In May 2022, students on the dual degree programs in International Business Administration and Information Technology (IBAIT) were able to gain experience abroad again after having to cancel their studies for two years due to the pandemic. The students were delighted! The fourth semester is scheduled for stays abroad, starting with six weeks at the HWG in Ludwigshafen, followed by the trips.
The IBAIT students spent eleven weeks at the University of West Florida in Pensacola (UWF), based on a long-standing partnership between the College of Business at UWF and the Transatlantic Institute at Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society (HWG). As part of their stays abroad, they attended lectures in the subjects of "Supply Chain Management", "E-Business", "Artificial Intelligence" and "Business Intelligence". There were also additional program points, such as a visit to the "Center for Cybersecurity", "Andrews Institute for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine", "Event at the Pensacola Museum of Art", "Honorary Pensacola Citizen Ceremony", "Blue Wahoo's Baseball Game" and many other cultural impressions.
Typically, there were two days a week where students had lectures all day. On three days of the week, a program was organized by the UWF "University Staff". These included visits to various museums, an excursion to the Rotary Club, a visit to a baseball game or exciting weekly lectures on a wide variety of topics on the UWF campus. After the excursions, homework or group work was completed or free time was spent with fellow students/friends.
The many joint activities created a real "team feeling", which was also clearly perceptible to the lecturers and staff on site and intensified the experience of the trip.
Till Müller and Simona Aich achieved a special distinction during this study visit. Under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Burch (UWF), they submitted a scientific article to the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) Journal and hope to publish it there.
Special thanks go to the IBAIT partner companies BASF SE, BASF Digital Solutions GmbH and SAP SE for financing the study visit as part of the semester abroad.
