Study Week in Prague

Students from RWU University of Applied Sciences Ravensburg-Weingarten enjoyed a diverse study week in Prague. The program included visits to renowned universities, insights into international companies such as Škoda and Pilsner Urquell, and valuable cultural experiences. Participants benefited academically, interculturally, and personally.

For several years now, study weeks have been offered every semester as part of an elective course at the International Academy for domestic and international students. "The graded elective course International Business Project is highly valued by students, who receive 5 ECTS credits and a certificate for their academic achievements.", says the Director of the International Academy, Professor Dr. Barbara Niersbach. "In addition to broadening their academic horizons, students can gain business-related expertise and intercultural skills," confirm the study week's leadership team, Professor Dr. Eberhard Hohl and Dr. Nayan Kadam.

Visit to a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The study week began with a visit to Prague Castle, the largest enclosed castle complex in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The students crossed the Vltava River, passing statues of saints, over the 520-meter-long medieval Charles Bridge (Karlův most). The focus of the academic part of the program was a visit to the famous Charles University, one of the oldest universities in Europe with approximately 56,000 students. Professor Dr. Denisa Čiderová from the partner university in Bratislava prepared this visit and also served as the academic advisor for the study week.

Professor Dr. Věra Jourová, former Vice President of the European Commission for Values ​​and Transparency, welcomed the students on the main campus. She provided impressive insights into current EU regulations in the digital space. Her remarks on the Digital Services Act and the AI ​​Act highlighted the challenges and opportunities associated with digital platforms and artificial intelligence. Barbara Niersbach, in her role as the Director International Affairs of the Faculty of Technology and Management, held cooperation talks with Professor Věra Jourová, in her role as the responsible Vice-Rector of Charles University.

Another highlight of the academic program took the Weingarten students to the renowned Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE). Founded in 1953, the university is one of the leading business universities in Central and Eastern Europe. Around 14,000 students from over 80 nations study here in an international environment. The students were welcomed by the head of the Center for Business Ethics & Sustainability Management, Professor Dr. Dušan Kučera. Following a presentation on the center, he gave a lecture on business ethics and corporate responsibility.

Cooperation with a partner university

Barbara Niersbach, together with her colleagues Eberhard Hohl and Nayan Kadam, took the opportunity to sign a cooperation agreement with VŠE. After a tour of the campus with VŠE students, the visit concluded with a shared lunch in the university cafeteria.

Insights into the Industry

The business-oriented portion of the study trip took the group to Mladá Boleslav, the home of Škoda's main plant. There, the students were given fascinating insights into the vehicle production of the long-established automaker during a factory tour. Particularly impressive: around 65% of Mladá Boleslav's residents work at Škoda – and the factory site is larger than the Principality of Monaco. Production follows the "just-in-sequence" principle, with a vehicle being completed in just four hours. The factory tour concluded at the Škoda Museum, where the group immersed themselves in the history of the automaker. Among other things, the students learned that the popular Škoda Octavia got its name because it was the company's eighth model after World War II.

The students were given another factory tour at the Pilsner Urquell Brewery in Pilsen. The brewery has existed since 1842. The tour offered many in-depth insights : The water comes from 100-meter-deep springs, and the hops come from the northern Czech Republic. Production is impressive: A total of 60,000 bottles and 110,000 cans are filled every hour on two production lines each. A special recycling line cleans and sorts bottles, which can be reused up to 27 times before being disposed of. The name "Pils" comes from this brewery, incidentally – it was the first to produce this type of beer. Today, the beer is exported to over 50 countries. "I never expected that we would get such interesting insights into such a large company as the Pilsner Brewery – I think that's really great," said Marius Löffler, a business administration and management student.

Visit to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry

The final day took the group to the German-Czech Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DTIHK). Its headquarters are located on Prague's Wenceslas Square – a site with a rich history. The students were welcomed by Bernard Bauer, Managing Director of the DTIHK. In his informative presentation, he provided the group with inspiring insights into the Chamber's work, including a book recommendation: "Perfekt geplant und genial improvisiert: Erfolg in der deutsch-tschechischen Zusammenarbeit". The Chamber sees itself as a bridge between Germany and the Czech Republic. It supports companies entering their neighboring countries, providing market analyses, legal advice, networking, seminars, and events. Germany has been the Czech Republic's most important trading partner since the 1990s – in 2023 alone, over 32% of Czech exports went there. The automotive industry plays a central role in this: The Czech Republic is one of the world's leading auto parts exporters per capita and is Germany's largest supplier.

The study week concluded at the Scientific Information Center of Charles University. The focus was on a library tour with new "learning worlds" focusing on innovative didactics, media, and methodology. The final workshop of the study week took place in the library with Professor Čiderová and the management team. The week was reflected on, and the insights discussed, based on the group's intercultural diaries. It became clear that each participant of the study trip took home valuable learning experiences. "I was absolutely thrilled with the study week in Prague because, together with a diverse team, I benefited greatly from academic, business-related, and cultural aspects for my personal and professional development," said Andy White, a student from the partner university BCIT Vancouver.