Yesterday saw the start of a new semester here at Pforzheim University. All 3^rd semester students, faculty and staff were happy to finally meet again on campus after a very busy summer semester that was entirely taught online due to the Covid pandemic. During the last couple of weeks the university upgraded its hygiene measures to comply with the official hygiene and distance rules thus allowing the MBA program to go back to face-to-face teaching with several classes and events following the university's motto: “as much presence as possible, as much digital teaching as necessary”.  The new MBA students that arrived during the last couple of weeks gathered for the first time in their MBA classroom. Since many German embassies abroad only reopened lately and due to the related delay in visa processes not all of the 1^st semester students could be there in person yet. They joined the event via online tool. The same tool will be used for the hybrid lectures that started today and that will run until all 1^st semester students have arrived in Pforzheim. After welcoming the new MBA students to Pforzheim University the program director Prof. Strotmann had a closer look with them on the curriculum. During the first semester all the basics in Accounting & Finance, Marketing, Business Functions, Economics, Research Methods and Management Skills will be addressed. Besides those lectures an exciting program of “Guest in Classroom” talks with key professionals from the industry, the “Alumni meet Current students” event as well as a field trip is awaiting the 1^st semester students.
After a long summer break the 3^rd semester students were happy to finally see each other again and to catch up. Besides the mandatory courses in Innovation & Business Dynamics, Sustainable Globalization and Digital Transformation the third semester offers a variety of elective classes in the areas of Finance & Accounting, Marketing or Consulting from which the students can chose in order to specialize. Another great opportunity to work closely together with a German firm offers the company project. Divided into project groups, supported by company representatives and supervised by a professor this year the students get the chance to work on real business projects for well-known firms such as Bosch Rexroth, KPMG, MAHLE and Faros Linen.
After the individual launch of the 1^st and 3^rd semester the two batches gathered for a short introduction round so that the 1^st semester students got a chance to meet the other other students of the MBA program in person.    

text:MBA                                                                                                                                                                                                      photos: Michael Karlaus, MBA