In my opinion, Poznan is the perfect city for a semester abroad.
Rafael Goldmann
When did you start planning your stay abroad?
I started planning in the winter of 2018. I attended the group counseling at the IZ and then applied for the university in Poznan. Specifically, I prepared for the stay from December 2019 (accommodation, transportation, etc.).
What recommendations can you give for financing the stay abroad?
Since Poland is a relatively cheap country, the money you get from the ERASMUS program is actually enough if you have a little money put aside before the semester.
How did you like the host city and country?
In my opinion, Poznan is the perfect city for a semester abroad. The old town with all the bars, restaurants and clubs is relatively small and manageable. Once you are in the old town, everything is within walking distance. Despite the relatively small city, the range of bars and clubs is very large. Every day there are special promotions for students in bars, clubs and restaurants (free entrance, 20% discount on food, discounted drink prices, etc.). Besides, there are many other recreational activities in Poznan such as laser tag, escaperooms and similar things. There is also a lot of nature in Poznan. There are several lakes where you can swim, a river right next to the campus which is a very popular hangout for students and numerous parks that are worth seeing. Poland itself offers many opportunities for students. You can get discounts and benefits all over the country. Moreover, Poles are very open and nice towards students from other countries.
How did your studies abroad go? What positive or also negative experiences did you have?
Unfortunately, my stay was very short because of the Corona crisis. However, I was still able to gain many impressions. The organization at my faculty was very chaotic. It took a long time until I finally managed to contact my coordinator. Since he rarely or not at all answered my e-mails, I had to visit him personally every time. Three weeks after the start of lectures, I received an email from him with the contact details of my lecturers for the semester. I encountered the same problem with some of them. Eternally long waiting times until I got an answer and that was all before the corona crisis in Poland had even really begun. Since the semester was only continued by online courses anyway, the long waiting times didn't play a big role anymore.
How many and which courses did you attend? Did you receive credit for the courses at the University of Stuttgart?
Appliaction of microcontrollers and PLC controllers in measurements, Fundamentals of biomedical engineering, Electrical and electronic systems in industry and vehicles, Control of power electronic systems. I was able to get credit for all the modules I selected.
What is the overall assessment of your stay abroad?
In spite of the Corona crisis and the short stay, it was a great life experience that I had. Alone for the reason that I learned how it works at universities abroad and because I could meet so many new people. I would have liked to take more with me but unfortunately this was not possible.