Austria - Spring 2007 - K. BIESE



Katie Biese

Wirtschafts Universität Wien

Spring 2007

katie.biese@

Academic Experiences at the WU-Wien:

General Academic Structure: Exchange students take either 5 or 6 courses (in English), and there is the option for seminars or more traditional semester-long classes. The seminars meet 8 hours/day for three days in a row, and the regular classes usually meet about once per week for a few hours. I would recommend taken a few of each. Some of the classes will be all exchange students, some are half exchange and half Austrians, and a few of the courses are composed of mostly Austrians. You also have the choice of taking regular classes in German, but I would only recommend this if you are almost fluent in German already. The international page on the website does provide a list of selected courses in German that exchange students should be able to pass.

Classes Taken:

I took 5 classes, four in English and one in German. The syllabi that are available online do a very good job of explaining the course content, and I recommend going through them when choosing your courses. Here are a few extra comments about the specific courses that I took:

International Human Resource Management. This was a three day seminar that involved reading the textbook and taking an exam before the class started, and then writing a 10-page case study after the seminar was complete. The course was very interactive and fun, and I learned a lot. The class was small, about 15 people, which meant lots of individual attention. I would definitely recommend this course.

Global Supply Chain Management. Taught by three different instructors, this course met at random times throughout the first month, for up to 6 hours at a time. It was extremely unorganized, and half of the time, I had no idea what I was supposed to be learning or prepare for the next meeting. The first day the instructor showed up and didn’t know that he was supposed to give the lectures in English. The material was interesting, but most of the knowledge I gained was through my own efforts. The final exam took place 2 and a half months after the last lecture. Way more trouble than it was worth, I do not recommend this class.

Global Consumer Behavior. This course was a lot of work, but fun, and a great way to meet local students. I was one of only 5 exchanges in the class, and we did a lot of group work.

Doing Business in Emerging Markets. This seminar had no text book and used a lot of current events articles and other relevant materials. The class was composed entirely of exchange students, so the discussion was great, with many different viewpoints.

Betriebswirtschaftslehre des Außenhandels. If you happen to speak German and major in Finance, take this course. It is definitely passable and improves your vocab quickly. It is a good balance between taking a class in a foreign language, and a language that you know – numbers. It dealt mostly with exchange rate and interest rate risk management.

Wirtschaftsdeutsch. Business German courses are offered for all levels of German ability. I started off in the highest level, but quickly realized that it was nothing but a detailed grammar lesson, and I chose to drop the class. For the most part, all levels of this course were a lot more work for fewer credits. Perhaps if you are completely new to the language, this course would be beneficial so that you are familiar with the daily language you hear around you. But otherwise I would not recommend it.

Advising: There is not really any available. Each student is assigned a member of the faculty to act as an advisor, but we didn’t get this information until after we got there, which was well after we registered for classes. The staff in the study abroad office (ZAS) are helpful if you have a question, but plan to do most of the work on your own before you leave. My semester was the first time that they used the online registration system, and it worked well for me because I was prepared. I definitely recommend picking out your courses as soon as the syllabi are available. Then familiarize yourself with how the registration works, and have the course numbers ready. I was registered for all of my classes in about 20 seconds, and almost all of the courses were full within a minute. So have back-ups ready, and know the exact time of your registration! They’ll send you all of the info a month or so prior to your departure, and don’t put it off. Otherwise lots of headaches and waiting lists will follow.

Surprises/Comparison with Academic Environment in the U.S.: The main difference is in the schedule of when courses meet. Although a course only meets for three days, the amount of work is the same as for a regular course here. Most of the courses involve many of the same elements as here; group work, presentations, tests, and assignments are usually part of the coursework. In general, you spend less time in class, and more time working on your own or in groups. Presentations are informal: the only students who dressed in business formal were the students from the US. Also, many of the instructors are not full-time faculty, but professionals from the business community, both in Vienna and throughout Europe. Finally, textbooks are not used as much, and if they are, they are generally available from the library or as a course reader in the departmental office which you can photocopy. These arrangements make it very cheap to acquire the necessary course materials. Make sure you check into these options before purchasing a textbook!

Logistics at the WU-Wien:

Orientation/Arrival: Having a buddy meet me at the airport was the best. I didn’t have to worry about finding my way to my dorm. The two-week orientation program is worth the money because you will meet people right away, you become familiar with the public transportation, and the day trips are really fun.

Housing: The dorms in Vienna are very similar to dorms here, but maybe a notch nicer. Exchange students are put together on the same floors. Community kitchens are on each floor, and laundry facilities are located in the building but are expensive. I was in Haus Panorama, which was not nearly as nice as pictured on the website, but was a fun experience, much like living as a freshman in the dorms again. Haus Erasmus is good for city-lovers and the most exchange students seemed to live here. Haus Europa is more for the nature-lovers and is located about 40 minutes from campus. Haus Doebling is close to campus but probably the worst place to live. I had my own bedroom but had two roommates who shared another bedroom and we all shared a bath and storage space. This was a great arrangement. If you want a single room, get in your housing application as early as possible. Also, I would recommend paying the housing in one lump sum wire transfer before you leave.

Meals: There are no cafeterias in the dorms, but there are large kitchens on each floor, which are functional but rather disgusting. These became great community areas for hanging out with neighbors. The cafeteria on campus serves good meals but is rather expensive. I probably only ate there four times. I mostly cooked my own meals in the dorm, but I also frequented coffee shops and kebap stands.

Transportation: The transportation in Vienna rocks. The student semester pass is good on the subway, buses, trams, and local trains (schnellbahns). Everything runs often, and goes everywhere you could possibly want to go. Night buses are available in the wee hours of the morning and are a little more tricky to navigate, but do the job. The semester pass probably won’t be available upon arrival, and I had to purchase a couple of week-long passes (which run Monday to Monday) to get me through until the semester pass was available. I also would recommend getting a Vorteilskarte, which costs about 20 euro but gives students 50% discounts on all long distance trains within Austria (to Salzburg, Innsbruck, Graz, etc).

Student Activity Groups: There aren’t really student activity groups like we have at Carlson, but there are constantly events going on. I would watch the emails and advertising, and it was fun to check them out. The Buddy Network does a great job of setting up activities and outings for the exchange students.

Host Country Culture:

Surpises/Insights:

One of the biggest adjustments was getting used to the business hours – banks and offices are closed between noon and 2, and practically nothing is open on Sundays. Classes are a lot more laid back than here, and the random schedules took some getting used to. It also took some getting used to the late hours of socializing – most people don’t even go out until about 11:30, and then everything stays open until the wee hours of the morning. No wonder they need a two hour break in the middle of the day!

What are your recommendations for ways that other exchange students can learn about and become immersed in the culture?

Get to know the Austrian students in your classes. They love the exchange students and are eager to invite them to events outside of school. Vienna has countless cultural activities that are advertised throughout the city – pay attention to the signs and check them out. Even if you don’t speak German, pick up a copy of the free newspaper ‘Heute,’ available near public transportation. Also, websites like and vienna.at have lots of info about events and culture.

Did you have the chance to learn a second language? Why or why not?

I greatly improved my German while I was there because I took advantage of the people around me. I also came in with enough proficiency to be able to take a class in German. I also took advantage of the two-week German course offered alongside the orientation program before the semester starts. An entrance test places students in the appropriate level, and it was great for meeting people and getting used to the language. One program I didn’t take advantage of but wish I had was the tandem learning program. This program matches up native speakers of different languages to help teach each other their language. Everyone I talked to who participated in this program said that it was a positive experience.

Social Life:

How would you rate your integration with other students from the host university?

Integrating with students from Vienna was a bit tricky because we didn’t really have daily contact with them, other than those in the Buddy Network. I took a few courses that had Austrian students in them, and I took advantage of it and formed friendships with a few of them.

How would you rate your integration with other international students?

Integration with other exchange students is high, mostly because we were in constant contact with each other – in classes, dorms, and other activities. It is great to hear perspectives from all kinds of cultures, and most of the socializing was done with other international students.

What were some of the best ways you found to make friends and meet people at the host university?

The best way is to participate in the activities organized by the Buddy Network. These range from the Kaiko Club nights every Monday to weekend excursions to other countries. Also definitely the orientation and language programs offered before the semester starts are great. I had many friends before I even set foot in a classroom.

What kinds of after-hours and weekend activities would you recommend for other students?

There are so many cool museums and arts and sporting events in Vienna, and it is fun to just sit in one of the many beautiful parks or coffee shops and talk with people. Vienna has an amazing nightlife – get a group together and check out the variety of clubs. Weekends are great for small trips to nearby cities like Bratislava, Salzburg, Munich, Prague, and others. Get together a small group and explore!

Other:

Budgeting: how much would you recommend students take with them? How much would you say would be the monthly living expenses in the city you lived in including rent/food/misc. expenses?

The biggest chunk of my money went to travel within and outside of Austria. You’re going to want to go on the Buddy Network trips, and you’re going to want to travel with all your new friends to exciting places, so I’d recommend having about $2000 available just for extra travel, if you are able. Rent will probably be around 250 euros a month with internet and administration fees, but I recommend paying that up front so you don’t have to worry about it. Food is really cheap if you buy it from the grocery stores like Hofer and PennyMarkt. I probably spent about 75 euros a month on food. Entertainment in Vienna, including eating out, was probably another 125 euro per month, and miscelleanous expenses probably added another 50 euro. So altogether about 500 euro per month in living expenses. I recommend stocking your bank account before you go and using a debit card to withdraw cash while you are there. It is not worth the hassle of setting up an account in Austria. But most places don’t accept foreign cards, so you do have to use the ATMs and pay with cash.

Do you have suggestions on the types of students who would be well suited to this program?

Anyone going on this program has to be independent and be able to work through bureaucracy to get much of the paperwork, registration, and other details done. Vienna has a great location, especially for students interested in Eastern Europe. And, as with any study abroad experience I think, students who like to meet new people and travel will love it. The available courses are also easy to get credit towards an International Business major.

Did you need a visa to enter the country? If so, how did you apply for one and how long did it take to receive?

I downloaded my visa materials from the website and mailed everything to Chicago. It took about 2 weeks to receive. The website says that you have to apply in person, but if you are applying for a student visa, you may send it by mail.

What recommendations would you give to other CSOM students going on this program (to bring, to wear, etc.)?

Bring a ski jacket – both for the cold, and for the skiing. The climate is much like that of Minnesota, but perhaps a bit milder. Students dress more casual than at Carlson – jeans, khakis, and casual skirts are the norm. It might be handy to bring your own Internet cord – wireless is not available in the dorms.

General recommendations for study abroad:

Explore! Don’t waste any time. There are multiple days in row with no classes – use it to travel to nearby cities and countries. Talk to people, both other exchange students and host country students. Get involved in the Buddy Network activities; even though some of it sounds cheesy, most everything is tons of fun! Make an attempt at learning the language – it is fun, and you get so much more out of the whole experience.

What resources did you use to plan your trip or semester travels that you think other students should know about?

I did most of my planning through the WU exchange student page: This site had all of the valuable info and timelines that I needed. I also went through all of the materials that the International Programs Office distributes at orientation, and those were valuable.

Overall, studying at the WU-Wien was an absolutely amazing experience, and I would highly recommend it to anyone!

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