Alumni

“Studying made me open minded”

Ruth comes from Kenya and studied MSc Management at Lancaster University Leipzig. After graduation she directly secured a job at the campus of the university as Campus Services Officer.

What was your favorite part about studying, looking back now.

My favorite part about studying at Lancaster University Leipzig is how international it is. I met a lot of classmates from very different backgrounds, very different paths of life. I love that we had to connect with the cultures. I mean, being with such international people, learn so many things about different cultures. I also liked how the lectures were were conducted. The lecturers were very approachable. They were very engaging and they connected what you read in the class to the real world.

So how did the LU Leipzig shape you as a person and for your job?

Studying really made me an open minded and very resilient person. Being in a multicultural setting, it pushed me out of my comfort zones but in the best way possible. Academically, the courses were designed to make us think critically and also strategically about real-world scenarios. I think this is one of the best things about Lancaster University Leipzig.

What was one of the most memorable experiences?

We had a project with Carl Zeiss – one of the largest manufacturing in optical systems. And the university got us this incredible opportunity to work for a consulting project as part of our thesis. The project was about how to improve employee behavior. We had to consider geographical distances and cultural differences across China and Germany. It was so fascinating to interact with these employees from the company, and also analyzing and providing solutions to see how international companies navigate their communications.

How else did the university connect you to companies to explore career paths?

LU Leipzig organized career fairs for us students on campus. They invited recruiters from different companies, for example BMW, Deutsche Telekom, Porsche to present their companies and connect with us. The companies offered us really valuable information on how to write CVs, what to do during interviews, and insights on what recruiters are currently looking for. And this was really helpful.

Now that you are working in Operations at the university, what skills from your studies are you able to apply?

One of the most important skills I learned during my MSC in management here at Lancaster University Leipzig is how to navigate complex situations. For example, recently in my job I was commissioned to organise the campus visit of a very big group of internationals. And I had to put together all the logistics for the event: from accommodation and transport to the detailed schedule for the three days. At the end it was a successful event and that is due to my planning and organising one of the biggest skill that I confidently learned from my MSc Management.

What advice would you give future generations to come?

To all current students at Lancaster University Leipzig, I’d say be kind to yourself, especially to international students. Navigating new cultures and new environments can be overwhelming for the first time, but there’s so much beauty in the process of it. They should enjoy the city of Leipzig and just enjoy student life. And to the prospective students I would recommend: if you’re looking for a place where you can get practical experience in your studies, a place that values cultural diversity and a place for good career prospects – LU Leipzig is the place to be!

What would you do, if you could be a student again for one day?

Now that I’m working here, it feels like I never left. But if I could go back, I would attend every single networking opportunity and every guest lecturer that was coming to the university. Because there was always so much valuable information in that.

How do you stay connected with other Alumni?

So now that I’ve graduated, I am automatically part of the alumni network of Lancaster University in the UK, which is made of almost 200,000 students. But we are currently working on creating an alumni network of Lancaster University Leipzig here in Germany to help us keep connected and also plan reunions whenever possible.

“I met my employer on a career fair on campus.”

Ahmet is a 2023 graduate of Lancaster University Leipzig with a BSc (Hons) in Software Engineering. Now he works as a Software Engineer at the Leipzig company Spread Group. In his work, he realizes how much knowledge and practical experience he can use from his studies.

How did you find the job at Spread Group?

I met Spread Group at Lancaster Universität Leipzig at a career fair. I made good contact with them and we had an interview six months after the career events. During the job interview, people were really amazed at the projects that I had in my studies – especially last year’s project, which made me stand out. 

What does the company Spread Group sell?

Spread Group is a tech-driven fashion company. We do print on demand in e-commerce. We are not only a selling platform, but we also allow people to sell their designs. In general, we are printing on textiles, cups, merchandise, etc.

What’s your task at this company?

I am a software engineer specializing in the backend. My team takes care of user-related data such as tax payment information we are also taking care of GDPR-related tasks – important for privacy of data. And last but not least we also take care of the design management system where we classify designers and allow them to have analytical data.

How did your studies prepare you for this job?

So I did my Bachelor’s degree in software engineering and specialized in backend during my studies. And of course, studies give us a broad knowledge of various kinds of topics from the first year to the last year. We had examples that we could apply to real-world scenarios – specifically our second and third-year projects got us ready for projects that we can apply outside of the university. So when I finished my studies I was able to apply all the knowledge into my work, into the software engineering world and it got me ready very well. The scale good bigger now of course, but the fundamental knowledge that gained from my university was very solid.

Do you still have some connections with your classmates or lecturers from LU Leipzig?

Of course, I have made friends in those years when I was studying. I attended an Alumni meeting with classmates and lecturers just a month ago. We had a really nice conversation catching up on what they are doing, and what I’m doing. And maybe at this year’s graduation, I will be there to support my greeting friends.

“I really like it here and I want to stay here!”

Junior from Senegal came to Germany to study for his bachelor’s degree in computer science at Lancaster University Leipzig. He successfully graduated in 2024 and enjoyed studying at the university so much, that he has enrolled in an MSc programme in Cyber Security at university.

Have you considered other options than doing the MSc at Lancaster University Leipzig?

First of all, I really wanted to do a Master’s degree in Computer Science. Besides Lancaster University Leipzig, I also looked at other universities in Europe. But in the end I decided to stay here because it is a great advantage that the Master’s programme here takes only one year instead of two and a half years at other universities. I thought: What if I take the risk of leaving my comfortable flat in Leipzig and I don’t like it in the other city and at the other university? And then I would have to spend so much time there and not like it. So I talked to my parents and told them I really like it here and I want to stay here!

How is the workload and the day to day life compared to your Bachelor’s studies?

The workload is about the same between undergraduate and postgraduate. I think it’s just a different kind of workload: in the bachelor you have a lot of different subjects that are different from each other and you have to work on several at the same time. Here it’s more straightforward and you have to work in depth on one subject at a time. But you are always working on something and the workload is more or less the same.

Are the subjects more of a specialisation of the bachelor’s content or new areas of computer science?

There is a module called “Information Security Management”, which is sort of an advanced version of the module we had in the BSc, which was “Security and Risk”. But apart from that, all the other modules are completely new. For example, the first module we had was “Introduction to Law” – very interesting by the way – which is something we did not have in our Bachelor’s. And other modules are also completely new. But you are using the knowledge you have learned in computer science – just applying it to completely new challenges.

And how is the learning approach, still in small classes or more individual learning?

We do have group projects and some group presentations, but most of the learning is individual. Apart from the classes, you can do some reading and write individually on most of the projects. So everything is a bit more individualised than in the Bachelor’s programme. However, it still gives you skills like communicating with others.

Do you know some of the others classmates from your Bachelor’s?

Yes, some students have continued with their MSc at LU Leipzig and I also have a lot of friends who are doing their 2nd and 3rd year of their bachelor. So even though we don’t have the same classes, we still see each other every week on campus, which makes me feel very comfortable in Leipzig. That’s also a big advantage: I’m surrounded by the people I know and the city I know. In terms of lifestyle, it’s still the same comfortable one and I wouldn’t change that!

Are you already looking for jobs that will match your MSc Cyber Security soon?

I have an interview with DHL in 2 weeks. In this interview we will discuss my job opportunities in the company, which are much more than with a Bachelor’s degree. If I get this job, I could stay in Leipzig, because DHL has a big hub logistics centre here in the city. I have also been learning German since I started studying. I am now at B1 level and will soon be at B2. So I can put German as a language on my CV. This will make me very qualified for any job here.