In January 2021, Dolores and Yao, two students from West Africa arrived in Graz to spend an exchange semester at FH JOANNEUM’s Institute of International Management. After two mandatory weeks in quarantine, they arrived at the university for the first time. The pandemic has not prevented them from living their dreams.
Neya Aimee Dolores Yeda from Burkina Faso
Dolores studies “Computer Science and Entrepreneurship” at the Burkina Institute of Technology (BIT) in Koudougou, Burkina Faso. She wanted to spend the following semester at FH JOANNEUM after meeting Doris Kiendl, Chair of the Institute of International Management, at her university. “I was impressed by the way she taught the course on entrepreneurship”, Dolores said. Therefore she did not hesitate when offered the opportunity of taking part in the Ernst Mach grant programme.
Dolores' expectations of her semester abroad are high. She wants to learn a lot, discover how to teach, and come out of the exchange “with plenty of know-how and a mentality that will serve my country”. Attending FH JOANNEUM was therefore the ideal way of discovering new horizons. After her stay here, she will certainly be a role model for her younger brothers who will follow in her footsteps.
“I was impressed by the way she taught the course on entrepreneurship.”
Yao from Benin
Yao also studies in Koudougou at the Burkina Institute of Technology. His main motive for choosing FH JOANNEUM for an exchange semester was his wish to explore the world. “It is the only place I found that could offer me the opportunity to benefit from a globally networked, multicultural environment in order to learn and grow”, he said.
There is much that he wants to learn from this programme, a range of subjects including international marketing techniques, as well as intercultural skills, information management, facing global competition and supply chain management. These are just a few of Yao’s expectations. Moreover, he is thinking of following this up with a Master's programme. Like Dolores, he also wants to be a role model for the exchange programme in his country. “I am already falling in love with the city of Graz. All the people I have met so far are either native citizens or foreigners and they are all very friendly”, he said.
We wish Dolores and Yao a wonderful exchange semester in Graz! May all your wishes come true.