In the summer semester of 2022, the International Business course was able to go on an excursion again for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic.

Embedded in a student project and in cooperation with the Design Factory Pforzheim, the trip went to Portugal.

In the summer semester of 2023, our students travelled to Israel.

In addition to the cultural programme, they learned a lot about the innovative power of this technologically advanced country and made contacts with Israeli students at a joint workshop.

"Luego de terminar una carrera técnica en Comercio Exterior y juntar experiencia laboral previa en Perú, mi objetivo era claro: Quería un bachiller con base internacional pero con mayor enfoque práctico en Alemania.

Es así que la excelente reputación de la Hochschule Pforzheim y el programa de International Business llenaron mis expectativas idóneamente. Desde ahí todo ha ido en crecimiento. La combinación de 3 a 4 idiomas así como la currícula interdisciplinaria enfocada al mundo laboral es inigualable. Fue por la estrecha cooperación entre la universidad y el sector privado a nivel global que tuve un roce empresarial en todo momento: desde visitas a compañías en Rusia y Escocia hasta un año de prácticas en empresas como Mercedes Benz y Commerzbank.

Para mí una de las grandes ventajas es el semestre de intercambio. La gran variedad de universidades asociadas globalmente así como los diversos programas disponibles me permitieron formar un perfil propio. Decidí regresar a mi país de origen, donde finalicé como resultado del doble grado un segundo bachiller en Finanzas en la universidad ESAN, una de las mejores Business School del país. Adicionalmente, el programa PROMOS (programa de la DAAD y UN) cofinanció este intercambio y me dio la oportunidad de participar en proyectos de Responsabilidad Social con autoridades locales en Lima."

"The International Business degree programme at Pforzheim University is unique in that subjects are taught in English, French or Spanish, depending on the chosen focus. For example, a business plan is created in French to realise a business idea in a francophone country. The acquisition of soft skills is also very important. The sound business education according to the "Pforzheim Model" with compulsory internship and semester abroad is framed by training in communication, teamwork and presentation techniques, as well as foreign-language job application training, intercultural training, and much more. The atmosphere at the university is very informal, and due to the relatively small "classes" within the degree programmes, there is a high and productive exchange with fellow students and professors. The city of Pforzheim and the region invite you to take part in numerous activities after lectures or at the weekend, so that Pforzheim is not only a great place to study but also a great place to live.

Personally, after a semester abroad in Paris and an exciting internship at PUMA in International Key Account Management, I decided to take the double degree offered by Pforzheim University with ESSCA. After the theory semester in the Marketing track at ESSCA Campus Paris, I completed a 6-month internship in Channel Development at Danone Waters in Frankfurt am Main, and then specialised in "Consumer Goods Marketing" in the third Master's semester. In the fourth and last Master's semester, I completed an internship in the sales field service of Danone Waters and wrote my Master's thesis in parallel.

Since October 2016, I have been working as an International Trainee Sales at Dr. August Oetker Nahrungsmittel KG in Bielefeld, and can look back on an extremely valuable study programme at Pforzheim University, both professionally and personally."

"Like many other International Business students, I graduated high school wanting to study something international. Something where I could apply my love for languages and also something related to business and economics. Pforzheim offered me the best combination for what I was looking for: a strong basis in business administration and a later specialization in English and Spanish.

What I did not know at that time is that Pforzheim would open me doors I never even considered possible.  

Something unique about the program - and something I really enjoyed - is the proximity of theory and praxis. This offered me the chance to explore many different industries and projects: from working together with the worldwide known company TeamViewer to come up with an adaptation strategy for the Mediterranean countries, to traveling to Spain as a student consultant to develop a market entry strategy for a Spanish company willing to start business in Germany.

These kind of projects allowed me to improve many different skills simultaneously and helped me land different internships in companies such as Daimler, Bosch and Witzenmann. 

But also, the possibilities within the career are endless. I was lucky to be able to assist as a working student in the International Business department, as well as at the International Office. Both of them were positions that I did not know about when I started studying, but that gave me valuable insights into the study program and great networking opportunities.

However, the one thing that for me surpasses all of the other benefits from Pforzheim is the freedom that the University gives you to choose your own path, both with a Semester abroad and with specialization / elective classes. At some point along the way I discovered that I had a passion for intercultural and international communication and I decided to make a career out of this new discovered talent.

Now, with a finished Master in International Communication from The Netherlands and a position as Marketing Coordinator UK in Amsterdam, I can look back and assure that Pforzheim was the key to start with this professional journey and that International Business provided me with all the skills I needed to be successful in a working environment. What I saw as just a study program back in 2015, ended up being one of the greatest journeys so far. And for that, I can only say: thank you Pforzelona!"

"I decided to study International Business at Pforzheim University after graduating from high school because I wanted my fascination for other cultures, my enthusiasm for foreign languages and my interest in (business) economic matters to accompany me throughout my subsequent Bachelor's degree.

A key experience came as early as the second semester: in "Regional Studies" we were impressively shown, with the help of metaphorical examples, that cultural conditions of a country also inevitably have an influence on the respective business practices. This course intensified my interest in different cultures and once again strengthened my choice for International Business.

After the two-semester basic studies, IB-relevant specialisation subjects were increasingly on the curriculum: In "Gestion d'entreprise en France et dans les pays francophones", for example, I had the opportunity to realise a business idea in a francophone country. In retrospect, this course challenged me the most. Starting with the creation of a promising marketing plan to the elaboration of a structured financial plan, I now know what it means to try and establish yourself as a start-up.

Through the combination of foreign languages and business, I have already been able to achieve personal success in Sales & Market Management at Daimler AG, among others. Due to my language constellation German-English-French, I was able to complete an extremely varied internship in a multinational German company for its activities in North Africa, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia during my internship semester.

By choosing to spend my semester abroad at UIBE in Beijing, I wanted first and foremost to challenge my interpersonal and intercultural skills, but at the same time to put my knowledge of China and Asia to the test. At the end of the day, I now know that I would like to deal with the incredible growth potential in Asia in my future professional life."