In April 2024, we—students in the “Engineering Management” degree programme at HSZG—had the opportunity to take a one-week trip to the German-Kazakh University in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Our main goal was to take the “Investment Analysis for Energy” module at the partner university and to apply and defend the knowledge we had acquired in a project of our own choosing. Before the trip, we took preparatory courses to familiarize ourselves with the basics and discuss the details of our project. Prof. Dr. Tino Schütte proposed the study abroad program and accompanied us during the trip.

On April 20, our trip began with a flight to Istanbul and a smooth transfer to Almaty. With pleasant temperatures of 20°C, we quickly adjusted to the 3-hour time difference. Until we could check into our hotel, we passed the time by having lunch and spending some time at the nearby “Park of the 28 Panfilovs,” a large park in eastern Almaty. After we were able to check into our rooms that afternoon, we spent the rest of the day relaxing and began planning our activities for the following week.

The following Monday, we worked on the final draft of our project defense. Then we headed to the evening lecture series, which took place daily from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Despite its rather unassuming exterior, our impression of the German-Kazakh University was consistently positive. Our fellow students—a mix of students from various Master's degree programmes—welcomed us warmly.

Almaty lies at the foot of the “Tian Shan” mountain range, which is approximately 2,450 km long, about 400 km wide, and reaches heights of up to 7,439 m. Kazakhstan’s largest city offers an impressive mountain panorama and a wide range of activities, from hiking to skiing. On Tuesday, we planned a trip to the nearest mountains and took the bus to the cable car station for the equivalent of 40 cents per person. Unfortunately, the weather threw a wrench in our plans, as the mountains were shrouded in thick clouds from mid-slope upward. Our view from the upper cable car station was limited as a result, but we still enjoyed the experience.

The following Wednesday, on the advice of a fellow student, we went on an excursion to the "Kök-Töbe", a mountain close to the city. From the summit, we had an impressive view over Almaty to the west and the snow-covered mountain peaks to the south. Here, too, we used the local cable car for the ascent and descent, which went without a hitch. On our return, the weather deteriorated rapidly, but we made it to the university just in time to escape the rain. Thanks to our participation in the preparation course, we were able to present our project work on Wednesday and successfully complete the module.

The remaining two days were characterized by rain showers. On Thursday, we first visited the "Park of 28 Panfilowzy", in particular the "Cathedral of the Ascension", and then the "Green Bazaar". The latter is a large market with a variety of vendors selling products ranging from clothing and technology to food. This visit was particularly memorable for us.

On Friday, our last day, we spent most of the time packing for our flight home and having a quick lunch in the hotel restaurant. Towards the evening, we made our way back to "Kök-Töbe" to catch a night-time view of the city.

We will certainly not forget the week we spent in Kazakhstan in a hurry. During our stay, we were able to gain a small insight into the way of life of the people, the language, the architecture and vegetation in and around Almaty, the geography and, all in all, the country and its people. We were able to experience what it is like to study at a university beyond the borders of Europe and at the same time got to know a large number of students from a wide variety of countries.

We would especially like to thank the HSZG, the DKU and Prof. Dr. Tino Schütte for making this trip possible for us.

Text: Janek Hennig