Chapter University of Mannheim: short, intense and fulfilling

My name is Yasmine Labib and I completed my B.Sc. in Business Administration at the University of Mannheim from 2021 to 2024. I am writing this report from my new apartment in Frankfurt, not too far away, where I am currently spending my gap year. The first thing I think of when I sit in front of my own laptop again for a longer period of time are the numerous summaries I wrote in the Ehrenhof library in the evening after several espressos in preparation for the exam phase. Next to me is also my iPad, on which old exams have been calculated (several times and with lots of question marks and notes next to them).

The more I try to concentrate on this report so that you, dear readers, get a better feeling for student life at the University of Mannheim, the more I think of my friends with whom I stood in front of the library at 7.50 am many mornings to get a good seat, which we often didn't leave before 11 pm. But it's the coffee breaks, the trip to the gym in between and of course the discussion about what time it's not too crowded in the cafeteria that will most likely remain in my long-term memory.

The less stressful phases were then enjoyed, not in the library, but with the student initiatives. Whether it was consulting, finance, start-ups or even wine tasting, the University of Mannheim was good enough to attract a wide variety of people with diverse interests and encourage them to meet like-minded people. As an international student with certain Mediterranean habits and a scholarship at the University of Mannheim, the choice of initiatives was relatively easy for me:

• the student council for the famous Schneckenhof parties at the university (evenings that no one in Mannheim should miss)
• the stock exchange initiative for the large network with different partner companies and my introduction to LinkedIn – the new Instagram – during the first semester of several Bachelor students, where “networking” was also most likely the word of the year
• The initiative for exchange students to stimulate my cultural curiosity
• And last but not least, my highlight: the international student consultancy, where I spent a year building a team that I am still extremely grateful for today

And now to the lesson: to take a big step like the move from Cairo to Mannheim, a number of conditions have to be met. Mannheim exceeded every expectation.

Condition 1: Studying at a German state university that nevertheless has an international focus. If you study business administration in Mannheim, half of the subjects are taught in English. In addition, there is an obligatory semester abroad with almost 200 (some very renowned) partner universities to choose from, where you don't have to pay tuition fees. Check!

Condition 2: A university that is known for offering a good business degree program. Dear reader, a quick Google search with the keywords “University of Mannheim Ranking” will answer the question. Check!

Condition 3: A university that can support me to work in Germany and the rest of the world later on. Through my involvement in the various initiatives, my participation in events organized by different partner companies and the collective effort of the half-year to collect as many internships as possible, I have worked in several companies in the financial sector in Germany and abroad during my studies. Check!

Condition 4: A university where I can develop professionally and above all personally during my studies. Every event, every “bib-session”, every internship, every “corporate workshop” and the circle of friends I have created have definitely helped me to develop into the self-confident, ambitious and disciplined person I am today.

What you should probably take away from this report, dear readers: Studying business administration at the University of Mannheim has turned the “study chapter” of my life into a bestseller.