Experience report Innsbruck, Austria Summer Semester 2017

Transcription

1 Experience report Innsbruck, Austria Summer Semester 2017 Author information: Maartje van Opstal (229388) Extended Master Human Resource Studies Tilburg University Academic year 2016/2017 Exchange information: Master Organization Studies University of Innsbruck (Austria) Exchange semester: Spring 2017 s-hertogenbosch, July 2017

2 1. GENERAL INFORMATION INNSBRUCK, CAPITAL OF TYROL Innsbruck is a charming city which is embraced by the Alps. It is amazing that you live between the mountains which creates a beautiful view every day again. Innsbruck is not that big, it has around inhabitants. Even though it is not that big, the city provides a lot of possibilities; mostly sports related but also work related and it has an amazing nightlife. Innsbruck has beautiful streets, a lot of terraces and some beautiful architecture. Furthermore, everything in Innsbruck is very centralized which makes it easy to do everything by foot or by bike. The city centre lies in the middle of the train station and the airport. By bike it will take you 5 minutes from the train station to the city centre and 15 minutes from the airport to the city centre. Since the airport is very closely located to the city, during the day airplanes will fly low over Innsbruck what I really liked. I think the most beautiful part of Innsbruck is the Altstadt (Old town). It is the core of the city were many terraces, souvenir shops and tourists are. Furthermore, Innsbruck is a real clean city and all people appreciate a proper environment. UNIVERSITY OF INNSBRUCK Innsbruck knows a lot of universities; the main University, SoWi, and the MCI with several locations. During my exchange I was part of the SoWi (Social- und Wirtschaftwissenschaften) which provides social studies and studies in business. The SoWi is located very centrally. For instance, the Altstadt is 5 minutes walking from the University and right behind the University lies Hofgarten which is a beautiful park where you can spent your spare time after studying. In front of the University is a grass field where the students usually spend their breaks and it is surrounded by several bars, a small supermarket and some other shops. The building of the SoWi is quite modern compared to the other buildings in Innsbruck. The building is not that big which enables students to find their way easily. The facilities at the University are arranged

3 perfectly. There is a library which provides lots of books, a computer area and silent workplaces. Furthermore, there are facilities such as a restaurant, elevators, a copy shop and enough restrooms. During class you have a beautiful view at the mountains. However, in summer it can be quite warm since there is no air-conditioning. The study program included approximately 30 students mostly from Austria, Germany and Italy (Süd-Tirol). However, those students were not part of an exchange program. Together with one other Dutch student I was the only exchange student from the study program. Since the group is a lot smaller compared to Tilburg the relationships among the students are more close. The students were really kind and willing to help with any question I had. What I found remarkable was the English level of all the students. They were really good in expressing themselves properly in English. Besides, in presence of me or the other exchange student they always switched from German to English.

4 2. PRACTICAL INFORMATION PREPERATION When you are eventually selected for the exchange program, the administration work will start. In my opinion, there was a lot of administration work to do and the Austrian people appreciate proper documentation and are not that easily satisfied. For this reason, my advice is to start in time and read everything carefully. Besides, make sure you follow strictly the requirements; this will eventually saves you a lot of time. However, I must say, when you arranged everything in order to be accepted at the university, you receive lots of information and instructions which helps you a lot in going on exchange. You need to arrange everything via the international office from both the host university and Tilburg University. The international office from the host university is located in the SoWi building and is called IWW. Christoph Kornberger is the exchange coordinator from Innsbruck University where you have a lot of contact with via e- mail. He appears to be rather strict but as long as you follow the rules and the requirements he is really nice and wants to help you with everything. Concerning the start of the semester it goes rather smoothly. There is an introduction day a week before the start of the semester whereby you get all the information and were you get support from the international office to arrange the last documents in a proper way. Furthermore, if interested, there are buddies for exchange students which help you surviving the first days in Innsbruck. For my exchange a Visa was not required so I cannot say something about this procedure. I arrived Innsbruck on the first of February to already explore the city and for skiing. I really recommend this to the other exchange students since you can adapt to the city in a smoother way and you can really enjoy your time previous to the start of the semester. HOUSING One of the most important things to arrange is your place to stay. There are several student dormitories across Innsbruck and there are also many possibilities to rent a private room or apartment, however it is wise to apply for it early since there are many (international) students in Innsbruck. During my exchange I was staying in Rössl (Höttinger au), a student dormitory of Home4Students. It is located very centrally, 5 minutes walking from the main university and around 10 minutes from the city centre. It contains about 200 international students and it has a gym, a party room and laundry facilities. I booked my (single)room via Oead and payed 395,- all included. Among the students this dormitory is known as the party dorm of Innsbruck. I

5 am enormously glad I was living in this dorm since I have met so many international students here and you was never alone. However, if you appreciate rest and are not in Innsbruck for partying, I would recommend to search for another housing. But I must say, the accommodation I lived in was the main reason why I enjoyed my exchange to the fullest. TRANSPORT In Innsbruck public transport is arranged perfectly. There are a lot of busses which are mostly driving perfectly on time. You can buy a single ticket for 2,30 but I always bought a 8-rider card for 14,- since I found it easier. Besides, there is also a semester ticket available whereby you can take the bus whenever you want and costs approximately 200,-. However, for the place I lived I did not need it since I did anything by foot or by bike. In the beginning of the semester there are a lot of possibilities to buy a second-hand bike for example at the flow market or you can buy it from the exchange students from the previous semester. LIVING COSTS I think Innsbruck is in general more expensive compared to the Netherlands. Concerning housing Innsbruck is a bit more expensive compared to Tilburg. However, it is of course highly dependent on your criteria for a place to stay. As said, I paid 395,- for a single room with own bathroom. Doing groceries is very expensive compared to the Netherlands. Especially vegetables and meat are expensive. In contrast, the drinks (namely the alcohol) is relatively cheap. In total I spent approximately 200,- for groceries per month. The costs for going out in Innsbruck are quite similar to the Netherlands. The expenses per month depend of course of the frequency of going out, but in general I spend 80,- per month for parties (including fees for

6 entrance). Besides, you need to take into consideration the costs of (renting) the equipment for the sport activities. CULTURE AND LANGUAGE Before going on exchange I did not expect I would experience differences between the Dutch and the Austrian culture. However, in the first weeks of my exchange I saw already the main difference between the Austrian and Dutch culture, namely the degree of sportiness. Sports like skiing, hiking, mountain biking and skateboarding are definitely a huge part of the everyday life of the Austrian people. For example, alongside the river you find open spots for gym, basketball and table tennis. So, when you go on exchange to Innsbruck an active mind-set is needed to fully enjoy your time in Innsbruck. However, to not scare you off when you do not have this active mind, I think the Austrian people are a lot more relaxed than the Dutch people. Relaxing alongside the river or at a lake is also a huge part of their lives. Besides, what I found remarkable, is the fact that Austrian people, different from the Dutch, do not watch the time that strict. What I missed during my exchange in Austria was the difference in sitting on a terrace in the city centre. In the Netherland you order drinks, food/snacks and you can sit there the whole evening. In Austria you just order drinks or have diner and leave within two hours. There is no English word for it, but in Dutch I missed the gezelligheid or in German gemütlichkeit. I experienced the local people as really friendly and kind. However, some inhabitants mostly the older people are somewhat reserved. Thereby, I experienced that the people appreciated it when you at least try to speak German. Since the Austrians are not that open, speaking German makes it easier to get to know locals and get familiar with their lifestyles. For this reason, in case you do not speak any German, a German course is recommended. You can do it at forehand at home, however, you can also sign in for a German course during your exchange. However, I think all the inhabitants speak quite good English since there are a lot of tourists. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT I want to start with saying that going on exchange to Innsbruck was the best experience of my life. I had such an amazing time with all the people I met locals and a lot of international students - and the environment I lived in. Since I lived in a dormitory with around 200 international students I learned a lot about culture differences. What I find the most remarkable

7 is the fact Dutch people are really different compared to the other Europeans, such as the French, Italians and the Spanish. We have diner at a different times, we are really organized and un-flexible compared to the other countries. First I thought Dutch people were normal but it seems that we are the different ones. However, due to those differences and my time in Innsbruck spending time with all those international people I definitely became more flexible what I really appreciate. Furthermore, I learned, what I think is the most important one, to life my life to the fullest and appreciate the little things. I think the Dutch people are in general too organized what keeps them from spontaneous adventures. Furthermore, I definitely improved my English language, especially the language you use in every-day life. Concerning the influence of my exchange on future career possibilities; I feel now more attractive to be working in an international company than I did before and I think my possibilities to work in any company in general are improved due to my experiences. The best experiences during my time in Innsbruck include all the skiing trips, the house parties, the relaxing mind set and the trips I have made. Furthermore, I have now friends all around the world who I can visit. Due to my exchange I have a feeling, more than ever, to see more of the world. To be honest, I do not have any bad experience.

8 3. TO DO Innsbruck is definitely a place where you never have to be bored. Here I will describe the main activities you can do during your exchange. SKIING One of the first things you ask to exchange students is why did you choose Innsbruck?. Most of the time they immediate respond with for skiing!. For me, this was also one of the main reasons for choosing Innsbruck for my Exchange. Innsbruck is a place surrounded with several skiing areas. The closest skiing areas are the Patcherkofel and Nordkette, which takes you around 20 minutes to get there. Both areas are not that big, but are perfect to go for just a few hours before or after class. A comment to Nordkette, however, for this area you need some skiing experience since this is an area popular for free-riding and jumping. Other skiing areas, which are a bit further (approximately one hour by bus) are Axamer Lizum and Kühtai. I think both areas are perfect for beginners as well as for experienced skiers. A crazy experience was the Ugly skiing day in Axamer Lizum which was held as a final skiing day/party to close the season. When you are around and love skiing, and mostly love après ski, you definitely need to go there. Two other skiing areas which are located further, but which are worth visiting are Ischgl and St. Anton. Both areas are very popular among the skiing population and are perfect places when you love skiing and après ski. Overall the skiing season ends in the end of March/medium April. However, for the people who cannot quit skiing, there is the Stubaier Gletcher, which is open till approximately the end of June. Since the skiing season ends within 1/1,5 month after the start of the semester, I recommend to come to Innsbruck several weeks before the start of university just for skiing and exploring Innsbruck. I really recommend to get yourself a Freizeitticket on the first moment you arrive. With this ticket you can go skiing whenever you want without paying for the cable cars and the busses. During the summer you can use it for swimming, cable cars for hiking, museums and more. It is an investment from approximately 450,-, but I really think it is worth the money. When you do not have the equipment for skiing, the flow market is a good place to go. Every sunday there is a market at Völls where you can get all the equipment (ski s, shoes, sticks etc.) for a really cheap price. Besides, At the beginning of each semester, students from previous semester are selling their stuff too.

9 TRAVELING I highly recommend to do some city trips during your exchange semester. During the semester there is a two weeks break since there are Easter holidays. This is a perfect moment for travelling. Besides, I have seen many places during the regular semester since I did not have that many classes. During my exchange I have been to Munich (Germany), Zagreb (Croatia), Ljubljana (Slovenia), the Garda Lake and Verona (Italy). Even though I did not have that much to spend, I really enjoyed those trips and it became memories for life. Places I did not visit but were popular among other students were Vienna (capital of Austria), Salzburg (Austria), Prague (Czech) and the well-known city s in Italy such as Florence, Milan and Venice. I found it really nice that many students (especially the Asian people) visited the Netherlands. Due to them, I want to visit a lot of places in the Netherlands, since I found out I am not that well-known with the things to see in my own country.

10 SPORTS As I already have mentioned, the inhabitants of Austria are very sporty. I think your exchange is a perfect time to discover and practice different sports since Innsbruck provides many facilities for this. Popular sports during the spring and summer are hiking, climbing and mountain biking. Since the nature in Innsbruck is beautiful I really loved to hike. Near to the airport of Innsbruck is the University of sports located, where you can practice a lot of sports such as playing tennis, volleyball and athletics. Furthermore, spread in Innsbruck are several swimming pools where a lot of students make use of. In the Olympic village, there is even a bigger swimming pool with a whirlpool and slides which is a perfect spot to go with friends. Besides, in this area there are facilities for ice skating and inside climbing. NIGHTLIFE An important part of your exchange period is of course going out with your (new) friends. I think Innsbruck provide some really good places to enjoy your stay. One of the places I enjoyed the most during the winter period was the Iglu Bar, Cloud 9 at Nordkette. Every Friday a party was held in the mountain from six pm until eleven pm with every week a different theme. Besides, during the night you have really an amazing view over the whole of Innsbruck. Furthermore, popular bars and clubs in Innsbruck are Bluechip, Hofgarten, Copa Cabana, Mausefalle, Sixty Twenty, The Weekender and the Irish pub. Innsbruck has also an area for the people who want to party until seven in the morning which is called Börgen where several other bars are located such as Tante Emma, Project and Plan-B. Additionally, when you just want to have a few drinks, places as Manchete, Selles and the 360 café are recommended. In Innsbruck you can party whenever you want since there is always an event in some bar or club, even on a Monday.

11 FOOD In my opinion Austria in general has some real good dishes. Most of the people know the typical Austrian food such as Wiener Schnitzel and Frankfurter mit pommes. During my exchange I liked it to try some other typical dishes such as Kasespätzel and Knödel. Of course in Innsbruck there are some typical Austrian restaurants which serve those dishes. A place I went to a lot is called Buzzihütte. When people came to visit me I always brought them there since it was also a nice walk to get there. Another place I fell in love with is L ostria, a typical Italian restaurant with pizza and pasta for a really affordable price. Whenever you want something sweet, café Munding is a perfect place where they have many pies and they have amazing hot chocolate. Furthermore, on every corner you will find Bäckerei Ruetz where they have really tasty bread and many pastries. Furthermore, what I liked about my exchange was the fact you taste so many dishes from all over the world since you meet many international students which all cook dishes from their home country. Due to this I ate for example typical Asian, Italian and French food. TOWN Of course it is also worth it to just explore the city since I think Innsbruck is a beautiful city. What you have to see, where Innsbruck is famous from, is the Goldenes Dachl (the golden roof). It is located in the old town ( Altstadt ) and attracts many tourists. Furthermore, having a walk through the old town is beautiful; small streets with beautiful buildings and many souvenirs shops. Besides, I think this area is the best place for having a drink on the terrace. Maria-Theresien-Straße is seen as the shopping street and Hofgarten is a beautiful park to relax. Furthermore, it is nice to walk along the river Inn, where Innsbruck is named. In summer it is a perfect place to relax while they have put a lot of benches along the river.

12 OTHER Around Innsbruck there are several other places worth visiting. With good weather it is perfect to go to Nordkette since there are a lot of deckchairs you can use during enjoying the amazing view over Innsbruck. Besides, the Bergisel Schanze (ski-jump) is a nice place to visit. Here the Olympic games took place and when you are lucky they are practising jumping while being there. Schloss Ambras is a beautiful castle just outside Innsbruck and the Swarovski Kristalwelten is a must see, since the brand is invented in a small place near to Innsbruck. Furthermore, the organization for international students ESN organizes a lot of activities such as going to visit a castle, going to a water park or going to a lake. Since I lived in a big student house were already a lot of activities were organized I did not participate in activities of ESN but I think it is a great opportunity to meet other exchange students.

13 5. ACADEMIC INFORMATION COURSES During the Master program Organization Studies I had three different modules, two compulsory and one elective. The courses I followed were: - Organizational Change & Dynamics (compulsory) - Interventions in Organizations: process consulting (compulsory) - Gender, Work and Organization (elective) All courses consisted of both lectures and seminars and where thought in English. I think the elective course, Gender Work and Organization was really interesting. You learned about the theoretical concepts of gender and organization, gendered organization (sub)structures, cultures and relationships, overt and covert discrimination and methods to study gender, work and organization. Course Prerequisites Exam ECTS Comments Organizational x Group presentation 10 Compulsory Dynamics & Change (433042/433043) Individual essay Written exam Interventions in x Group presentation 10 Compulsory Organizations (433040/433041) Written exam Individual reflection Gender, Work and Organization (433049/433050) x Group presentation Group paper Written exam 10 Elective ACADEMIC LEVEL In my opinion the academic level of both universities is quite similar. However, the workload is much higher at Tilburg University. I think this is because the courses at the University of Innsbruck are following each other up and are not given simultaneously while at Tilburg University there are sometimes three courses at the same time. Furthermore, the courses at the University of Innsbruck contain less content compared to Tilburg University. The teachers and students at the University of Innsbruck are very open to interaction, which provides lots of other information or a deepener understanding of the topic. Overall, the interaction level in both the

14 lectures and the seminars at the University of Innsbruck is very high and are therefore highly subject to group discussions. First I really needed to adapt to this form of teaching, however, now I think I have a deeper understanding of the topics compared to Tilburg University. ACADEMIC CALENDAR At the University of Innsbruck the summer semester started at the 6 th of March. The semester started with just one module (Organizational Change & Dynamics) which finished at the end of April. The first three weeks of March consisted of three lectures per week of three hours. The following weeks the seminars took place three times a week of three hours. However, during this period, two weeks of Easter holidays were included. In May the second module (Gender, Work and Organization) started. The whole month may I just had classes once per week of three hours, both lectures and seminars. During this period I planned a lot of trips since I had a lot of spare time. In June the third module started (Interventions in Organizations). Compared to the other modules, this course took quite a lot of time. I had to go to school three full days per week. Once I even had to go to school on a Saturday. At the end of June (to be precise, the last week of the exchange period), the final exams of both courses took place. Unfortunately I needed to leave Innsbruck two days after the last exam. Even though the exams took place I still really enjoyed the last days in Innsbruck since the content of the courses is less than in Tilburg. EXAMS For every module there was a final exam of approximately 60 minutes. The exams consisted of 3 or 4 open questions, whereby you had to answer 2 or 3 questions respectively. The grades you get for the exams are different from the Netherlands. The grades variate from 1-5, whereby 1 is the highest grade you can get. I think the examination is more easy in Innsbruck than in Tilburg. I always am really nervous for the exams in the Netherlands, but I did not experience the same nerves for the exams in Innsbruck.

15 TIPS FOR FUTURE STUDENTS As I already have sad many times, going on exchange to Innsbruck was the best choice of my life. For this reason, I really recommend going on exchange to future students. Here I will describe some further tips for going on exchange to Innsbruck: - Think about bringing summer clothes. During packing I was really focused on winter stuff, but it can be really warm already in March. - Bring a home country flag or at least bring stuff with you to represent your country. There are a lot of events organized where you may use them. - Take stroopwafels with you if you are a Dutch exchange student: all foreign students really enjoy this cookies and it is good for making new friends ;) - Make sure of good documentation, keep on track with the content of the lectures, but the most important: enjoy every day to the fullest, make amazing memories and appreciate you are part of an exchange program.