Interview: Jasmin from Germany, MoDE Student since October 2020

 My name is Jasmin and I finished my undergraduate studies in Cultural and Social Sciences at Viadrina University in 2018. I am originally from Darmstadt, Germany, but have lived in Berlin for 7 years now and am still living here. Once the pandemic is over, I will continue living in Berlin because I also work part-time here. I will commute to Frankfurt (Oder) as I have already done that during my Bachelor’s.

How did you find out about the new Master’s program?

I found out about it on Social Media, I don’t remember which platform though, probably Facebook. There was just one week left to apply, so I had to rush to get all my documents together and apply. And, fortunately, it worked out!

Why did and do you want to participate in the program?

Before I decided that I want to do a Master’s degree, I worked full-time in PR and Campaigning for an NGO for nearly two years. I gained valuable work experience and got lots of ideas in my head about projects I wanted to do, but somehow felt I was lacking some necessary skills to further pursue my ideas. These ideas also included founding my own company. I hoped the MoDE as an interdisciplinary program would help me get my head around what exactly I want to do and how. I am now working in a start-up where I can use my gained knowledge hands-on.

How do you like it so far? In which way did the corona crisis affect you?

As the program is still quite new, it is full of opportunities. Because structures are still being built, we can be part of designing them in the first place. Apart from that, I think all teaching staff are trying their best and quickly adapted to teaching online. Nevertheless, it is very sad I have only been able to meet with fellow students occasionally, but not on campus to exchange ideas and get to know the whole group properly. I hope to meet people in person again when it is allowed, but at the same time I have come to appreciate the benefits of hybrid teaching and being able to attend classes remotely.

Do you have any professional ideas and notion that you would like to fulfill with the Master’s? If so, feel free to describe your project in more detail.

 I aim at founding my own company and am currently sharpening my ideas. I have several, so it remains to be seen what exactly I will do. I would like to start applying for scholarships/funding soon and see where this journey takes me. I think it is a great opportunity to found a company whilst studying because there is a lot of help available - workshops, networking, funding, consulting etc. Also, I have nothing to lose - if it doesn’t work out, there is no shame in that - I'll just start all over again! My ideas revolve mainly about social entrepreneurship, so I would definitely like to do something with social impact.

What’s your favourite MoDE module or lecture so far, and why?

 I really like the format of the Managing Digital Transformation course. It is great to apply theory to a concrete project, even if everything is fictional. I feel this is where my ideas most progressed. But, basically, any seminar where we could advance a project either individually or in a group was useful and I learned a lot.

What’s special about the MoDE and how would you describe it to potential students?

It’s a course where you and your ideas are taken seriously - your input is valuable, as are your ideas. Because we are only a small group of students, there is something like a “class feeling” - at least I feel like I am part of a community already. Many people in the MoDE have concrete projects they are working on, but it is also okay if you don't. We can learn a lot from each other, thanks to our different backgrounds and experiences. 

What was your favourite ENS moment so far, and what made it special?

I actually really like these informal get-togethers where people are just chatting - it doesn’t feel like university at all! Obviously, because of COVID, most teaching took place online, but the summer party on the rooftop terrace was definitely one of the best experiences with the ENS.

Interview: Maria from Poland, MoDE Student since October 2020

My name is Maria, I grew up in the suburbs of Warsaw- but I’ve been living in Germany for about 7 years now. I completed my bachelor's degree in international business economics at Viadrina University. I spent my undergraduate in Frankfurt (Oder), but I’m currently living in Berlin.

Why did and do you want to participate in the new studies?

I wasn’t planning on continuing with my studies after my BA, to be honest – I felt like there was nothing out there I’m really interested in that could bring me closer to where I want to go. When I found out about the European New School, I knew this program was “the one”.

The ENS offers many subjects that are very relevant in today's job market - from privacy policy topics to the digitalization of businesses. Besides that, the university gives you the opportunity to connect with like-minded people, working on their individual fascinating projects – which make the experience so much more exciting.

How do you like it so far? In which way did the corona crisis affect you?

I really enjoy studying at ENS thus far – attending classes online was definitely a steep learning curve for all of us (both students and teachers), but now I feel like it has become a “new normal”.

Do you have any professional ideas and notion that you would like to fulfil with the Master’s? If so, feel free to describe your project in more detail.

In 2019, I started my own company (http://www.good-socks.de) with the idea of supporting homeless people on the streets of Berlin. The idea is very simple: with every pair of socks sold, one is donated to a homeless person. Although the project is very small right now, the mission and vision of the company is to build a new way of distributing resources - building a world, where charity is not an act of heroism but part of our daily routine.

What’s your favorite MoDE module or lecture so far, and why?

"Managing Digital Transformation" - this subject helped me theoretically understand the entrepreneurial process.

What’s special about the MoDE and how would you describe it to potential students?

People. Both students and academic staff. It’s a rare privilege to be surrounded by so many driven and interesting people. Moreover, it’s internationality makes it unique: in my generation, there are students from 19 different countries all over the world – so intercultural exchange is part of our daily studies as well!

The pandemic has strongly affected the way we teach and study at ENS with most activities and contacts taking place online. What is the (online) community like at ENS; have you made new friends?

Technology made it pretty easy to make friends among other ENS students – obviously it’s not the same as if we had “traditional” on-site classes, but, given the current situation, I’m surprised how many friends I’ve made.

Did anything surprise you?

I was surprised by how open professors are when it comes to discussing and consulting on my individual project – despite their busy schedules. That’s really awesome!

Any tips you would like to give future students?

If you feel like the program is right for you, just go for it - I would be happy to see you next semester!

Interview: Isaac from Mexico, MoDE Student since October 2020

 My name is Isaac Arturo Dávila Hernández, I am a citizen of Mexico residing in Germany. When applying for the MoDE Master’s program, I held a bachelor’s degree in law.

 How did you find out about the new Master’s program?

 I found it browsing through the European University Viadrina’s Master’s catalog.

 Why did and do you want to participate in the new studies?

First off, from a very young age, I wanted to acquire enough knowledge and practice to become an international lawyer supporting society’s most vulnerable groups. Then, the world is constantly facing situations of massive development at a dizzying pace, such as the use of technologies and globalization. The mixture of both pushed me to consider digital transformation as a viable area to provide legal aid to as many people as possible.

How do you like it so far? In which way did the corona crisis affect you?

It has been a very good experience so far. I am impressed by how all people at ENS collaborate to make the MoDE program bigger and better. The mixture of people with different professional backgrounds coming from all over the world has built a great community.

 Unfortunately, the Corona pandemic triggered specific problems for me, especially at the beginning when trying to obtain and extend residence permits to remain in Europe. It was hard not to be able to travel anywhere, including my birth country.

Do you have any professional ideas and notion that you would like to fulfil with the Masters? If so, feel free to describe your project in more detail.

 An ideal goal is to build a company by ourselves, maybe with external parties, or with peers/ colleagues from the MoDE program. The areas that the program is targeting are so diverse that we, as students, might take very different directions of specialization to create new companies or to make existing ideas and models bigger and better.

What’s your favorite MoDE module or lecture so far, and why?

All the courses I picked for the first semester were great, very useful in different academic and practical aspects. However, being trained as a lawyer I was most impressed by those with a legal and social basis. My favorites have thus been the introduction to the law and ethics of the digital economy, digital sociology, as well as science & technology studies.

What’s special about the MoDE and how would you describe it to potential students?

Everything is so unique about this program, I don’t know where to start. The courses, professors, colleagues, location, potential, dynamics… Long story short, the students are collectively building the program together with the admin and academic boards and I think I have not seen this level of attention to the students’ voices in any other program.

What was your favorite ENS moment so far, and what made it special?

It is hard to pick one, but if I have to, the open discussions during the seminars are my favorite part. Moreover, the participation of special guests such as Professor Sandra Wachter and Professor Stephan Breidenbach were highlights of my first semester that I will remember for a long time. There are some topics we have discussed during the semester that I haven’t stopped thinking about ever since.

The pandemic has strongly affected the way we teach and study at ENS with most activities and contacts taking place online. What is the (online) community like at ENS; have you made new friends?

 Keeping all interactions online is hard, and even well-working video conferences are simply not the same as having direct interaction with the interlocutors. I hope this pandemic will be over soon.

However, I think we have built such good relations between ENS participants that whenever we will be able to see each other in person we will transform from good colleagues to friends instantly.