Interdisciplinary and international: engineering at Furtwangen University
Furtwangen University, also known as HFU, offers many attractive fields of study for international students. International engineering is a future-oriented bachelor’s program that combines theoretical and practical learning with an interdisciplinary approach.
For many young people, finding the right subject and university to study can be a challenge. Not so for Fatine Dounia El Khmoulli. The 20-year-old woman from Morocco knew she wanted to study engineering in an international context. Thus, she searched the internet. When she came across the bachelor of sciences program in international engineering at Furtwangen University, she knew she found the perfect match for her academic career plans. “I found it myself, without help or support”, she says when asked who informed her about this opportunity.
“I chose this program because of the interdisciplinary approach. International Engineering involves medical or mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science and also economics and languages, which I found very attractive.” She also likes studying at a university of applied sciences because of the mix of theoretical and practical learning: “In my college, the HFU, we have a lot of programs that have a strong emphasis on practical, hands-on learning. So we can work on projects that are directly applicable to our future careers.”
Baden-Württemberg’s industry played a major role
For Fatine Dounia El Khmoulli, coming to Baden-Württemberg was a logical choice. She has been in the southwestern German state before on vacation with her family and enjoyed her stay. “I like the lakes, the forests, the nature and the environment”, the young woman says. But that alone would not have been enough: “What I find very attractive here in Baden-Württemberg is the industry presence. It is a home to major engineering and technology companies”, she says. Students have good opportunities to find promising internships and network with industry professionals.
Another aspect Fatine Dounia El Khmoulli appreciates about her studies at HFU is the internationality of the campus. “My college is actually very full of international students, so it's a very good opportunity to discover new cultures.” Soon, she will have additional opportunities to immerse herself in a new culture: She will go to France for her semester abroad. Because she already speaks French in addition to German, English and Arabic, she looks forward to spending some time at a French university.
An international, culturally diverse high-quality education
Right now, the bachelor of applied sciences in international engineering at HFU is taught in both English and German. Learning in different languages broadens one’s horizon and opens up new perspectives. “Studying both in English and German provides a broader range of opportunities, enhances communication skills and facilitates cultural understanding,” Fatine Dounia El Khmoulli says.
However, starting in Winter 2024, the program will be offered entirely in English. This will lower the barriers to entry for non-German speakers and possibly attract an even more diverse group of students to the university’s campus in Villingen-Schwenningen.
For the young woman from Morocco, studying in Baden-Württemberg has been a good choice. “Studying here is a very good experience because of the high-quality education”, she says. And that’s not all. She also appreciates the extracurricular activities the university provides. “The HFU has many student clubs that offer us the opportunity to do different sports,” she says. Her favorites? Swimming and kickboxing. If her many academic activities leave her enough time, she still likes to enjoy the surroundings, the lakes and the forests. This, after all, is what she first noticed about Baden-Württemberg when she came here for a family vacation.
Tip: If you want to check out other English study programs in engineering in Baden-Württemberg, go here.
Author: Siri Schubert