Annabella Peretti, Business, Technology and Engineering: The German Way Summer 2024
It was very interesting seeing how the academic program at Munich University of Applied Science compared to Pitt. I was very surprised to see how interactive and hands-on the academic program was in Munich. As a university of applied sciences, they seemed to have a much more challenging, tangible curriculum. I have never taken industrial engineering classes as a mechanical engineering student, so everything was brand new to me, and I really enjoyed the material. I especially liked the lean production simulation we did twice, which were interactive and fun ways to learn about lean manufacturing and minimizing waste. I also enjoyed viewing their machine shop, which was a very well-kept space with amazing equipment handled by experienced workers.
Outside of the classroom, there were also some notable differences between the cultures of the United States and Germany. The culture in Germany feels very similar to that of the States, with some subtle differences, two of which are the following:
1. Public Transportation: We very quickly picked up on the many different types of public transportation we would be using, such as the train, subway, buses, and trams. Unlike most places in the United States, Munich relies much more on public transportation. Luckily, as a college student living in Pittsburgh without a car, I was prepared to use public transportation, and the process was very similar to that of the States!
2. Environmentally Friendly: I also appreciated how environmentally friendly it is in Germany. I was surprised by how little trash I found on the streets and, yet again, their increased preference of public transportation. The water there is extremely clean as it comes straight from the Alps. People are incentivized to recycle by being monetarily compensated for returning recyclable bottles; therefore, you witness many people walking or on bikes looking for empty bottles to clean up round the city. Some people will even approach you and ask if you have any finished water bottles, so do not be alarmed! There are free and easy to access water refilling fountains found throughout the city center. Another interesting (though incredibly niche) concept I liked was their water bottle design, as the bottle caps are designed to remain attached to the bottle at all times to reduce litter or waste. There is also a lot of greenery throughout the city, such as in the famous Englischer Gartens, which stretches 5.5 km and is one of the largest inner-city parks in the world, being larger than Central Park in NYC!
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