Flexible and international. Interview with NMU student Alexander Kahn

Written by Gesine Stück  |  Monday, 18 October 2010  | 

Alexander Kahn is a student of Kiel University of Applied Sciences with area of concentration in maritime traffic. He spent a semester abroad at NMU partner University of Gothenburg and benefitted the NMU e-learning modules. Projekt partner Philippa Lenz spoke to him about his experiences - positive and negative - within this time.

Philippa Lenz (PL): How did you hear information about the NMU programme?
Alexander Kahn (AK): Through NMU partners Prof Thomas Pawlik and Susanne Neumann of Bremen University of Applied Sciences.

PL: Which courses did you take? At which universities?
AK: I spent my exchange semester at one of NMU partners in Sweden, the University of Gothenburg and took some master courses, e.g. Shipping Production Systems and Logistics Management, Shipping Industrial Organization and Business Strategic Management, and International Trade and Logistics, offered within the Logistics and Transport Management programme.
The teaching delivery method was different to one in Germany. For example, some lectures were delivered by guest lecturers, e.g. Gordon Wilmsmeier or Kevin Cullinane from NMU university partner, TRI, Edinburgh Napier University and also some experts from local companies. This is what they called the "travelling lecturer concept", which is developed within the NMU network. This kind of lectures enables students to get experiences and broader insights from experts working in different areas or businesses and to learn about different challenges in different countries, due to e.g. geographical distinctions or regional discrepancies.
Besides experiencing the exchange student programme and met the different types of lecturers, I also took part on the NMU e-learning course,  Environmental Friendly Maritime Transport, delivered by NMU partner Susanne Neumann and the International Maritime Economics course delivered by Thomas Pawlik at the University of Applied Sciences Kiel.

PL: How did you like e-learning? Was this your first time to learn online? What were your experiences?
AK: Considering the fact I only did one e-learning course, I cannot say a lot, but I did have positive experiences. One of the biggest benefits for me that I have flexibility in learning time, which is a big advantage for students, who also need to work beside their study. A disadvantage in my opinion is the simpleness to link something.
Thus, some lecturers tend to link too much information, e.g. from internet, without considering the limited time and pressures the students have, to learn all provided articles or links.

PL: What do you think were the benefits or the disadvantages in this kind of transnational courses?
AK: The advantages are to learn and experience a lot about different learning methods, different cultures, by having known people and making friends from other nationalities. The time in Sweden helped me a lot to improve my language and to learn all the necessary terms in shipping economics, what is essential for maritime industry.
A disadvantage was, that for me it was a really important semester, because it was the emphasis for my study, but some other Erasmus students didn't take the group works or courses that serious as I did.

PL: What do you think about the quality of the NMU courses you have taken and the lecturers?
AK: The quality of this kind of study is really high. I have found especially in Scandinavian countries the lecturers have a high level knowledge of English language, which is important to give a lecture for international students. The travelling lecturer concept has a lot of advantages. It reveals different valuable experiences of the other lecturers from different countries and experts e.g. from shipping companies and banks, came from different areas of expertise and shared the different challenges they have met and the taken solutions.

PL: Did you foresee your professional career by taking NMU courses?
AK: After my arrival back home, I have applied for several internships and have received two positive answers. During the interviews I have learnt that the employers are really interested in my international experiences.

PL: Would you recommend the NMU programme to other students or maritime professionals?
AK: Yes, I totally would, since most international companies expect people with such background and experiences.

PL: Do you have ideas for improvement of the NMU programme?
AK: In regard of the fact that the living costs in Scandinavian countries are much higher than in Germany, there should be the possibility to apply for any kind of scholarship for NMU students.