ERASMUS Intensive Programme in Stara Zagora/Bulgaria
07.05.2013 by
12 students from the FHNW School of Business (from the Business Information Technology and Business Administration programmes) participated in a 2 week Intensive Programme (IP) in Bulgaria at the end of April. Together with over 90 other students from 9 European countries, and lecturers from each of the universities involved, they attended workshops, lectures and coachings as well as working on client generated tasks at Trakia University in Stara Zagora.
A key focus of this ERASMUS programme, which focused on the topic Business 2.0, was that students were put into multi-national groups and allocated real life tasks by local Bulgarian companies. Most of the organisations, such as the Stara Zagora Opera House, a local furniture manufacturer and a PC company sought to optimise their business using tools and solutions utilizing new media and tools.
There was a Swiss student on each of the three teams which won a prize at the conclusion of the two-week, 4 ECTS IP. At the end of the fortnight all 16 teams made up of about 5 students each from the twelve participating universities, presented their business solutions and recommendations to the Bulgarian companies and organisations. The best 8 were selected to go forward to the formal presentations to the clients. This particular IP thereby reached its culmination – it has run for three years under the lead of the Hogeschool Utrecht in The Netherlands (and with the School of Business FHNW as one of the official partners) and there are plans to submit for its continuance to Brussels.
Feedback on the programme was overwhelmingly positive. One student, in answer to the questions whether he/she would recommend the programme to others said: “Hell, yes!”.
Intensive Programmes are especially popular with part-time students as it allows them to have an international experience in a short space of time and gain extra ECTS. Students who potentially qualify to apply for such programmes are informed and invited either by their Deans or the International Office. For more information, see the lead article in the most recent The Sextant http://www.fhnw.ch/business/news/sextant/the-sextant. Other IP’s our school is involved include the BSwiss Summer School in Basel http://www.fhnw.ch/business/degree-courses/summer-schools/international-business-summer-school/international-business-summer-school and the preparatory seminars on Business in China and Business in India, always in February http://www.fhnw.ch/business/degree-courses/student-seminars-india-china-usa .
Intensive Programmes also often invite lecturers from participating universities to teach and so gives them an opportunity to gain international experience. For more information, contact the International Office at the School of Business FHNW or jeannette.merguin@fhnw.ch.
Multi-national group presenting their business solution in the Intensive Programme in Bulgaria (including Swiss student Cemal Akbulut, 3rd from left). Photo: Virpi Raivonen
Handing out the prizes for best Team (business solution and presentations) at Trakia University in Stara Zagora (including WI student Kevin Bieber, 2nd from left). Photo: Virpi Raivonen
Multinational group presenting their business solution in the Intensive programme in Bulgaria (inlcuding Swiss student Marco Bont, far left) Photo: Virpi Raivonen
