After two years of Covid, we were finally happy to welcome you in presence again. This year has been filled with events of different kinds: We organized many corporate events at our clubhouse, company visits, cooking, and networking events. In addition, three large and super successful parties and many fun events, such as weekend trips, welcome week events, and various sports events, took place. The international department also made sure that our internationals, be it during their semester abroad, the start of their studies in Cologne, or a course exchange, felt comfortable at all times and could expect a full and varied program.
But the year was not all fun and games. Further Corona measures, rising prices, a gas crisis in Germany, and the RussiaUkraine conflict presented us with new challenges in 2022. Because of this, the chapter INfocus deals with energy security in Germany and the geopolitical risk of hydrogen imports.
As you flip through the magazine pages, you will be reminded of many great events we experienced together in 2022. We want to say a special thank you to all those who made this successful year possible. Thank you to all our committed members for your continuous support in organizing and implementing our events. Thank you to all our sponsoring partners for your support and the wide range of activities offered. Also, thank you to the PIM & CEMS Advisory Board for your advice and support.
Finally, we wish you all the best and the new board much success for 2023! It has been our great pleasure to be your executive board this past year and we take away many valuable lessons and fun memories.
Your Board from 2022 Valentin, Nina, Oskar, Smilla, Julian, Hendrik and Rica
The official magazine of the PIM & CEMS Student and Alumni Club Cologne e.V.
PIM & CEMS Student and Alumni Club Cologne e.V.
Zülpicher Straße 28 50674 Köln Germany
E-Mail: club@pimandcems.de www.pimandcems.de pimandcemsclub
Rica Weißenberg
Maren Winter (www.marenwinter.de)
Allianz crossconsulting ewi Köln Foto CSöldner KMPG
PIM & CEMS Club Members WiSo faculty
We thank our …
audibene, Bain & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Berg Lund & Company, Capgemini Invent, crossconsulting, Deloitte, Deutsche Telekom Inhouse Consulting, DHL Consulting, EY Parthenon, Henkel, KPMG, McKinsey & Company, Microsoft, Oliver Wyman,
Procter & Gamble, Roland Berger, Simon-Kucher & Partners, thyssenkrupp Management Consulting, zeb
Allianz crossconsulting KPMG
Sofia Alfimova, Rahul Balani, Vera Desyatnikova, Nina Eickmeier, Oskar Glaser, Valentin Gellert, Hendrik Hüsselmann, Julian Janke, Frederik Karbenn, Sebastian Kramlofsky, Jakob Kröner, Luisa Rabenstein, Niklas Schlue, Smilla Schwörer, Anxhela Shera, Kerstin Urban, Hendrik Wechmann, Oliver Welter, Rica Weißenberg, Patricia Wild
p.14
The Board of 2022 CEMS Club Conference CEMS Student Board Meeting wiso International Exchange with the UK The University of East Anglia focus Study: Hydrogen Trade Risks
ternational
Pushing the exchange with UK new partnerships and the short-term programme WiSo@London p.13
International Week Cologne My semester abroad, London My semester abroad, Rennes International Week Barcelona International Week Prague Welcome Weeks alumni Alumni Events business Corporate Events Rotation Dinner Speed Recruiting action
CEMS Welcome Weekend Ghent CEMS Club Reunion Summer Party Social Events
Social events from movie nights, to soccer events, to dancing and singing at our 11.11. party p.40
Studies
M.Sc. International Management CEMS MIM Exchange semester
Calcutta, India Indian Institute of Management Calcutta ❤ memory 2022
CEMS Reunion in Budapest and Milan
Piece of advice for the next president of your department
Have a good time management system and enjoy the journey!
One goal for 2023
Enjoying the free time between the exchange semester and my internship abroad by traveling in south and central Asia
M.Sc. International Management CEMS MIM Exchange semester
Seoul, South Korea Korea University Business School ❤ memory 2021
The whole year was an incredible experience! One of my favorite memories is our board weekend in Cochem, where we grew together even more as a team. Also, the biggest corporate event Speed Recruiting. To put so much work into an event and then have everything go according to plan was just amazing.
Piece of advice for the next president of your department
Enjoy the year and take as many beautiful moments as you can it will go super fast! Besides, a good and reliable team is worth a lot. And last but not least, don't stress yourself too much everything will work out!
One goal for 2022
Finish Master's program and explore South-East Asia on my own after the semester abroad.
M.Sc. International Management CEMS MIM Exchange semester Dublin, Ireland UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School ❤ memory 2022
Reuniting with 500+ CEMSies in Barcelona for a huge Party Piece of advice for the next president of your department Don’t forget to have fun!
One goal for 2023 See old and new friends around the world
M.Sc. International Management CEMS MIM Exchange semester London, Canada Ivey Business School
❤ memory 2022
Participating in the International Week Istanbul was an amazing experience! I met so many new people and had such a fun time! Also, I loved the PIM & CEMS Carnival party! The mood was great and everyone was having a fantastic time.
Piece of advice for the next president of your department Do an early board weekend and get to know each other. As soon as you act as a team, everything becomes so much easier!
One goal for 2023
Make sure I still get to see my Board friends as much as possible, even though we will all be traveling a lot!
six months of organizing coming to life together with everyone from the IW team.
Piece of advice for the next president of your department Make sure to find a great team this will make your year as president even more fun!
My goal for 2023 Starting my master’s degree and travel a lot
Member, Alumni & IT
M.Sc. International Management CEMS MIM Exchange semester
São Paulo, Brazil Escola de Administração de Empresas de São Paulo
❤ memory 2022 CEMS Club Reunion in Budapest and the Waterskiing Event in Summer!
Piece of advice for the next president of your department Have fun and enjoy the year it will be over before you know it. One goal for 2023 Become friends with a Capybara and maybe learn how to surf.
Finance
M.Sc. Business Administration Finance Exchange semester
Milan, Italy Bocconi University
❤ memory 2021
B.Sc. Economics Energy Economics & Corporate Development
❤ memory 2022
International Week Cologne 2022 It was just amazing to see
EY-Parthenon workshop: We had a great time together with the participants and the EY employees. At first, we got to know the company culture of EY Parthenon by visiting their offices and having short workshops about case studies and the application process in general. Afterwards we ended the evening nicely with a barbecue course and cold drinks.
Piece of advice for the next president of your department Take part in as many workshops and social events as possible and make the most of club life. Stay up-to-date on what's going on in the other departments.
One goal for 2022 Enjoy my exchange semester in Milano as much as possible and take more time for myself and my hobbies again.
As CEMS Club president in Cologne, I get the unique chance to participate in two CEMS Club Conferences (CCC) as the PIM & CEMS Club Cologne elects its presidents for two semesters instead of only one, as most other schools do. The CCC is a relatively new initiative designed to connect CEMS Club presidents of all member schools, in person or virtually, to discuss best practices and new ideas. In March, we had the fantastic opportunity to host the CCC with the Student Board Representatives at the CEMS Club support function in Cologne. In October, I traveled to the Stockholm School of Economics to attend the conference.
Traditionally, the role of the CEMS Clubs is local since their purpose is to connect students with corporate partners and organize the social events that make the CEMS experience special. But the pandemic has clearly shown that to breed the CEMS spirit, being active locally is not enough; in-person student exchange is necessary. By sharing best practices between Clubs and brainstorming on new ideas for inter-club collaboration, the CEMS network grows closer together. A great example is the new
CEMS Club buddy program that matches three clubs in different stages of their development to help each other with problems they might encounter. Our club, with its long-standing history that began even before CEMS came around, is arguably the most experienced in the entire alliance. It was matched with the CC Prague and CC Tokyo. We are currently coming up with ideas to engage in a joint event across time zones, so stay tuned for that!
After the long days at the conference, we also had the chance to explore the host cities for a bit. A personal highlight was hosting all of the CEMS Club presidents in our beautiful Clubhouse and showing off the variety of Kölsch the bars around it have to offer. Getting to know each other on a more personal level is not only fun but also allows forging new concepts for regional initiatives.
It is truly inspiring and I am very thankful for the chance to get together with all these amazing people eager to make the CEMS experience better for every student. The CCC is a cornerstone of the CEMS community development and I cannot wait to see what direction the future generations will steer the alliance.
From Sunday, August 28th, until Sunday, September 4th, the second CEMS Student Board Meeting of 2022 took place. The week started with a virtual opening call in which newly elected Student Board members were introduced, and important topics for the week were announced.
During the week, the functions and project teams within the Student Board worked independently on their projects until they finally met in person in Lisbon on Friday, September 3 rd . Luckily, the Estoril Conferences at Nova School of Business and Economics happened shortly before the Student Board meeting. Hence, the Student Board members had the opportunity to listen to inspiring talks and take part in exciting workshops. The Agenda of the Student Board Meeting itself included exchanges with the Academic Director of Nova SBE. We discussed the future of cross-school initiatives such as the Estoril Conferences. Further, the Global Office presented a summary of the academic year and provided an outlook on upcoming events such as the Career Form 2022 in Barcelona. In addition, we discussed the sustainability of CEMS as a program, its possibilities, and the idea of a Sustainability Taskforce.
Another essential element of the meeting consisted of an exchange with the Deans of the schools that are part of the CEMS alliance and the CEMS Strategic Board. Three Student Board members delivered a presentation about the future of business schools and how CEMS as a program can better respond to changing requirements for business students. Afterward, the Deans, CEMS Strategic Board members, and Student Board members had the opportunity to further exchange about this topic. Finally, the participants used the in-person meeting to work in cross-team sessions on shared projects. In our free time, we went on a boat trip with the local CEMS Club and discovered the Portuguese culture and cuisine.
All in all, this year's second in-person Student Board Meeting showed again what it means to be part of a global alliance. It means meeting people from all over the world, learning about different viewpoints on topics relevant to the CEMS program, and working on projects that contribute to improving the CEMS experience for everyone. The last Student Board meeting of 2022 occurred in Cairo at the beginning of December during the CEMS graduation.
When the citizens of the United Kingdom voted in a referendum to leave the European Union on 23 June 2016, it was a blow particularly felt by everyone working in the field of European cooperation. The prospect of a borderless Europe, which enabled the flow of goods, services and especially people on the continent, suddenly cracked.
Now, over 6 years later, the so-called “Brexit” and its consequences are reality. One of the consequences felt especially by students is the UK’s departure from the Erasmus+ network, supporting European student mobility financially. The last students receiving a regular Erasmus+ scholarship for an exchange semester in the United Kingdom will soon be leaving for their exchange and receive their last funding by May 2023. After that, an exchange to the United Kingdom will be similar to an exchange semester at other non-European universities: students will apply for other scholarships to not fund their experience abroad entirely by themselves. If these prospects will significantly decrease the popularity of British universities among students, thinking about applying for an exchange semester, remains to be seen but from our point of view, much speaks in favour of the opposite.
Universities in the UK enjoy highest international reputation and offer WiSo students an entirely English-speaking exchange opportunity, close to their home university in Cologne and reachable within a few hours of travel. Great campuses and interesting destinations have much to offer for our WiSo students. As WiSo Faculty, we remained in close contact throughout the last
years with our British partner universities who assured us of their commitment to European exchange and their intention of fostering internationalisation – despite Brexit! Confirming this intention, we were able to maintain most of our existing exchange partnerships with British universities and even expanded our network through new partnerships with the University of East Anglia, University of St. Andrews and University of Birmingham, with whom we started cooperating after the Brexit referendum.
In addition to these existing semester exchange possibilities, we will scale our successful WiSo@NYC academic short programme, annually taking place in the US, and launch a new short programme in the UK: WiSo@London. This four-week programme includes a curriculum on topics such as Contemporary Economic Challenges in Post-Brexit UK, Sustainability and Competitive Advantage, and Innovation in and with Cities, as well as a variety of corporate and cultural visits in London - thus, offering Bachelor students at the WiSo Faculty yet another great opportunity to gain international experiences in the UK. These exciting opportunities will open a new chapter in international exchange with the United Kingdom and most of all they show: no reason to mind a gap.
The University of East Anglia (UEA) is located in Norwich, one of the best cities to live in the UK according to the Sunday Times. Just a few miles off the coast, Norwich is a two-hour train ride north-east of London. Just three kilometres outside of the city centre, the campus of UEA offers a variety of on-campus facilities and activities, and provides you with the best of both worlds a vibrant on-campus life with sports facilities, restaurants and shops, while at the same time offering an urban environment with lots of possibilities. UEA is consistently ranked among the best higher education institutions in the UK, offering a variety of courses and interdisciplinary activities as well as excellent research. They put a special emphasis on educating young people to address major challenges faced by today’s society and bringing together different disciplines to find solutions for these challenges.
please 13 wiso
visit or
SPOTLIGHT ON A UK PARTNER
by Patricia Wild
Due to the current energy crisis, the issue of energy security has suddenly come into focus. The diversification of the energy supply, especially of energy import, is in addition to decarbonisation the central challenge of the German energy system. Besides ensuring sustainability, economic efficiency and affordability, securing energy supply is a major target of Germany's energy policy. The energy supply system must be able to withstand external shocks.
Many energy system analyses show that hydrogen in the future will not only be used as a raw material in the (petro-)chemical industry as it is already used today but also as an energy carrier. As the use of hydrogen increases, so does the need to establish a secure and resilient hydrogen supply.
Since renewable energy (RE) potentials in Germany will to a large extent be used to electrify many end-use sectors, the potential to produce green hydrogen domestically is very limited. Significant hydrogen imports will be necessary to meet the German demand for green hydrogen. Thus, even in a decarbonised German energy system, energy imports will remain necessary. A study by the Institute of Energy Economics (EWI) at the University of Cologne analysing the potential geopolitical hydrogen import risks for Germany shows that, taking a look into the future, we will continue to be confronted with security and transit risks. Hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives will develop into internationally traded commodities, and a global hydrogen market will emerge. Across all studied scenarios, the global hydrogen demand is estimated to multiply by a factor of three to six by 2050. About one-third of the green hydrogen used in 2050 could be traded across borders. It comes with no surprise
then, that the development of a global hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives market as well as the increased investment in hydrogen technologies will lead to geopolitical and geo-economic changes.
Global supply chains are confronted with a variety of geopolitical risks. These risks are closely related to the political, economic and social challenges of export and transit countries as well as the bilateral relations between the trading partners.
Whereas geopolitical risks pose a threat to the secure supply of hydrogen consumers in Germany, investment risks in the exporting countries establish a central challenge for German companies as they could make establishing hydrogen supply chains more expensive or could slow it down. With the rising global relevance of hydrogen, there is also a growing risk that hydrogen supplies could be used as political leverage. In addition to the just mentioned techno-economic analysis of hydrogen potentials, political-economic and social factors need to be assessed as decision makers in the political as well as in the business sphere consider geopolitical risks when forming decisions regarding hydrogen supply chains.
The Institute of Energy Economics at the University of Cologne (EWI) is a non-profit limited liability company dedicated to applied research in energy economics and energy business informatics and carries out consulting projects for business, politics and society.
Annette Becker and Prof. Dr. Marc Oliver Bettzüge form the institute's management and lead a team of more than 40 employees. The EWI is a research institution of the Cologne University Foundation. In addition to the income from research projects, analyses and expert opinions for public and private clients, the scientific operation is financed by institutional funding from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MWIDE). Liability for consequential damages, in particular for lost profits or compensation for damages to third parties, is excluded.
There exist four different risk factors, that can be clustered.
Political factors in hydrogen-producing or transit countries can influence the stability of a country or region and, thus, the reliability of hydrogen supplies. Political instability, conflicts, and wars pose a risk to import security.
In addition, numerous economic factors, such as economic freedom, corruption or exchange rate fluctuations, influence the risk potential of hydrogen exporting countries. This is because the economic situation in a country has an impact on political and social stability and therefore also on the development of the hydrogen market.
Social factors are closely linked to both of the abovementioned factors and can, in particular, be secondary risks of economic factors or could cause political risks. For example, social inequality and tensions, as well as conflicts over resources such as electricity, water or fertile land, can lead to instability and pose a risk to a stable and reliable hydrogen market.
Bilateral relations between actors involved in the supply chain also play a crucial role in the security of supply. Close economic, diplomatic and cultural ties can reduce the risk of disruption or restriction of value chains.
Geopolitical risks steer from a variety of political, economic, social and bilateral factors in the exporting and transit countries. The assessed potential hydrogen suppliers Spain, Algeria, the United Arab Emirates and Chile have individual opportunities and geopolitical risks.
Spain as a member of the European Union (EU) and a stable democracy, is characterised by low geopolitical risks for German hydrogen imports. The European single market, the joint energy sector and the possibility of pipeline transport offer numerous advantages for companies, investors and Germany's supply security.
Algeria is well placed to be a potential exporter of hydrogen thanks to its large RE potential, its geographical proximity to the EU and the plans for the EU supply corridor across the southern Mediterranean. However, the country faces numerous domestic political, economic, and social challenges. The disruptions and conflicts in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa), such as the conflict between Algeria and Morocco, pose a risk to Germany's supply security. However, hydrogen production could make an important contribution for Algeria to reduce its dependence on fossil energy exports and diversify its economy.
The UAE
The UAE is characterised by a good economic situation and political stability. However, the UAE is located in a conflict-ridden region. This also leads to transport risks for hydrogen imports due to three critical straits on the shipping route from the UAE to Germany. Even if the diversification of the economy in the UAE is being strongly promoted, it remains to be seen to what extent the energy transition poses a risk to the economic, social and political stability of the UAE and the region.
Chile offers strong economic freedom and therefore developed into a country that is especially attractive for investors and companies. However, social discontent and tensions caused political and economic stability to falter. The current uncertainty about the development of the Chilean constitution and, thus, the orientation of the political-economic system pose risks for hydrogen projects. For more information please visit www.ewi.uni-koeln.de
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The organizing team of this year's International Week (IW) Cologne welcomed 16 participants from around the world. The participants came from Poland, Japan, Turkey, Switzerland, Hungary and Spain. Since the first meeting in May, all eleven organizers put together a diverse and creative program for the participants based on the four pillars that every IW is structured around: business, cultural, academic and social events.
Organizing an IW involves a number of tasks which is why the team split up into groups to focus on certain aspects of organizing: Marketing, Program, Finance, Corporate Relations and Communications. After the teams were formed, we organized a teambuilding event to get to know each other better. Among the first tasks of organizing was to find a date when the IW Cologne should take place and find hosts for the participants. All in all, organizing an IW is a lot of fun and that every team member learned a lot along the journey.
IW Cologne started off with the country presentations by each participant. Everyone gave a short overview over their country and a few fun facts about themselves. The next marked the start of our trip to the countryside to spend three days in a cottage house roughly one hour away from Cologne near Siegen. With two nights to spend there, everyone was very excited to get to know each other better as some participants arrived later the night before and could not join the Welcome Event. Highlights of our stay there were the international dinner where the participants prepared a typical dish from their country for everyone, a scavenger hunt in teams through the nearby forest, and the barbecue that the organizing team prepared for everyone. As IW Cologne takes place during the beginning of the carnival season in Cologne, the 11th of November, the organizers prepared a carnival workshop to introduce everyone to the traditions of Carnival. Also, everyone prepared their costumes under the motto aliens. The time flew by and on Monday the program of the IW continued back in Cologne. First up was a workshop on intercultural interaction with Accenta Asia, followed by a guided tour through the stadium of the 1. FC Köln and finished by a visit to a traditional brewery. In the upcoming days an interesting workshop with crossconsulting,
a university presentation, a visit to the chocolate museum and a guided tour of the cathedral were planned. Furthermore, the famous Pub Crawl took place and everyone got to know Cologne with an engaging city tour. On Thursday, a trip to Cologne’s neighbor Bonn was on the program, starting with a visit to the United Nations and learning about their work and the focus they have at their headquarters in Bonn. The day continued with a visit to the house of history where Germany’s lively history is visually displayed. After that, everyone enjoyed a fun round of 3D-Minigolf back in Cologne and went home to rest for the big day 11.11. Everyone met at the PIM & CEMS Clubhouse for a traditional Carnival breakfast with “Mettbrötchen”. Just before the clock turned 11:11am everyone went outside onto the Zülpicher Street to celebrate the beginning of the Carnival season before heading to the PIM & CEMS Carnival party together. The next day was already the day of our farewell dinner. The organizing team prepared the clubhouse so it looked festive, some emotional speeches were given and everyone had the chance to write a short message to everyone involved in the IW, organizers, hosts and participants a short message. IW Cologne 2022 finished with the farewell party before everyone got on board their plane or train back home.
“… of the past year were the numerous pub crawls. Whether as part of the IW or with new incoming students — the best way to introduce fellow students from all over the world to Cologne & La Kölsche Vita is by having a glass of Kölsch together.” Oliver Welter
How did you decide that you wanted to study at this particular school?
London School of Economics needs no introduction as one of the world’s leading universities, so choosing LSE wasn’t hard for me, to be honest. However, the university’s reputation wasn’t the only reason I picked it. I have always been a fan of diversity and over two-thirds of LSE’s students come from outside of the UK, which makes it one of the most diverse schools in CEMS list, filled with people who think, live, and believe differently. Moreover, I have always been in love with London but never got the chance to visit it, and CEMS exchange was a golden opportunity to finally live my dream.
In a world filled with guilt and pessimists, I am Rahul Balani; a hopeless romantic who might write a novel one day. Even though I am a Cologne CEMSie, I originally come from Pakistan. Apart from being passionate about cinematic art, I enjoy doing bachata, traveling to new countries, and drinking beer with Germans! �� I am originally from Karachi, Pakistan. I am 25 years old and was born on 1st January 1997. I have been living in Cologne since mid-September 2021. I am on my exchange in London from 20 th September 2022 till 25th December 2022.
What was your first impression of the university and the city when you started your studies?
My impression of the university was amazing since the campus, classrooms, and professors at LSE are just mind-blowing. And since LSE is quite prestigious and financially rich, our welcome weekend was very luxurious, which made my impression even better towards the university. However, seeing CEMS not being treated as a flagship program was disappointing.
As for the city, I’d say my impression wasn’t that great at first since it took me 5 hours to get to my place from the airport due to crazy traffic, something which I have never experienced in Germany. And the tube/train system in London is a little depressing since no one talks to each other. However, when I started exploring other good aspects of the city over time, I realized these first impressions don’t matter anymore! There are definitely more pros than cons to London.
Did you notice any differences in studying at LSE compared to the University of Cologne?
There were many. Firstly, CEMS at UoC is a flagship program, so we always get somewhat special treatment from the university and corporate partners. In contrast, LSE as an institute is so popular that CEMS is treated like any other typical master’s program, so that feeling of being special, I’d say, was missing. There is also
“In London, everyone is different, and that means anyone can fit in”INTERVIEW: MY SEMESTER ABROAD
difference in terms of credits; one must acquire 30 ECTS per term at LSE, whereas there is no such requirement at UoC. Finally, a significant positive difference you experience at LSE is the campus life. The campus of the University of Cologne is scattered throughout the city and all buildings are located far away from each other, so we usually do not feel connected to the campus.
At LSE, you fall in love with the campus. It’s beautiful, huge, and right in the city center. I spent 8–9 hours every day on campus, even when I had no classes.
A big yes. However, my experience hasn’t been what I expected, but not in a bad way. It’s like purchasing what you thought were sugar cookies and having them turn out to be snickerdoodles. Not what you originally anticipated, but still really awesome. The program was a bit intense, but it was definitely worth it.
Yes, and it was undoubtedly the highlight of my time in London. Serving as the President of CEMS Club London was a true gamechanger for me. It redefined the way I perceive things, helped me forge real connections with people from across the globe, gave me some of the best memories, and transformed me into an independent person and a leader.
My tasks as the CCL President were divided into two parts. Firstly, I was the main point of contact between LSE and CEMS Club, which included acting as the first port of call for any external/internal inquiries and maintaining and developing key relationships. Secondly, I had to serve as an internal facilitator by helping team heads with budget and event planning and ensuring a productive atmosphere within the committee.
I think it’s impossible to live in the heart of London for three months and not take advantage of all there is to do and see. Even though studies and club kept me busy most of the time, I still
managed to travel and check things out whenever I had time. I love how every turn and every street in London has something new, unique, and wonderful to offer. Covent Garden is right around the corner from LSE, and I would often head to the theatre to enjoy some of London’s finest plays. I discovered myself while discovering the city.
Mostly financial issues. London is very expensive, just traveling to the university from zone 2 will cost you 6–7 pounds per day, and just one night of clubbing costs 35–40 pounds, so it was hard to go out every day.
Since I was serving as the President of CEMS Club London for MT Term 2022, I had the opportunity to attend the CEMS Presidents Conference organized by CEMS global office in Sweden at Stockholm School of Economics where 20+ presidents were gathered, and we all lived together and shared our experiences. In my case, all my expenses, from flights and accommodation to meals, were sponsored by LSE. That weekend clearly happened to be the best weekend of my semester at LSE so far!
– Apply for a visa as soon as possible UKVI is messed up and they take too much time. 13/42 of our students at LSE arrived late due to their visa delays.
– Get a multicurrency card (Revolut/Wise) People hardly accept cash in London and using a German bank card would cost you a lot of money in terms of the exchange rate. Make a multicurrency debit card before coming to London!
– Find accommodation accommodation is one of the hardest parts of preparing for your term abroad in London. Download SpareRoom and take weekly membership to respond to all the Ads.
I’m Hendrik Wechmann, 25 years old, and I am studying for the Master of Business Administration in Supply Chain Management at the University of Cologne (UoC) in the 5th semester. I have been a committed member of the PIM & CEMS Marketing & Publications team since the beginning of this year. While I generally enjoy being around people, having a coffee, or going out at night, I also find my balance at the gym. Further, I never miss a match of my favorite football team, Werder Bremen! Having spent most of my life in Northern Germany, not far from the sea coast, I finished my bachelor’s degree in the beautiful city of Oldenburg in 2020. In the same year, I moved to Cologne, my dream destination ever since, and I am happy to call it home. I arrived in Rennes mid-August and will return home just before Christmas on the 21st of December.
To be very honest, Rennes wasn’t my first choice. Unfortunately, I received none of my prioritized destinations in the first selection round, so I had to reconsider the “best of the rest”. Nevertheless, I wasn’t too picky with the destination because I didn’t go abroad during my bachelor studies. I was just very grateful to have the opportunity to spend an Erasmus semester. After reading the experience reports for Rennes, the combination of moving to a French student city, getting the chance to experience a Business School for the first time, and practicing my French skills acquired in school motivated me to choose Rennes.
I went to Rennes on my own and had no real connection to the city, the country, or any fellow students before arrival. I was looking forward to this challenge of being completely new in Rennes. When I arrived, the city was pretty calm because France’s semester structure is very different from Germany’s. Their two semesters go from September to December and from January to May or June, so students have a long summer break. With Rennes being a student city hosting several different universities, most students were still at home or working outside of Rennes when I entered the city.
At the beginning of September, everything got much more crowded with all the students returning. I rent a room in a shared flat with three other French roommates, all studying at the public university in Rennes. They made my start very easy. All of them were speaking at least a bit of English (which is still not the rule in France, apparently) in moments when I was struggling with my French. Besides them, I quickly connected with other Erasmus students via Whatsapp groups from RSB and the Erasmus Student
“The courses were more often about self-reflection, leadership and culture, which was very interesting and refreshing”INTERVIEW: MY SEMESTER ABROAD
Network in Rennes. As the French like to go out a lot, there were options to spend evenings in the city almost every night. Especially during the week, the “Rue de la Soif” (street of the thirsty) is crowded nearly every night. Compared to Cologne, Rennes is no huge city (220.000 inhabitants, 66.000 students), which made it easy for me to discover the beautiful old town, several cathedrals, and parks by foot in my first few days. What I found impressive was that Rennes offers two autonomously running metro lines connecting the whole city area, making it very easy to get to the center.
Regarding RSB, it felt much more like a school than a university. Since every fully enrolled student, no matter which program, has to join one of many associations during their first year, students seemed much more engaged with the school and spent more time on campus. These associations do a lot of events where most of the time, the earnings go to a charitable cause. The school also offered a small gym I used in my first weeks and a student club with a Billiard table, a TV with a PlayStation, and chill music.
was annoying at some point, it helped to get to know each other. Another big difference was the administrative approach, which I didn’t like. Courses, rooms, and time slots changed weekly. I was shocked because it didn’t allow you to add any other repeated plans to your weekly schedule. That’s a big reason why almost nobody worked besides their studies, which I find entirely normal in Germany. Also, the exam dates were published just two weeks before the start of the examination period, which I found very inconvenient as well. With students paying a lot of money to study at RSB, I would’ve expected a convenient administration to be the bare minimum. Finally, the attitude of students was also very different. I was told that in France, it is more about where you got your degree from to get good job offers than your GDP in the end. For many, grades were not significant, which influenced their working attitude.
To sum it up, I really enjoyed my semester in Rennes and the different contents and teaching styles compared to my Master’s in Cologne. The courses were more often about self-reflection, leadership, and culture, which was very interesting and refreshing.
As mentioned, this was my first time experiencing a business school and I really liked it. The semester started mid-September and lectures lasted until December, with a two-week examination period following up. As I chose the IHRM track, I had classes with other international and home students. Compared to Cologne, my cohort was very small, so it felt more like school seeing everybody every day in the classes. Further, the teaching style was much more interactive and combined theory and practice with communication and exchange about the topics. Basically, the lecture-and-tutorial approach many might know from Germany was substituted by doing it all together in one class. Key element of every module was group work. While the high amount of assignments in every course
The Bretagne offers many cheap trains and buses to discover other cities, which is how I got to the beautiful St. Malo, the impressive Mont St. Michel, and the cities of Nantes and Vannes. Every city in the Bretagne offers impressive cathedrals, lovely old towns, and some history. My best trip was definitely to Paris, which is just one and a half hours away by train. It was my first time in Paris and my first solo trip to a city it couldn’t have been better. After my examination, I plan to make more trips, including going to Paris at least once more to see the Christmas lights. Cities like Bordeaux or Nice in the south are also in consideration.
Did you notice any differences in studying at RSB compared to the University of Cologne?
The ESADE International Student Committee organizes the IW and the organization committee assembled a great program with many activities. The International Week Barcelona 2022 took place from the 25th of February until the 5th of March.
Because it is already quite warm in February in Barcelona, there were many outside activities like Beach Volleyball, spending time at the beach, etc. At the beginning of the week, we spent one night in a cottage north of Barcelona at the Costa Brava. At the cottage, the International Dinner was hosted and the participants prepared a dish from their country for everyone. It was great to spend time at the beach in February. Back in Barcelona, the organizing committee prepared a fun and exciting program for us to experience the city and the Spanish culture. We got to see most of the city and there was some time for extra activities where we decided to visit a match of FC Barcelona at the famous Camp Nou stadium. Another highlight was the Carnival in Citges, a city approximately one hour south of Barcelona by train. It is similar to the Kölner Karneval with a parade and located near the beach which makes it a very special experience.
From a cultural perspective, the IW was focused on the creations of the famous architect Gaudi. We visited Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, and famous houses he designed which were really impressive. The IW also included visits to local companies and the ESADE university. We visited the headquarter of the organic supermarket chain Veritas. We had a tour through one of their supermarkets and a company presentation where the concept was explained to us. The following business event was the visit of the Mobile World Congress, the largest telecommunication congress in Europe. We spent an afternoon there and it was exciting to see large companies like Huawei, IBM, Samsung, Telekom and many more present their latest innovations.
From an academic site, we visited two campuses of Esade in Barcelona. The main campus of Esade is located a bit outside the city and it takes around 40 minutes by train to get there. The campus is impressive and hosts excellent facilities for students and StartUps founded by current or former students. A highlight was a Ted Talk by a neuroscientist on how to use effective communication while presenting ideas. At the law campus, we talked about sustainability with a former student who now works for the EU and UN.
All in all, I can highly recommend participating in IW Barcelona. The program was a great mix of activities and a perfect way to experience the city and region. Thanks again to the organizers for making this amazing IW happen.
The International Week in Prague took place from the 27th of August to the 4th of September 2022. Organized by members of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN) of VSE Prague, this week has been full of cultural trips, museum and company visits, city tours, and many group activities.
Accompanied by the ESN team, we started the experience by visiting Plzen, a town where the famous Pilsen beer was born. An extensive guided tour of the brewery was organized. By the end, we could try the beer directly from the barrels. Then, the next day was dedicated to country presentations and the international dinner, which pushed us to share fun facts about our home countries and cook some traditional meals. Between these two activities, a visit to Deloitte took place, an advisory and consultancy company operating in the Czech Republic since 1990.
On the 3rd day of the IW, a hiking trip to Snežka was organized, whose elevation is as high as 1.603.3 meters, making it the highest mountain in the Czech Republic. After trying local food and international drinks while surrounded by fascinating landscapes, we stayed overnight at a cottage in sleeping bags to see the sunrise from the top of the mountain the next morning. The following day began with a visit to the Skoda factory and museum, after which we traveled on a private bus to Moravia, a region known for the quality of its wines. Having the wine tasting as the final destination, we made several stops on our way, some of the highlights being the visit to Kutna Hora and its Sedlec Ossuary “Bone Church”, the Lednice Chateau, and the quite outstanding Punkva Caves. All the sites were quite exceptional in their beauty. Even though we traveled far from the capital of the Czech Republic throughout the week, this magnificent city offered us a rich dayand nightlife when we returned from the trips. We rented boats to observe its charming architecture from the water, went to see the so-called Prague’s Eiffel tower, had fun at a pub crawl, and went to the most famous club in Prague, the Duplex.
Thanks to the ESN team for organizing such a great international week. We had a fantastic experience, met interesting people, and got acquainted with the Czech culture in the best way imaginable.
Yesterday morning I arrived in Cologne for my semester abroad. It was a hectic travel day, but I am very excited to be here. This morning I joined the first event organized by a student association called the PIM & CEMS Club.
We met up at the university (which is kind of big) and were welcomed by the Incomings Team of the ZiB. After that the members of the International department of the PIM & CEMS Club gave us a tour of the university campus I was a little bit overwhelmed by all the information, but thankfully I was already assigned a buddy from Cologne, and I joined the Incomings WhatsApp Group. The program has been sent to us a few weeks in advance so we all knew what the Welcome Week is going to be like but I’m really excited that it's finally happening!
I can’t wait for the upcoming Welcome Week events!
The last few days have been busy! I met so many new people, got to know German culture and explored Cologne with all the other international students. On Friday, we did a kiosk tour on the zülpicher street and got to try all the different kinds of Kölsch (there are over 25 different types). On Saturday, some of us went bowling, but I met up with my new friends and we went out for drinks on our own. Even though we only met a few days ago, I already know I will have these people as friends for life.
On Sunday, we were able to explore the city of Cologne by participating in a scavenger hunt to explore the city of Cologne a bit. The questions were kind of tricky sometimes, but my team and I gave it our best. I don’t think we scored many points, but we definitely know our way around the city by now. At the finish line we were greeted by a team member of the PIM & CEMS Club and we went up the Triangle tower in Deutz to get
It was incredible – I added a picture below!
On Monday, we went to Bonn, a city close to Cologne. After learning a little bit about the city from the PIM & CEMS team members we were able to explore the city on our own. We took a picture in front of the University building – I think there were more than 150 people. We ate a delicious Schnitzel at a Brauhaus and drank a “Bönsch” —the equivalent to “Kölsch”. The trip back with the RE was easy (even though the different trains still confuse me). Tonight, the last big event of the Welcome Week took place: The pub crawl. I really did not know what I was getting myself into. There were over 120 people that gathered in front of the mensa and we were split into teams of 10. After a crazy pre-game we were off to compete in a scavenger hunt through bars and kiosks. I really got to know so many of the other exchange students, and we had fun. Sadly, we did not win —but it was nevertheless the highlight of the Welcome Week. I’m sad that this week is already over, but I made so many new friends and I know there will be many more events to participate in over the next few months. Now it is time to start studying.
What would our club be without our Alumni? We are proud that almost 1050 Alumni belong to the PIM & CEMS Club and we want to celebrate this by looking at what we have experienced together this year. Let's take a little journey through 2022!
It all started with finding the right team! Giovanni and Oliver joined the Alumni team in January. From there, we were able to plan lots of fun events.
For Carnival, we organized a spontaneous party. Still under some Covid restrictions, we applied strict rules to ensure everyone could party safely.
In April, the Global Alumni Week took place. The Global Alumni Week is a yearly series of events that aim to connect Alumni. Many universities are hosting events this week to bring Alumni and students together. In Cologne, we went to play Black Light Minigolf one night and turned our Clubhouse into a Cocktail Bar the other night. For this we invited a professional cocktail maker, who provided us with a selection of the best cocktails throughout the evening. In addition, relaxed music played and interesting conversations arose between the participants.
Of course, we must not forget the Alumni Stammtisch that took place throughout the year. The monthly Stammtisch invites Alumni but also students to spend a casual evening and to promote the exchange. For this, we meet in monthly alternating locations and enjoy cocktails, beer or wine together.
Many Alumni and students came together at the Brauhaus Pütz for a fun night.
In summer we met our Mentors and Mentees at the SAMP Dinner and our highlight of the year took place — the annual Waterskiing event with a joint BBQ.
The Alumni enjoyed their Stammtische at Brauhaus Pütz and Gilberts Pinte so much that they “completely forgot to take pictures”. ��
The SAMP Dinner 2.0 was a blast and brought Mentors and Mentees together over delicious Italian food and for our November Stammtisch we got active and played lasertag.
We ended the year with a cozy trip to the Christmas market and Brauhaus Pütz afterwards.
As the Alumni Team, we want to thank all the PIM & CEMS Alumni for participating in our events. We cannot wait to continue our journey in the next years and see you all at our upcoming events. All the best, Your Alumni Team 2022!
The kickoff was done by thyssenkrupp Management Consulting, who held a workshop in January with us in our Clubhouse. With a group of 15 students, we solved a case study with the help of the consultants from TKMC. Many other workshops with different companies followed, such as McKinsey, Simon-Kucher and Partners, zeb, Capgemini Invent, Audibene, and CSP. Usually, after a small company presentation, the workshops continue in our Clubhouse and the students can acquire new skills and knowledge in various areas. However, workshops were not only held in our Clubhouse; we had the honor to visit some companies as well. In May, we visited crossconsulting and had the chance to get to know the company. In September, Microsoft invited us to their office in Cologne. In addition to workshops, we arranged many unusual events where students could get to know companies in a more informal setting. A barbecue course with EY Parthenon, cooking classes with Bain, Berg Lund, and Kearney, cocktails and sushi with P&G, or a wine tasting with Roland Berger this year's offerings were very diverse. Besides networking, there was always good food, pleasant conversations, and much fun involved.
Looking back, the Corporate department organized over 20 events in 2022, which was only possible with much help and support. A total of 10 people in the Corporate Relations Team managed the corporate contacts this year and took charge of the planning and execution of the events. We want to thank all the participating companies that cooperated with us this year. Every event has received a lot of positive feedback from students, and we hope you had as much fun as we did. We are already looking forward to an exciting and eventful next year!
“… was the company visit with Simon Kucher. The event helped me get to know the company even better as it created a very personal atmosphere. We had a lot of time for networking and the opportunity to ask any question that came to our minds.” Luisa Rabenstein
“… was the barbecue workshop with EY Parthenon. First, the application workshop gave us a different insight into the interview process in consulting especially from the interviewer's point of view. Afterward, we went to the barbecue school, where we got to speak to the company representatives, fostered some great relationships, and were treated to our grilled delights and some surprisingly tasty Alt beer.” Sebastian Kramlowsky
After many workshops took place online last year, it was nice to start the year with in-person corporate events.
by Nina Eickmeier
In July 2022, it was that time again the annual Rotation Dinner was upon us. One of our most significant corporate events and one of the yearly highlights for many. This year, too, we went to Osman 30 in the Mediapark in Cologne. On July 14, with bright sunshine and a strong breeze, more than 30 students and 12 company representatives gathered. Present from the company side were McKinsey, DHL Consulting, and CSP. The evening started with a champagne reception and a fantastic view of Cologne and its cathedral.
After a short welcome and the first conversations, it was time to move inside, where the participants spread out at their assigned tables. The concept of the rotation dinner is unique because the students change tables after each course. Thus, each attendee was able to speak and interact with each company. We started with a delicious appetizer and a small dish in between. Afterward, it was time to change tables, and the participants enjoyed the main course at a new table. For the dessert, the tables were switched for the last time. The food, wine, and phenomenal view invited a very relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, so all participants soon engaged in exciting conversations. After dessert, the seating order was lifted, and we went into informal networking.
Everyone enjoyed the evening to the fullest. Looking back, the Rotation Dinner was a great success and a memorable evening. At this point, a big thank you to our participating sponsoring members, without whom such an event would not have been possible. We are already looking forward to next year!
“… were the Rotation Dinner and the Maki, Moscow Mule & Mingle with P&G. The Rotation Dinner was held at OSMAN 30 with a unique view over the city skyline. The food was fantastic and meeting several company re presentatives in one evening was exciting. The P&G event stood out for the excellent sushi and gin tasting and the relaxed atmosphere, where I felt comfortable asking even critical questions to the company representatives” Jakob Kröner
by Frederik Karbenn
Stepping onto the red carpet made it clear that a special evening awaited everyone involved. After the participants had found a seat in the festively decorated main room Nina Eickmeier, as Corporate Relations President, officially opened the evening. The companies then had the opportunity to briefly introduce themselves before going into the two designated interview rooms.
It was my first Speed Recruiting, so I was curious about what to expect in the 8 minutes of my first interview. In hindsight, I can say one thing: 8 minutes go by pretty quickly. In a relaxed atmosphere, you get into conversations rapidly, and the time is over before you actually finish your talks. Luckily, there was still the opportunity to continue the conversations with the interviewers during dinner. Another insight of the evening is that every interview is different. You talk about your own CV, possible entry options for an internship or a permanent position, or the company and the employees' personal experiences. In any case, I felt that no conversation was repeated, which was very refreshing for such a long evening. While no company will ask you to solve a case during these interviews, I would advise you to find out about the companies you are talking to in advance. Even if you do not have an exact position in mind that you would like to apply for,
it helps to use the 8 minutes as wisely as possible and focus the conversation on your most important questions. It might be worth staying in the interviewer's mind if you are particularly interested in a company. So get a little creative!
Between the conversations, there was the chance to relax, have a drink, and talk to the other participants about the interviews conducted so far. After the last bell rang, everyone reassembled in the main room, where a delicious buffet was set up. The company representatives mingled with the students over dinner, which enabled further exchange. It was possible to build on conversations that had already been held or hold small talk. When the event ended, some participants, including students and company representatives, went on to have a few Kölsch in the “Flotte”.
Reflecting on the evening, I can only recommend one thing: Be sure to participate in this great event next year! The format is unbeatable in terms of giving insights into different companies in a short time and, based on the conversations held, promoting your professional future. The corporate team deserves special mention, as they did a great job. Thank you for making the event a complete success.
At the end of September, it was time for the yearly Welcome Weekend getaway to kickstart the year for the new cohort. This year the destination was the beautiful medieval Belgian town of Ghent.
We met up on Friday morning and even though there were some issues with the bus company, we all made it to Ghent by the afternoon. We visited Ghent Gruut Brewery, where we were told about their history and local brewing tradition and got to try a few of their beers. Afterward, we had dinner at a local restaurant, and some ended the evening with a few drinks.
The following day started with a guided tour of the city. We split into two groups and received insightful information about this picturesque city and its history. In the afternoon, there was some
free time for the second-year CEMSies, who needed to get work done, while the first-year CEMSies explored the city on their own.
There was a great spirit, with many people meeting for the first time and making new friendships. In this same spirit, we split into smaller groups and went on a Pub Crawl. We played a few games to break the ice, get to know each other better, and competed against the other groups in how many different Belgian beers we could try. Then, we all met at one bar and headed to a club to close the night.
After very little sleep, it was time to say goodbye the following day and conclude a fantastic weekend together. The Welcome Weekend was a blast and a great opportunity for the new cohort to get to know each other and some second-year and incoming students. Personally, the weekend made me look forward to the next two years of being part of this incredible community!
In the Spring of 2022, one of the most outstanding initiatives across the European CEMS schools was kicked off the CEMS Reunions.
They wanted to rekindle the CEMS spirit throughout the alliance after the Covid drought, during which many friendships between clubs were extinguished. The concept is as easy as it is brilliant. During the year, one participating school hosted the other schools’ participants for a weekend, organizing cultural and social events.
On the second weekend of March VSE of Prague started us off. Next, Corvinus in Budapest, WU in Vienna, Bocconi in Milan hosted. While we tried to also offer a reunion in Cologne, the mismatched semester times stopped us from finding a time slot that did not clash with the other school’s exams.
“… was the CEMS Club Reunion in Milan. Having the opportunity to explore a new city, get in touch with other CEMSies from other universities and have a diverse program on-site made the weekend a highlight. We had plenty of spare time to get to know the other CEMSies, taste delicious Italian food and foster our CEMS spirit.”
Luckily, not hosting ourselves did not stop other non-hosting schools and us from participating in the reunions, with close to 100 CEMSies coming together for each of the five weekends. The concept was a huge success. This initiative is not only a clear sign of what can be achieved by the clubs and their dedicated members but also of the great joy and feeling of belongingness across borders in the CEMS alliance!
OurannualsummerpartytookplaceonJune17underthemotto “WhiteSensation”.Onthisevening,morethan300studentsin(almost) exclusivelywhiteoutfitscavortedonthedanceflooroftheBogen2club. TheDJadaptedthemusictothemoodofthecrowdandtheysoonwent wild.Inaddition,thegreatspiritwasmadeevenmoreexuberantbythe opportunitytowingreatprizesatourwheeloffortune.Thereweresmall goodiestowin,likesweetsoraccessories,anda10€drinkingvoucher asthemainprize.Thankstoeveryonewhowasthere!Hopefullyyouwill keepthisgreatpartyinapositivememory,apartfromthebuzzinghead thefollowingday.
Cinema is my main hobby, so when I was pitched the idea of organizing a PIM & CEMS movie night, I jumped at the opportunity. After all, the Clubhouse provided a perfect viewing environment — a new beamer, a professional speaker, couches, and a kitchen with a popcorn machine.
The real issue was finding a movie that everyone would enjoy without going for something too cliché or, on the other hand, too pretentious (a genuine risk when a self-proclaimed film “connoisseur” organizes a movie night…). I decided to go for comedy as the genre for the first night and let the people decide.
Attendees could vote for the movie they wanted to see in a carefully crafted online questionnaire with key information, trailer links, and “mini-reviews” of some films I picked out. I put a lot of heart into the movie selection and descriptions, and, as this was one of the first events I organized by myself, I was very nervous about the outcome of the votes and even more about how the night would go. In the end, the neo-noir buddy comedy “The Nice Guys” won the poll, and the night itself was cozy, fun, and full of laughs. The success of the Comedy movie night led to a Halloween night in October, and an upcoming Business Student movie night, where we will watch a film like “American Psycho” and reflect on our futures as consultants, financiers and other wicked capitalists. Stay tuned!
After spending a lot of time in lecture halls and in front of PowerPoint, the occasional sports events are a welcome distraction! On January 15, we organized our first football event, which laid the foundation for many more sport-related events. On that day, we met on the SoccerBoxes of the university and played in small teams of five until our lungs burned from the cold winter air. Like every time, it was just for fun; however, one could still notice the competitive spirit. In addition to regular soccer tournaments, we also held a volleyball tournament and a charity run.
“… were the winter and summer parties. I didn't get a ticket for the winter party at first because I had an exam shortly after, but I decided to go at the last minute and it was definitely worth it! Each party was themed, which was fun because everyone dressed up a lot! Besides the parties, my favourite events were the poker night and the different football tournaments. What makes CEMS unique is the PIM & CEMS club! Every week we have the opportunity to participate in different events.” Jakob Kröner
by Sebastian Kramlofsky
On June 22, we celebrated the PIM & CEMS Club’s first edition of the CEMS Poker Night. Armed with our own Poker Case, we dressed in style, had drinks accompanying the event, and met for a 4-hour No Limits Texas Hold’em tournament.
Players paid a small buy-in fee, with the collective buy-ins being split in half. One half was entered into the prize pool, which our winner was taking home. The other half was used as a donation to the local chapter of the “Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz” with the donations being matched by the club to allow for a poker night for a good cause. We are looking forward to hosting a lot more poker nights with a sustainability focus in the future.
On October 15, we hosted a big Oktoberfest party at the PIM & CEMS Clubhouse. The board provided special beer mugs, a beer tap, traditional food, and matching decorations just as it should be for an authentic Oktoberfest. Some guests came dressed appropriately in dirndls and lederhosen. While the mood was a bit reserved at first, people soon danced on the tables and sang along to all kinds of German and English classics from "Atemlos" to "Sweet Caroline". What a fun night!
One of the most eagerly awaited celebrations finally took place in Cologne. On 11.11. at 11.11 a.m., the Cologne Carnival finally kicked off! For this year's event, Club Z was chosen as the venue.
The venue was filled and livened up with groups of cheer leaders, Parisians, wizards, pirates, and many others. Members of the PIM & CEMS Club & Co. came together in various disguises. Our masquerade party officially began at noon with a contest for the most creative costume. Participants had the opportunity to vote via the Instagram platform. And ladies and gentlemen, it could only be a king, pardon a queen, who could win the podium! Who would be a better choice than the most long-lasting, charismatic, and colorful queen of all time? Certainly Queen Elizabeth II! Kölsch, along with Queen Elizabeth II, was also the queen of our party! Free of charge, it put the participants in the carnival mood and lifted their spirits!
Diversity was evident not only in the costumes but also in the crowd. In addition to the international students of our club, there were also participants of the International Week. Students from Spain, Japan, Croatia, Turkey, and other countries made our party a place to have fun and an excellent opportunity for socializing and networking. Music was also varied to suit the tastes of this multitude of cultures and nationalities: from German folklore to reggaeton! From oldies to more recent music! Yet, Viva Colonia was the song that made our hearts race!
“… was the carnival party. The atmosphere was incredible and the DJ hit the perfect mix for me to musically pick up the Cologne students as well as the exchange students and IW participants. Everyone had a great time from start to finish!”
Hendrik Hüsselmann
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