In the winter semester of 2023/24, this partnership experiences a gratifying expansion. Together with their French partners at Landshut University, ANFA and GARAC, 22 French students and 11 German students are collaborating on five exciting projects. These projects are supervised by professors from the Faculty of Mechanical and Civil Engineering as well as French instructors.
Originally planned as an annual excursion, the collaboration faced unexpected challenges due to the pandemic. However, necessity led to a remarkable development. The canceled excursions were replaced by intensive digital collaboration on project work in the Master's program in Automotive and Commercial Vehicle Technology. With the easing of pandemic restrictions in both countries, a hybrid format emerged that combines excursions and project work. This format has been firmly integrated into the curricula of both universities and represents significant progress in internationalization for both partners.
This time, the 22 French students traveled to Landshut accompanied by Louise Boissenin, Maryline Clerge, Christian Pautot, and Rafaëlla Revera. The program, organized by the faculty, included a diverse range of activities: the Kick-Off Meeting, presentation of project topics, team building, and a driving simulator competition. Additionally, visits to the BMW Museum in Munich and Continental Automotive Technologies GmbH in Regensburg were conducted. The cultural enrichment of guided tours in French in Landshut and Regensburg added to the program.
In the end, numerous impressions, lively intercultural communication, and personal interactions among students from both countries formed an excellent start for the digital phase of the project work. In late January 2024, the groups will present their results to each other as part of an online symposium.
Photos: Landshut University
(free to use with source attribution)
