Dual studies and gaining experience abroad, is that possible? Yes, of course! During my dual studies at CSL Behring in the field of Business Communication Management, I had the opportunity to spend a semester abroad at the American Business School (ABS) in Paris from February to May 2021.
A semester abroad is an integral part of my third year of study at accadis University in Bad Homburg. The university cooperates with eight partner universities from all over the world – from France to South Africa. As part of my dual study program with CSL Behring, I decided to spend my semester abroad in Paris. One reason for this decision is that I always wanted to live independently in a big city like Paris and get to know the local culture better. Especially cultural experiences and language skills are a great advantage in an international company like CSL Behring. I already had this experience during my first practical phase, as the communications team – like many other departments – is globally aligned.
University life at the American Business School
The ABS in Paris is an international university that welcomes students from all over the world and teaches mainly in English. I chose the university because the courses offered in the field of marketing and communication were ideally suited to my course of study and I was thus able to further expand and deepen my knowledge. I took courses such as Integrated Marketing Communication or Brand Innovation and Management. The courses had a very practical approach and required a high degree of self-organization due to constant submissions, presentations and group work. These helped me immensely to develop personally, improve my language skills and gain intercultural experience. In general, it was easy for me to follow the lessons in English, since modules in English were already part of my studies at accadis University and I also work with a global team at CSL Behring.
Due to the corona situation, the university followed a rotating system that allowed students to attend face-to-face classes every other week. Unfortunately, restrictions were tightened in the middle of the semester, forcing the university to switch back to 100% online lectures. However, this system was proven and worked very well. Overall, the study time at the ABS was very beneficial and, despite the predominantly online lectures, exciting and varied.
Life in the city of love and light
If someone had previously told me that I would one day live and study in Paris for four months, I probably would not have believed it. Even better that this became reality during my dual studies. Paris is truly a beautiful city and incredibly rich in art and culture. Besides the daily university routine, there was enough time to explore Paris. Despite the restrictions in place due to the corona pandemic, I was able to do a lot. Sights like the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame Cathedral or Sacré-Cœur could be visited and enjoyed without the typical tourist crowds. Numerous parks scattered throughout the city invited to picnics with croissants and baguettes. At the end of the semester, I also had ample opportunity to visit the Louvre and other museums, Versailles Palace, and of course the good restaurants and cafes to make the most of my stay abroad in this respect as well.
Summary
All in all, the semester abroad was the highlight of my dual study program and the perfect combination of theory and practice. I had already been excited about this possibility at the beginning of my studies. The corona situation made planning more difficult last year, but did not render it impossible, especially since I received full support from CSL Behring at all times. One thing I learned from this time is how important it is to be flexible nowadays. I would decide to spend a semester abroad again at any time and warmly recommend it to anyone who is thinking about studying abroad. I met great people and had experiences that enriched me personally.
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