Sandra Paßreiter shares her experiences from the first joint EuroTeQ courses

“It's great to see the idea of EuroTeQ becoming a reality”

Ms. Paßreiter, you have visited the virtual EuroTeQ campus during the winter semester. What did you do there?

It was very exciting to learn and exchange ideas with fellow students from other universities. At DTU (Denmark), I took “Python & Unix for Bioinformaticians”. The course helped me a lot because I used Python to analyze the data in my master thesis and TUM did not offer a similar course in the winter semester. I also attended the course “Project Technology Management” at CTU (Czech Republic). And at TalTech (Estonia) I attended “Estonian Language and Culture”, simply because I felt like learning a new language. So the EuroTeQ program complemented the offers at TUM very well. 

How did you experience the courses?

The atmosphere in the courses was really pleasant, although some of them were very demanding. However, for my taste, there could have been more room for mutual exchange. But I’m sure this will improve in the coming semesters. And of course, I would like to see more events in the near future where you can meet each other in person. In any case, it’s great to see the idea of EuroTeQ now becoming a reality.

You have been involved in the project for quite some time.

Yes, I’ve been involved with EuroTeQ at TUM’s Student Council since September 2020, and since the beginning of this year I’ve also been a member of the EuroTeQ Student Council, the body that brings the student perspective into the organization of EuroTeQ.

As a full-time student, why do you take on these additional tasks?

I have been involved in student issues for a long time and have developed a great interest in the future of teaching and international exchange. At EuroTeQ, these topics are very closely linked. And the project has also commited itself to connecting engineering approaches with political and social aspects. As a chemist and political scientist, this is also an important concern for me.

Do you have the impression that EuroTeQ can fulfill the goals it has set for itself?

Yes, I think it has made a good start. Students and instructors from different countries, with different backgrounds and different perspectives are coming together and working together on a common vision for a Europe-wide education of engineers fit for the future – including sustainability, entrepreneurship or artificial intelligence. That is why I hope that a genuine EuroTeQ campus will emerge, where students and instructors, researchers and practitioners can work creatively with each other and exchange their ideas and experiences. And I hope that even more students will take advantage of the EuroTeQ offers in the future.

What advice would you give to your fellow students who are interested in EuroTeQ offers?

Just give it a try! There is a wide range of different courses. You can attend courses from your own field of study, but also take a dive into the language and culture of the partner countries. There are also project weeks – this year under the motto “Leave no waste behind”. And the best thing is: You can earn credits for your degree program.