Experiences of international students at ISM

“Therefore, the Bachelor’s program in International Management at ISM was the right choice for me.” It has been over a year now, since she joined the B.A. program. Talking about the lectures, she points out: “The focus on practicality is the best part, you really get to interact with every person in the classroom.”

The ISM has many campuses located all around Germany. Najoua and I are studying at the campus in Dortmund, which is quite small. But that doesn’t bother her. “In my opinion, it would be harder to make friends if the campus was larger. That was the case while I was studying in Spain,“ Najoua explains. She often, sometimes unwillingly, likes to compare the educational system of Germany and her home country. She is very grateful that the ISM is supportive in regards to her studies: “The reason might be that Germany overall is a very organized country, everything gets done so quickly.” Adapting to that change, however, took time. “One is expected to always work hard, which can be challenging to some but motivating for me,“ she answers.

While we were talking, our friend Jasleen (20) joined us. After finishing High School in India, Jasleen decided to continue her studies overseas. She learned about ISM through a recent graduate from ISM, who suggested the Bachelor’s program in International Management. She finally enrolled for that program, because the class is in English which is an advantage for most international students.

Jasleen met Najoua at the ISM campus and they quickly connected. “The small classes make it easier to find other international students who are as lost as oneself,“ she adds while laughing. Jasleen, who is used to strict educational rules in her Indian home country, was surprised when she joined ISM: “In German universities, I feel like the concept of a topic is thought of first. The definition follows after. In India it is vice versa.”
Both friends agree that even though the courses are in English, a basic knowledge of German is helpful for everyday life. “Choose your campus wisely and do research on that city,“ Najoua recommends. “Also, be prepared to get surprised when you start your lectures. They are way more practical than one expects,“ Jasleen adds. We all laugh and I thank both of them for sharing their experiences.