Since last week, 16 students and two professors from the Ukrainian partner university V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University have been in Krefeld and Mönchengladbach as part of an international exchange programme at The Hochschule Niederrhein (HSNR). The exchange is sponsored by the Erasmus+ programme and is taking place for the third time.
The students and their professors Dr Valeriia Baranova and Dr Kateryna Oriekhova began their stay at the Future Work Lab at HSNR in Krefeld. Accompanied by Karla Kaminski, an employee of the HSNR's International Office, the students created their first impressions of Krefeld in the form of short videos.
Beforehand, Ricarda Stamms from the City of Krefeld's business development organisation presented the business location. The students then created a presentation aimed at young companies in particular who are considering Krefeld as a potential location. Karla Kaminski was impressed: "It is impressive how much information and impressions the students have gathered in such a short time and presented so professionally."
University President Professor Dr Susanne Meyer officially welcomed the guests on Monday. In her speech, she emphasised the special situation created by the war in Ukraine and assured them of the university's solidarity with the students and Ukraine.
As part of their programme, the students also took part in the "Intercultural Communication and Collaboration" course on the Master's degree programme in International Management. This was led by Professor Dr Sue Rossano-Rivero from the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
Workshops, lectures and seminars were organised together with the Faculty of Textile and Clothing Technology. The topics ranged from the role of technology in communication to the influence of role models. New technologies such as augmented or virtual reality were presented in interactive sessions, showing how innovations can promote intercultural communication.
Lecturers Kateryna Oriekhova, PhD in Business Administration and Economics and Deputy Head of the Department of Banking and Financial Technologies, and Valeriia Baranova, PhD in Business Administration and Economics and professor in the same department at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, greatly appreciated the opportunity to take part in this exchange. Together with the students, they reflected on the week's experiences: "During the exchange, the students actively participated in teamwork, presentations and discussions on topics such as intercultural communication, leadership and global cooperation. Particularly valuable were the workshops on augmented or virtual reality technologies, which showed students how innovations can promote communication across cultural boundaries. The 'One World, Many Voices' and 'Listening Across Borders' events encouraged students to question their own perspectives and develop a better understanding of other cultures. Working in international teams not only helped the students to expand their professional skills, but also to develop important social skills such as teamwork, critical thinking and intercultural awareness."
The exchange ends with a visit to the L'Oréal company in Düsseldorf before the visitors return to Ukraine.
