TSIBA’s relationship with the Rosenheim Technical University of Applied Sciences in Bavaria, Germany near Munich continues to flourish and grow. TSIBA and Rosenheim have had a 4-week joint programme Bilateral Cultural exchange and 2 Summer School Workshops, hosted in Rosenheim; and this year the 2nd Bilateral is underway. In 2017, Maryam Haywood and Tarryn Julies we were given the opportunity to be part of the Summer School experience. The 2017 special topic was Business Ethics, and the purpose of the course was to explore the ethical dimensions of business and managerial decision- making. Maryam shares her experience with us.
In all my life I have only been away from my family for more than 6 days and that was only to go to a camp in South Africa. This was my first overseas trip, my first time on a plane and I was extremely nervous and excited to finally be going onto a plane. At the airport is where I only actually realised that this trip was really happening and all the emotions hit me at once. I was extremely nervous and excited. Nervous because it’s my first time going overseas and excited because I was going to study in Germany at the Technical University of Applied Sciences in Rosenheim and the fact that I will be meeting people from all over the world.
The summer school has taught me about more about business ethics, how to deal with various situations within the business, 4th industrial revolution and how things are dramatically changing within the workforce. I have also learned a lot about myself throughout this whole experience and I have a newfound confidence in my abilities
Aside from going to classes, we got opportunities to tour the country and learn about the rich history, cultures and the beautiful architecture of historical landmarks and churches. The BMW Museum was an experience I will never forget. It was amazing to actually see cars that I only see on tv, in person. I got to interact with people from Nigeria, Japan, China, Ecuador, France, Morocco and Mexico. Interacting with them has opened my mind to the realities of how different yet similar we are.
I am forever grateful to my family, TSIBA and sponsors for supporting me and making this possible. It is an experience that I will never forget and that will in the future open so many doors for me to have a better life. Not only have these people changed my life but this has changed the lives of everyone I meet. I will always encourage people I meet to never give up and think that travelling and studying abroad is impossible. Anything is possible if you are determined and have the right people in your life that pushes you to greatness.