Business, Logistics & Transport International

News

Two students graduate with a double degree

Having spent two semesters in China, two newly graduated railway engineers recently returned to Germany with a Bachelor's degree from Tongji University. After two years of study at Fachhochschule Erfurt, they were able to complete their double degree in Shanghai in a further year with the help of the CDHAW exchange program – and with outstanding results in the minimum amount of time. They have already posted an inspiring report and a small series of pictures.

Special visit

In June, a party from the International Business faculty of the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos La Victoria / Lima, led by Professor Víctor Hugo Fernández Bedoya, paid a visit to Fachhochschule Erfurt as part of a DAAD-sponsored study trip. After a warm welcome, hosted by the Faculty of Business, Logistics and Transport, Professors Brunner, Gröger and Heinitz arranged a half-day program for our visitors. The main focus of the tour, which took the sixteen-member delegation from Düsseldorf via the Lower Rhine and Marburg to Thuringia, was on fair trade, sustainability and technology, using coffee – an important export for Peru – as an example. During a series of university visits, city tours and train transfers in between, the participants gained a first-hand impression of present-day Germany, where they were able to work on their projects and share experiences with fellow students and researchers. From our point of view, it was a valuable opportunity to make new contacts and learn more about academic education, infrastructure development in their country and the way they view trade-influencing measures such as supply chain laws. (Photos: UNMSM)      

Fifth DFH research seminar for young academics in Italy

The annual seminar and field trip, co-organized with the Université Cergy-Paris, took place for the fifth time in June 2024 (since 2018 but disrupted by the pandemic). Thanks to renewed funding from the Franco-German university, participants from the transport-related Master's programs at both partners and the host university were able to spend three days sharing ideas and learning from each other in lectures, joint project work, visits and leisure activities. This year's venue was Milan, and the theme was chosen to match: "Transport-related ecological challenges in metropolitan areas". As a result of flooding in Upper Bavaria, the rail journey was difficult and took much longer than expected. Nevertheless, we were able to attend the entire program prepared by Professor Beria (Politecnico Milano). It covered everything from the automated underground railway system of the present day back to the 1930s, with the historically preserved vehicles of the state railway and the ‘Padiglione Reale’ in a side wing of the main train station, which is otherwise not open to the public. In addition to experiencing and understanding the character of the monumental structure in a city rich in architectural landmarks, the group was particularly impressed by the enthusiastic presentations of the speakers, who had travelled from Rome especially for the occasion. Last but not least, what remains are renewed and newly established contact networks and memories of the excellent and diverse Italian cuisine. Click here to view a gallery of photos from the trip.

19th research seminar "Innovation & Value Creation – I&VC"

The Faculty of Business, Logistics, and Transport hosted the 19th "Innovation & Value Creation - I&VC" research seminar at the University of Applied Sciences in Erfurt from April 18 to 20. Prof. Sabine Brunner and her team invited 60 professors, post-docs, and doctoral students from Germany, Austria, and Italy to Erfurt. The research community, initiated by Prof. Dr. rer. pol. Prof. h.c. Dr. h.c. Ralf Reichwald and his former doctoral students (including Prof. Möslein, FAU; Prof. Piller, RWTH), has been meeting regularly once a year for around 20 years.

This year's I&VC in Erfurt was officially inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Sabine Brunner and Prof. Dr. Ralf Reichwald, who joined the event online. Afterwards, current doctoral students from the research community were able to present their research work and findings in the field of "Innovation & Value Creation". Research projects on topics such as Digital Transformation & Business Models, Sustainability & Circular Economy, Organizational Behaviour, AI & Large Language Models, and Smart Services were presented and discussed in around 40 presentations and parallel tracks. After the presentations, the doctoral students received valuable feedback in Q&A sessions from the community.

In addition to the academic exchange, the accompanying program enabled further networking activities within the community, for example, the unofficial opening on Thursday at 360° Thüringen Digital (a virtual reality space) and at the pre-conference dinner in Kromers restaurant in Erfurt. On Friday evening, after a popular city tour, a formal dinner at the Glashütte Petersberg completed the second day of the conference. On Saturday after three days of new insights, inspiration, and fruitful discussions within the community, the conference closed at a coffee bike on campus.

The next I&VC Community research seminar will take place at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria in Wels, organized by Prof. Dr. Christiane Rau.

(Photo: Nicole Eiteljörge)

Mexican experience with the MDHK Winter School 2024

The German University Consortium for International Cooperation (DHIK), to which 28 German universities, including Fachhochschule Erfurt, are currently affiliated, has been focusing on the PR China (CDHAW) since 2004 and, for several years now, on Mexico (MDHK). Our partner in this endeavour is the Tec de Monterrey, the most important network of technical universities. It is also possible to broaden your horizons without spending a whole semester or year studying abroad, for example by taking part in field trips or summer and winter schools. One of our Master's students studying ‘Material Flow and Logistics’ had the opportunity to take part in February. Click here to view his illustrated travelogue.

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