional master’s degree from a European university as well as one from Stellenbosch.

    Pre-departure

    Fortunately, I have a European Passport, which spared me from the tedious Visa application process.  Since I am also an international student at Stellenbosch, I was relatively well prepared regarding the application and registration process in a foreign country.   With help from our German study coordinator from Reutlingen, the application process was relatively simple.  He also put us South Africans in contact with the Reutlingen International Office (RIO), who contacted us regarding the accommodation.  We were lucky enough to apply for the student dormitories, situated directly on the campus grounds.

    Once I was accepted, I started conducting my research about the university.  One disadvantage was that the program we enrolled for is a very small degree program, and therefore only limited information could be found on the university website.  However, the German study coordinator was very helpful and helped a lot with all the arrangements in Germany.  He also informed me about all the different documents I need for the registration process at the university at the beginning of the Semester.  Surprisingly enough, even though Germany is a first world country, no documents are accepted in a digital format, only as a hard copy.  Luckily, throughout my past five years at University Stellenbosch, I have found it to be very useful to keep a digital backup of all documents, but also a file containing all the hard copies of all the documents that might be required by the university.  Through this, I was able to handle all unplanned and unforeseen situations successfully and seamlessly.

    The admin part aside – now the actual travel arrangements had to be done.  Since I was not entirely sure when my semester in Germany would start nor end, I only booked a one-way ticket to Germany.  I was lucky, and for me, it worked out relatively well regarding the pricing and time, but I would recommend to all the future exchange students to rather book a return ticket and also do it far in advance as it will, most likely, turn out cheaper.  It now seems like a girly thing to say – but packing turned out to be rather challenging.  One piece of advice – don’t bother to pack too much of your South African wardrobe – you won’t be able to use them.  Rather buy a nice winter jacket and a pair of boots in Germany, as they are geared for such temperature drops.

    Experience at the Host University:

    As I mentioned earlier, I am an international student at Stellenbosch as well, so I am used to being far away from home.  Therefore, the far distance from home did not bother me at all.  An additional advantage was that I also speak German fluently, so I did not experience any language barriers at all.  When I arrived in Reutlingen for the first time, thanks to google maps, I found the university very easily, without experiencing any problems.  I have arranged a meeting with the study coordinator in advance, who assisted me with the registration process as well as the key collections for the dormitories.  He showed me around the campus and also informed me about the different courses I will need to attend in order to meet the prerequisites of the program.

    Stating with the accommodation, I lived in a relatively new and modern building, directly on campus.  I shared a kitchen and two bathrooms with five other international students, two of them being the other South Africans attending the same course as me in Reutlingen.  We did a lot of different activities together, such as hiking, visiting different Christmas markets, or attending various events organized for the international students.  The university did not only offer events for international students, but also for the local students to join.  This made it very easy to meet new people.

    The academic courses that I attended were mainly focused on the new topic Industry 4.0 – digitisation, digitalisation, and digital transformation.  The classes were relatively small, ranging from five to twelve people per session.  Because I was enrolled in a double degree program, I was put in contact with one of the German professors, who became the co-supervisor of my master’s thesis.  He assisted me with my research project.  The courses were very interesting and informative as the subject matter is directly related to my research topic.

    As expected, because of the exceptionally well-functioning public transport system, traveling has been made very easy.  I have purchased the Naldo semester ticket, which is a ticket you purchase once-off and can travel throughout the surrounding areas without additional costs.  For longer distances, I would recommend Flixbus or BlaBlaCar.  Reutlingen has the advantage that it is situated relatively convenient – Stuttgart and Heidelberg are very close, and Munich is not too far away either.  Furthermore, Switzerland, as well as Austria, are also travel destinations, I would recommend to everyone, especially if you would like to have the full winter wonderland experience.  There are a few shops and pubs to visit in Tübingen, which is only 10 minutes by train and has a great nightlife.  It reminded me a lot about Stellenbosch, as it is also a rather smaller city and very student oriented as the whole city mainly consists out of the university.

    Return to Stellenbosch:

    Once I came back to South Africa, I had to make use of my car again in order to get somewhere further away.  The accessibility of long-distance locations is definitely made so much easier in Germany with public transport.  However, I have missed our beautiful Stellenbosch, the fact that all shops and clubs are within walking distance away from the university and my flat, my friends, our campus and also the beautiful Winelands and mountains.  I am grateful that I had the opportunity to go to a foreign country, meet new friends, widen my network, and also experience some kind of personal growth as well.  I have learned to be more open towards meeting new people and also not being too shy to ask for help if needed.

     

  • Johan Van Schalkwyk at Reutlingen University, Germany

    Johan Van Schalkwyk at Reutlingen University, Germany

    DIME (Digital Industrial Management and Engineering) Masters at Hochschule Reutlingen

    If you are reading this post, you may have already decided or are in the process of deciding to do a semester exchange. What I can tell you is that you will not be disappointed. I feel that a semester exchange is one of the most valuable experiences you can partake in during your studies (I would almost call it mandatory). My semester abroad in Germany, at the ESB Business School of Reutlingen University, has had a tremendous impact on me as an individual and for my future career plans as an Engineer.

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    Pre-departure

    It is imperative to determine how and what type of semester exchanges would best align with your studies. It is crucial to match the appropriate exchange with your end goals; be it academic, to travel or both. My preparations started as a discussion with my research supervisor at Stellenbosch University to determine if it would be feasible and beneficial to my research. In short, what was my motivation for going abroad? After the initial excitement, the fun started – admin.

    The daunting part of a semester exchange can be the admin (planning) aspect, but it does not necessarily have to be that way. Three tips I can give you is: (i) early in the process, talk to others who have done the same or similar exchanges for valuable insight and possible shortcuts; (ii) do a little more effort from the beginning to organize all your documentation as it will save you a lot of time and effort in the later stages; and (iii) try and store all relevant documentation on a cloud (for backup & accessibility).

    I would strongly advise you to look into Visa requirements and how long the process will take for your specific exchange. Usually, you can find all this information on the embassy’s webpage, or you can visit any travel agency, like NeelsieTravel, for valuable assistance. In most cases, you require an invitation letter from your host institution for the Visa application. Thus, get into contact with both the host university and Stellenbosch University’s international office to determine what documentation is required from your side and theirs. Trust me, it is not fun to be held up during any part of your process due to waiting for documents.

    I made use of the German consulate’s web page, which was very helpful in providing all the relevant information, such as documents required and steps to follow. However, I feel that the web page lacks in providing sufficient knowledge on the financial arrangements necessary for a Visa of more than 90 days. Part of the German Visa application is proving that you can sustain yourself financially while abroad, thus you need to provide proof of bursary(ies), blocked bank account or a combination of the two (remember that opening a blocked bank account requires processing time once initiated). Another thing that is not apparent on the webpage is that you need a letter from your supervisor or SU affiliated person to state that you will be returning to South Africa at the end of the exchange. The Visa appointment is also critical – make sure you have two separate piles of copies with all the required documentation in order. Take copies of extra documentation you deem vital with you for extra reassurance. Rather be over prepared.

    My long-stay Visa did not require my flight itinerary prior to application but start looking for flight specials early on. Almost every day, I’ve checked online for flight specials; this equipped me in choosing an excellent affordable flight option. Keep a lookout for baggage allowance, flight time, air service providers reviews, and what time you arrive at the destination (after business hours and weekends can affect transport and other arrangements).

    Packing for a German winter is not as easy as packing your warmest clothes, it is not always as cold as you think and even then, the buildings are extremely warm. How to approach it then? One word, layering.

    Last tips for travelling… Keep the original and copies of all documentation on you in your hand luggage for in case you are required to support your reason for travelling at passport control and such. This may sound funny but keep at least one extra pair of clothing or at least underwear and a shirt in your hand luggage for unforeseen circumstances such as baggage delays… My bags were lost in a baggage pile-up at Frankfurt airport, and thanks to my mom for instructing me to carry clothes in my hand luggage, I was sorted during the three days I had to wait for my bags.

    Experience at the Host University

    My semester abroad was my first-time solo travelling as well as being in Europe. Thus, the uncertainty of how things work across the water was terrifying. One thing I learned was to keep calm under all circumstances; all things work itself out eventually. Keeping that in mind, it does not hurt to learn a few key German words before you arrive. Locals tend to be more helpful if you at least try to communicate in their language. In Germany, having access to such a vast network of public transport was amazing. However, getting use to not having your own car to get from point A to point B was sometimes challenging and felt restrictive.

    Upon arrival at Reutlingen University, I contacted my study coordinator, and he guided me with my physical registration and my accommodation (keep original documents – Germans want the real thing). I, Marion, and Balthazar (other SU students also part of DIME exchange) were fortunate enough to be placed in the same dormitories on campus, making walking to class far more enjoyable. I would recommend the dormitory we stayed in (Pestalozzistrasse 65) to anyone thinking of this exchange. Most accommodation in Germany were configured as having your private room bordering a shared communal kitchen and a bathroom or two. We shared the dorm with a Mexican and a Chilean and my fellow dorm mates became my closest friends during my stay in Reutlingen. In the rest of the building, we had students coming from all over the world.

    The academic side of things was very exciting and stimulating. Reutlingen is a Hochschule, which means it’s a university of applied sciences with a focus on the industry. At Reutlingen they incorporate emerging technological trends and management strategies into their study programs, such as the digitization of the supply chain and logistics industry. I was enrolled in 4 modules and my research project (thesis) at Reutlingen. These modules incorporated aspects of supply chain and logistics management, programming and information and communication technologies, and management accounting. These modules helped with giving me a better understanding and foundation for my research thesis. A useful extra course I took was German (A1.1), which is the most basic level of German, but turned out to be very useful with day to day life in Germany. Being part of the DIME dual degree program, I had a second German supervisor who gave valuable insights from a differing perspective that aligned with my research project. If you would compare my academic experience at Reutlingen to that of Stellenbosch, I want to highlight the following:

    • Classes at Reutlingen were much smaller (the largest class was 12 students, master’s level). This resulted in classes being far more interactive and incorporated discussions, presentations and such. Topics were openly discussed and enriched the learning experience by challenging you to consider alternative takes on subjects.
    • Do not undersell Stellenbosch University or higher South African education. I am of the opinion that (especially for engineers) Germany does not have the upper hand with regards to the level of academic standards. I, and my fellow maties, found that we were very able to keep up and even found some things easier to grasp than some German students even. This attested to the fact view that Stellenbosch University is world class.

    Reutlingen is located in a prime spot as it is close to Stuttgart, München, Switzerland, and the Alps. Thus, there is never a boring moment because there is so much to see in your free time. For example, a 10-min train ride one way, and you’re in the beautiful old town Tubingen with an amazing student life and history. A 10-min ride in another direction and you’re in Metzingen, which has a huge Outlet City for shopping. Once you are in Europe, travelling to other European countries are not that expensive if you are smart about it. Look out for websites such as “kiwi.com” for flight, train, and bus deals. For instance, I flew to Austria and back for only 10 Euros (+- R160). Not seeing myself as a travel junkie prior to exchange, being in Europe and seeing how easy and cheap it is, hooked me. During my exchange I visited Paris (France), Prague (Czech Republic) for new year’s, Davos (Switzerland) with Reutlingen University for skiing, Vienna (Austria), Budapest (Hungary), and a few places in Germany of course. So moral of the story is – one cannot come to Europe and not travel.

    Return to Stellenbosch

    I must say arriving at Cape Town International Airport and seeing my parents and girlfriend waiting for me after six months was genuinely heart-warming. After becoming accustomed to certain “luxuries” of a first world country, you pick up small things that you wish South Africa had. Reliable electricity, for one. But something I never thought would happen if I did an exchange; is me becoming more attached to South Africa. My initial plans were to search for work in Europe and work there for five or so years before coming back home to SA. Returning has made me appreciate the way we South Africans live even with all the challenges we are facing. It has opened my eyes by making me want to work harder and strive for a successful career here in South Africa rather than just packing my bags and escaping the challenges. South Africa is a gem full of opportunities if you view the country in a more positive light. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have studied in Germany, for the friends I have made, and the life experiences I had. I would go back in a heartbeat and explore even more if possible, but in terms of my future career, I do not see myself working in Europe permanently. However, I will keep my eyes open for opportunities to work abroad from time to time, as I am super grateful for the how this exchange experience had broadened my perspective and inspired me. I would 100% recommend an exchange programme to anyone!

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  • Balthazaar Kloppers at Reutlingen University, Germany

    Balthazaar Kloppers at Reutlingen University, Germany

    Pre-departure:

    Here you should focus on your preparations for your trip abroad. It should include information about the visa application, as well as suggestions or “tips” regarding what works well and/or areas for improvement.

    Hello, to the potential study broad student. Firstly, I would like to say you have made the best choice of your university career by wanting to study abroad. Stellenbosch is a great place to study and it cannot be rivalled on many aspects. There is however a sense of not broadening our horizons further than a certain threshold as you stay there due to it being a student town. As a student, you want to experience as much as you can in a short as time as possible and therefore an exchange program is the best way to do it!

    My first tip would be to do your own research. Find out where exchanges are happening, about possible bursaries, what it requires and what you would like. Then go speak to the personnel at the international office. They are more than willing to help and will make the process so much easier. By chatting to them personally, they’ll get to know you and would only be beneficial to the application process.

    He after you are excepted to a exchange, speak to previous participants and also make contact with the host university as early as possible. This will make the whole process of going there much easier. Start your VISA application as early as possible so that you can plan flights and other administrative efforts. Plan financials, trips, academic schedule and other aspects ahead of time. Makes things a lot easier when you get there. Knowing what you want to do before you get there makes it easier to actually go and do those things and gives you a framework to plan around and allows you to do other things as you won’t feel that it will intervene with other things. Having a clear academic schedule makes it easier to plan trips or cultural experiences. It also makes you adhere to academic progress and can provide motivation to keep on working hard on academics.

    Also check stuff like the weather, where you are going to stay and what you would need to bring along. I would say packing first only the necessary stuff first and always keep spaces for things you want to bring back. The earlier you book flights the less you will have to pay so keep that in mind.

    You will never be fully prepared for your trip. That is the beauty of it. Don’t stress to much about the little things. Get all your admin out of the way so that you can focus on the important things. Make sure you have a good contact on both sides, at each university, so that you have someone to refer to each time you go. Make sure you have your financial arrangements in order, like activating your bank card for oversea purchases.

    Experience at the Host University:

    This section should include information about the academic programme, as well as other activities done during your stay abroad. Describe the academic programme in detail and more importantly compare your experience with what you have experienced at Stellenbosch University.

    The academic program for the DIME exchange at Reutlingen University is not that labor intensive. It however requires a lot of planning and group sessions. The subjects were very interesting and relevant. I enjoyed all the classes for their content and relevance towards my degree and the current market. It should be noted that I chose this exchange based on the subject matter as it would contribute to my thesis and also towards my career prosperity. We had to write a couple of exams and had to do projects and presentations, so there is a degree of academic responsibility, but if you have made it this far in your degree this is very easy to navigate.

    I highly recommend making use of the university facilities, such as the library, the classrooms, lecture halls and factory areas. Also, if you can and want to, extend your knowledge by taking extra subjects. I took German for Beginners and couldn’t be happier. It helped me communicate on a very basic level which helped a lot with small things such as travel, shopping, general enquiries and getting around. It makes the travelling and exchange experience so much easier. People are also more inclined to help you and they appreciate people trying to learn their language. I feel you show respect and consideration to people when you try and communicate in their language and you can see their appreciation when you interact with them.

    One difference at the host university is class sizes. It is mainly due to it being a prestige program and small university that the classes were a lot smaller. For all classes we were less than 20 students. It was a nice switch I found. I had a good relationship with lecturers and made me give more attention in class and made lectures more engaging. I found the classes to be more entertaining. Their classes were also a lot longer than ours. For example, the amount of work covered was a lot more at Stellenbosch for any given lecture period.

    I joined several football clubs here, to meet new people and keep active. The university offers a lot of social sports and they facilitate them which was very cool and allowed me to meet more people. Their student council is very accessible, and it was easy to communicate with them. I joined the gym but was disappointed when a week after I joined the price dropped for a week-long special from 20 euros a month to 1 euro a month haha! Public transport here is amazing and bus travel across Europe is amazing. Buy a Naldo ticket which allows you to travel an unlimited amount of times in the region. Going on sites like flixbus, BlaBlaBus Eurolines etc. makes holiday transport so easy and cheap. I visited Prague, Paris, Zurich, Frankfurt, Munich, Porto, Budapest, Vienna and Amsterdam in my time here and the travel sometimes was cheap. For example, it cost me 11 euros to Amsterdam and back. Meet new people and make effort, the weather is gonna be cold and suck sometimes but it is up to you to make the best of it.

    Return to Stellenbosch:

    As I returned to Stellenbosch, I found myself quite nostalgic of my time in Germany. It was an amazing experience and I was somewhat reluctant to come back. But as all good things it had to come to an end. As I came back, I acclimated quickly. I was back in the office working the first Monday after my return, had my first braai the night I came back and got to see most of m loved ones as soon as I arrived back.

    It was a few days before I got into the swing of things, found my feet and returned to somewhat normal skin-color. I realised how much I missed the South African spirit, the people and the WEATHER. I’ll never take hot days for granted ever again.

    When coming back to South Africa, don’t delay things too much. Get back into a nice routine and gradually do all the stuff that you wanted to do when you got back. Trying to cram all the social and family time into the first week will just end up leaving you exhausted. It is important to touch base with your supervisor as you return and with the people that are helping you along your thesis journey. I would recommend doing this as early as possible. Things however got a bit difficult when the coronavirus broke out as I got back from overseas.

    Take what you have learned from your experience and apply it to your life. No really. It sounds like a cliché but it couldn’t be more true. I learned so many personal skills, developed as a person and grew stronger in relationships and it was evident when I got back. Being able to communicate better and being more self-efficient is something that I noticed a lot. I make meals everyday instead of very now and then since I have been back. It is an embarrassing fact that I only learned to do laundry when I was 23, but that is something that I have been doing since I’ve been back, haha!

    All in all, it was a great opportunity that I was glad that I made the most of. Thanks to Stellenbosch University and to Reutlingen for making it an incredible experience and helping with the entire process. Everyone wants you to succeed and it is evident in the help that they provide, so thanks to them and if you are reading this and wondering if you should go