Partner University – Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (DHBW) hosted the second group of 25 IGTC students from 5th October 2014 to 17th October 2014 in Karlsruhe, Germany. The 13 day programme was meticulously planned by DHBW faculty – Prof. Volker Ihle, Head of Department Business Administration and Engineering, International Coordinator; Prof. Peter J. Lehmeier, Head of Department Business Administration; Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Schäfer, Head of Department, Business Administration, Management in Commerce and Ms. Birgit Schlenker, University Communication, Events and Project.
This student exchange programme helped the IGTC students gain from diverse experiences, understand cultural boundaries and create memories and friendships that transcend the boundaries of distance and time.
Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Senior Project Manager at Siemens AG gave a lecture on Project Management that covered pros and cons of investment decision, external and internal factors, cost of project, crisis management, feasibility and more. He truly was an expert as he has successfully completed projects for Siemens in the most unique and toughest of conditions. A discussion on Tata Interactive Systems was conducted by Mr. Saurabh Mittal, Managing Director Germany, Tata Interactive Systems in which he highlighted different aspects of acquisition and how to tackle and overcome differences in social and cultural practises. An interactive lecture on Internationalization and its need was facilitated by Mr. Ashutosh Kumar, Chief Business Consultant, SAP.
Beyond lectures, industry visits to the following world class German companies was on the agenda:
- Mercedes Benz A and B Class factory, Rastatt – well known German automobile manufacturer
- SAP AG, Walldorf – multinational software corporation that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations
- Siemens AG – largest multinational engineering company
- Klingel Mail Order Company, Pforzheim – Germany’s largest mail order company and a leader in logistics and warehousing
- SEW Eurodrive, Graben-Neudorf – biggest manufacturers of belt and conveyor drives
- Drogeriemart Zentrale – largest chain of retail stores headquartered that sells cosmetics, healthcare and household products, and health food
The students were mesmerized with the level of automation, logistics, production, employee-employer relationships which they witnessed at the industry visits. Dreams came true for many car lovers after their visit to the outstanding, state-of-the-art Mercedes Benz Museum, Stuttgart.
Meetings with eminent personalities were arranged who extended a warm welcome to our student delegation were:
- Mr. Michael Obert, Mayor, Karlsruhe in charge of planning and building and real estate management
- Dr. Udo Götschel, Director, Foreign Trade and Infrastructure and Ms. Ramona Lange, Consultant, International Economic Affairs, Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK)
Of course the trip was filled with cultural visits and sightseeing to some of the most beautiful and scenic places that takes ones breath away. The “wunderbar” city of Heidelberg, Schwarz Wald – the Black Forest – lush greenery, the antique cottages, those fairy tale paths in the woods and the live demonstration of the “Schwarzwaldkirschtorte” – black forest cake makes anyone fall in love with Germany.
The visit to Bruchsal Palace captured attention by its art, paintings and its beautiful décor. The Museum of Musical Instruments gave an insight to German music from the 17th to 20th century. The Oktoberfest at Wasen, Stuttgart was truly an experience of a lifetime. Trains at this time in Stuttgart were no less than the Mumbai locals but the atmosphere at the Oktoberfest was electrifying. There were people dressed in traditional Lederhosen and Drindls, giant steins of beer were seen everywhere. The students were completely flabbergasted with the giant carnival! The highlight from the cultural visits was the adventure park called the Kletter Park where one can experience the woods by climbing challenging heights with the help of ropes and overcoming obstacles.
The trip culminated with presentations by the IGTC students about their learning’s and impressions about Germany. A special Indian dance was performed by the students to the German audience which was enjoyed and appreciated by all.
This is what the students had to say after their Germany visit:
“Germany showed me that no matter how serious and factual you get, you always have time to observe beauty and create it. Art seems to be such an integral part of Germany; it was a pleasure to notice it everywhere we went.”
– Ajita Shringapure, PGPBA Batch 2014 – 2016
“Scenic, beautiful, well-planned and peaceful yet lively would be the words I would use for the city of Karlsruhe that I miss dearly after completing our stay there. My first glimpse into Germany reaffirmed the love for technology and engineering that Germans are famous for. The visits to Mercedes-Benz Plant – Rastatt, Klingelmail, Siemens and many more got me to witness all the concepts learnt in our classroom training. Our share of fun at the Oktoberfest, Mercedes-Benz Museum, Kletter park was unparalleled. But what would drive me to go back to this amazing country would be the warmth of the Germans, the unique culture and the rich history that blends beautifully with modern technology.”
– Anushree Pednekar, PGPBA Batch 2013 – 2015
“Never ever have I felt I would fall in love with a city other than Mumbai. Never did I feel I would have a sense of belonging in any other place. My trip with IGTC to DHBW, Kahlsruhe changed my perceptions. The sheer beauty of the place took away my breath. I loved the people I was with and loved the people I met there.”
– Anisha Masur, PGPBA Batch 2014 – 2016
“With my stolen heart in Germany I can say: ‘Business Environment Germany’ is a programme that consists of lectures, industrial visits, sightseeing, city tours, culture and interaction with German students. I appreciate IGTC and DHBW for designing such a valuable program and giving us this opportunity to learn and understand our German counterparts better.”
– Amit Kanyan, EBMP Batch 2013 – 2014
