Outgoing Students‘ Experience Reports

studies B.Sc. Conservation and Restoration and completed an internship in Cambodia in the winter semester 2023/24.

“My degree programme includes a compulsory practical phase. As I would also like to work internationally later on, this was the perfect opportunity to gain experience and make contacts. With the temples of Angkor, Cambodia is of course an ideal destination for an internship in stone conservation.”

“The highlight was definitely how deeply we were able to immerse ourselves in the culture and everyday life here through close cooperation with the local people. In particular, the moment when we were fully accepted as part of the team and were even invited to a wedding.”

studies M.Eng. Medical Technology and spent a semester abroad at Reykjavik University in Iceland from January to July 2023.

“Iceland has always fascinated me, and fortunately there was a university in Reykjavík that accepted freemovers, i.e. students without a partnership agreement with their home university. A semester abroad seemed to me the easiest way to quickly meet lots of people from different backgrounds in a new country and broaden my academic horizons at the same time.”

“My highlight was definitely the country itself, with its beautiful nature, and the people I had the chance to meet there. During my time there, I was able to see the country in all its facets, in various seasons and weather conditions, and I came away with many incredible experiences and adventures.”

studies M.A. Design with a specialisation in colour design and spent the winter semester 2023/24 at ELISAVA Barcelona School of Design and Engineering in Spain.

“I am very grateful that I can finance my stay abroad with the help of the DAAD HAW.International scholarship. As ELISAVA is not a partner university and is also a private institution, I was excluded from the usual financial support.”

“My aim with this experience is not only to gain experience abroad, but also to develop personally and professionally in a field that is not necessarily easy to find within my focus area. That is why I expanded my research beyond existing partnerships with my university and looked for an opportunity that would support and further develop my individual focus areas.”

studies B.A. Social Work in Hildesheim and spent the winter semester 2022/23 at the ERASMUS+ partner university Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

“I decided to go abroad out of curiosity and a desire to travel, but also to improve my Spanish skills. The highlight of my semester abroad was a trip to Morocco from Madrid! I also had the chance to meet people from all over the world.”

studies M.A. Regional Management and Business Development and completed an internship abroad at the Ministry of the German-speaking Community in Eupen, Belgium, in the summer semester 2023.

“I receive some financial support from my parents and work as a student assistant alongside my studies. To cover the additional costs, I applied for and received ERASMUS+ funding. Believe that it is possible! A stay abroad is a wonderful opportunity to get to know a completely different way of living together. Don’t let bureaucratic hurdles put you off; there are many great people who will help you overcome them.”

studies M.A. Regional Management and Business Development and completed an internship abroad at the Ministry of the German-speaking Community in Eupen, Belgium, in the summer semester 2023.

“I like to travel a lot — so I prefer going abroad rather than staying in familiar surroundings in Germany. I got to know the ministry through a subject-specific excursion to Brussels.”

studies B.Eng. Green Building and completed an internship abroad in Switzerland from February to July 2024.

“I had always wanted to do a semester abroad and then combined it with the practical phase. Because Basel is German-speaking, I thought language would not be a barrier. I found Grunder AG because they advertised the position, and it matched my profile perfectly.”

“The highlight so far has been the very open-minded people and the beautiful city. The view from the Roche Tower allows you to admire Basel from above. The biggest challenge was and still is Swiss German, although progress in understanding it is already noticeable.”

studies B.A. Social Work and studied at the ERASMUS+ partner university Universidad Complutense de Madrid in the summer semester 2023.

“I originally come from Hildesheim and decided to study here too, but I also wanted to experience something completely different. I chose Spain because I already spoke Spanish and wanted to improve it, and Madrid because I wanted to live in a real big city.”

“The biggest challenge for me was first of all leaving Hildesheim and taking the leap. I can say: dare to take that step if you are thinking about it. It is really worth it. All the fears and worries you have beforehand, and that hold you back, did not turn out to be true in my case at all. I progressed in my studies, the organisation was really easy and very well supported, I never felt on my own, and I always knew there were people I could turn to. And the stay abroad was also brilliant for my personal development.”

studies M.Eng. Business Administration and Engineering and completed a semester abroad at the University of New South Wales in Sydney in summer 2023.

“Especially at the beginning, the many new impressions and the degree programme itself were not easy. For me, who was not used to lectures in English, as well as weekly quizzes, exams and assignments in every course, studying was quite challenging. However, over time I became more and more familiar with the situation and found a good balance between studying itself and my leisure activities and exploring Australia.”

studies B.Eng. Civil Engineering and completed an internship abroad at DS AS Group in Kristiansund, Norway, from August to October 2023.

“I chose to do an internship abroad to gain new experiences and get to know the construction industry in other countries. Through my research for the practical phase, I came across the subsidiary of Goldbeck. Norway has always appealed to me, so the opportunity was a good fit.”

studies M.A. Design and spent the summer semester 2024 at FH Joanneum in Graz.

“During my Bachelor’s degree, I did not spend a semester abroad, so I definitely wanted to make up for that during my Master’s. I chose Graz because I had never been to Austria before and because Graz, as the ‘City of Design’, is incredibly inspiring. In addition, the ‘Interaction Design’ degree programme at FH Joanneum sounded very exciting, so the decision was easy for me.”

“The highlights of my stay in Graz were the diverse people and the impressive nature. The Schlossberg and the parks make Graz a unique place. My highlight of the week was the ERASMUS+ meet-up in an Irish pub. My food highlights were the Krapfen, the vegan schnitzel from Spar and the daily free mate drinks and cereal bars from the university. Another highlight was International Design Week 2024, where we worked intensively with students from all over the world on a project. That was very enriching for me during my stay abroad.”

studies B.A. Social Work and spent two semesters (2023/24) at the University of Auckland in New Zealand.

“The University of Auckland offered me the best opportunities to choose certain courses. My decision in favour of this university was also influenced by the fact that it is New Zealand’s most internationally renowned university and has a very wide range of subjects.”

“I like the campus and there are endless opportunities for extra-curricular activities. As the city borders both the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean, the surrounding area has a lot to offer. Because of this geographical location, Auckland has a very mild but changeable climate. As the city is more or less built on volcanoes, you have a wonderful view of the city from those volcanoes, for example from Mt Eden.”