‘Life-changing’ trip gives students insight into international culture

Published on 28, November, 2024

Ten business students from the University of Sunderland have been given the opportunity of a lifetime – travelling to Germany to discover more about international culture.  

The week-long trip to Hannover and St. Andreasberg was part of the University's Intercultural Management Programme (ICM) in conjunction with Hochschule Hannover University in Germany.

The students, from Sunderland’s School of Business, Management and Tourism, represented Botswana, China, Ecuador, Germany, Ghana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Korea, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, South Korea, Spain, the UK, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe. Students with migration backgrounds from Bosnia, Georgia, Turkey and Venezuela also participated. 

The programme saw them explore and understand intercultural management with interactive, practical and fun tasks.

Students also visited the deepest mine in the world, Grube Samson in St. Andreasberg.

Katlego Pheko, 21, from Botswana, is a third year Accounting and Finance student at Sunderland.

She said, “This experience has taught me to be more open-minded and have effective communication in both professional and personal settings. I have gained lifelong friends and even learnt some German.”

Hamza Lazrak, 20, from Morocco, in the third year of his Business and Management degree, added: “The ICM trip was not just an academic exercise, it was a celebration of cultural diversity and human connection. It left us inspired to approach future challenges with the same spirit of curiosity, creativity, and collaboration.”

The trip was made possible thanks to funding from the University’s Douglas Clasper Award.

Allison Abbott, Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management, organised Sunderland’s participation in the ICM programme.

She said: “It was an honour to work with Hochschule Hannover University as we joined them on this fabulous and unique event. Students had the opportunity to work alongside so many different cultures that will influence their thoughts and actions for years to come. We witnessed their personal development, and they have described the trip as ‘truly life-changing’.

“We are very grateful to the Douglas Clasper Award programme and our Faculty for sponsoring such a wonderful student experience.”

Hochschule Hannover have successfully secured funding to host ICM 2025, and have invited the University to attend next year, further strengthening the relationship between the two universities.

The Douglas Clasper Scholarship was established by Mike Clasper CBE in honour of his late father. He is Chairman of SSP Group PLC, a global travel food and beverage company, and Chairman of BIOSS, a global consultancy company. Alongside with his wife Sue, Mike has for many years donated funding, advice and support to student at the University through the Douglas Clasper Scholarship, which supports the next generation of business people, teachers and athletes.

For more information on studying Business and Management at the University of Sunderland, click here.

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