Degree programme at FH Aachen: B. Sc. Industrial Engineering and Management, Faculty 8
Start and end of the stay abroad: 01/08/2012 - 01/07/2013
The semester abroad took place in: 7th / 8th semester
Assessments:
Quality of the programme content: 1,7
Study conditions / facilities at the host university: 2.0
On-site support and assistance: 1.0
Campus: 1.3
Transport links to the campus: 2.3
Food on campus (dining hall (Mensa), etc.): 1,7
Sports facilities: 1.3
Leisure activities: 2.7
Bars / discos / nightlife: 2.0
Quality / cost of living: 2.3
Contact with locals: 1.0
Preparations
When did you start the preparations? Preparations begin just under a year in advance with registration in the Magellan Exchange Programme. Registration is usually confirmed five months before the start of the semester abroad. Preparations can begin as soon as the application is confirmed.
How does the enrolment process work and what documents are required? To apply for the Magellan Exchange Programme, you will need a transcript of records, CV, letter of motivation and the completed application forms. The application is made online.
Does the host university require a language test? The Universidad de Monterrey does not require any language skills. However, if you are applying for a scholarship, language certificates could be an advantage.
Useful tips or further information on preparation: Preparation is very relaxed as you have enough time to complete the formalities. It is best to apply for a visa here, as it could be expensive locally. Finding accommodation can also be done in a relaxed manner on site, as you will have contacts from the university who are happy to offer their friendly help.
Formalities
Do I have to pay fees at the host university? No, there are no fees charged by the host university. However, an application fee of $150 USD must be paid to the Magellanexchange programme.
Did you receive a scholarship to fund your stay abroad? Yes, I have received the Promos scholarship from the DAAD.
What are the approximate travelling costs? The cheapest way to get to Monterrey is via Houston TX. The costs are around 900 - 1200 EUR.
Did you have to take out additional health insurance? If so, which one and at what cost? The host university requires health insurance. As a rule, statutory health insurance is not valid in Mexico. You should therefore take out additional private health insurance for this period. There are various options in this regard, e.g: AXA, ADAC, STA-Travel. The costs for six months are around 200 EUR.
Is further insurance necessary? No.
On site
What formalities have to be completed after arrival? Pick up your student visa at the Immigration Office.
Where is the best place to live and what are the average housing costs? There are many housing options close to the campus. The costs are around 180 - 240 EUR.
How is the search for accommodation organised (who is the contact person)? Contacts from the host university are available. This makes it very easy to find accommodation.
What is the average cost of living? Is it possible to cover everything (except for excessive alcohol consumption) with the soiMonthly 650 -750 EUR incl. rent.
What is cheap/expensive? Eating out, going out and taxis are very cheap. Supermarkets are expensive as there are no discount supermarkets like ALDI or Lidl.
What are the shopping facilities like? A 5-minute walk to the nearest supermarket.
About the host university
Briefly describe the host university! UDEM has a huge campus with many sports grounds. There are 6 main buildings on campus: an administration building, two lecture halls, a hall of residence, a cafeteria and a study/library building. The Library is new and relatively large. The Library is open from 7.00 am - 10.00 pm.
How was the quality of the courses? The courses and lectures at UDEM are of a high standard, both in terms of quality and quantity. The UDEM has a large selection of courses. This means that it is not difficult to find courses in the course catalogue that match in terms of content. The number of participants usually varies between 10 and 35 students, which also has a very positive effect on quality. The teaching style is similar to a school class with homework and presentations. There are three written examinations in a semester and an additional final examination, which determines the final grade.
What are the facilities at the host university like? The student ID card also serves as a library card. The Library has a large selection of books in the attendance zone, but you can't borrow much as there is usually only one copy of each book available. The Library is open daily from 7.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. The Library has a large IT room on the second floor, which is equipped with around 200 computers. It is therefore not a problem to find a free seat.
What are the opening hours on campus, how are the libraries, are there scripts for the lectures? The campus is open 24 hours a day, although the Library is only open from 7.00 am to 10.00 pm. Lecture notes can be collected from the campus copyshop depending on the course.
How many hours per week did you have on average? The weekly hours are approximately 2.5 hours per course. There are also online courses where there are no lectures, but weekly homework assignments. The ECTS conversion factor is 1:1, so 6 credits at UDEM correspond to 6 ECTS.
Did the professors prepare you well for exams? The professors are mostly helpful and willing to talk to you. You were always well prepared. Most professors were happy to welcome international students and included the respective country of the visiting students in the lectures.
Are there special introductory courses for visiting students? There is an orientation week. This takes place one week before the start of the semester. During this week, important topics are discussed and the university and campus are introduced.
What did you like / dislike about the campus ? I can only say that overall I had a very positive experience at UDEM and can recommend it to others. I have to say that the people (teachers, professors, Administrative Employee, students) left a nice impression on me.
What are the transport links like? What should I bear in mind? Transport connections in Monterrey are generally difficult. However, the UDEM is served by two bus lines and also has its own free shuttle service. The shuttle service travels to the neighbourhood surrounding the UDEM. The city centre of Monterrey is around 30 to 40 minutes away from the UDEM by bus. The city centre of the San Pedro Garza Garcia district, where the UDEM is also located, is 5 to 10 minutes away.
About the courses and lectures attended at the UDEM
1st semester:
Course attended: Business English Writing (English) / Technical and Business English Lecturer: Lic. Ronald N. Johnson McDowell Course duration & scope, teaching format: 6 ECTS Keywords for course description: Business letter and email correspondence in English. Form of assessment: Online course with 1 to 2 extensive weekly homework assignments. Good support despite online course. Low level at the beginning, increases over the course of the semester. Effective learning methods.
Course attended: Administracion de Proyectos (Spanish) / Project management Lecturer: Arnulfo Luciano Salazar Flores Course duration & scope, teaching format: 6 ECTS Keywords for the course description: Project management based on "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide)". Integration management, content and scope management, schedule management, cost management, quality management, etc. Form of assessment: Very comprehensive lecture. A term paper + presentation. Good supervision.
Course attended: International Marketing (English) / Business Administration elective module Lecturer: Lic. Theodore Fredrick Schwarz Gehrke Course duration & scope, teaching form: 6 ECTS Keywords for the course description: International marketing with many case studies and presentations relating to international companies. Form of assessment: Very interesting lecture with many examples from well-known companies. Weekly quiz questions lead to better understanding of the concept. 3 to 4 presentations.
Course attended: Seminario de Finanzas (Spanish) / Finanzwirtschaft Lecturer: Dr Cuauhtémoc Villarreal Celestino Course duration & scope, teaching format: 6 ECTS Keywords for the course description: Investment examples of real companies with Bloomberg portal access. Form of assessment: Good supervision. Very nice professor. Moderate scope.
Course attended: Algebra lineal (Spanish) / Maths 1 (Linear Algebra) Lecturer: Lic. María Carina Ramírez Palacios Course duration & scope, form of teaching: 6 ECTS Keywords for the course description: Matrices and Linear Algebra Form of assessment: Very intensive course with lots of homework. The level is ok, but the topics are touched on briefly and dealt with quickly.
Course attended: Calculo Diferencial e Integral (Spanish) / Maths 1 (Differential and Integral Calculus) Lecturer: Lic. María Carina Ramírez Palacios Course duration & scope, teaching format: 6 ECTS Keywords for the course description: Derivation, integration and differentiation of functions Form of assessment: Very intensive course with lots of homework. The level is high, and the topics are only touched on briefly and dealt with quickly.
Course attended: Dibujo Mecanicó Asist. por Comp. (Spanish) / CAD-CAM Lecturer: Ing. Faustino García Chavero Course duration & scope, teaching form: 6 ECTS Keywords for the course description: Technical drawing with NX 8.0 Siemens PLM software and computer-controlled production. Form of assessment: A lot of time pressure during the design process in the PC laboratory. As there was usually not enough time, we often had to rework outside the lab times. The professor was very helpful.
Course attended: Diseño de Elemento de Maquinas (Spanish) / Konstruktionselemente 2 Lecturer: Manuel Misael Morales Martínez Course duration & scope, teaching format: 6 ECTS Keywords for the course description: The function, dimensioning and design are discussed based on the task of a machine element. Form of assessment: Unstructured lecture programme. Full lecture hall. Very long lectures 2.5 hours. Little consideration for international students.
Course attended: Leadership and Organizational Change (English) / Organisation Lecturer: Ana Patricia Eulalia Núñez Cervera Course duration & scope, teaching form: 6 ECTS Keywords for the course description: Formative dimensions of the formal organisational structure, characteristics of process management, characteristics of a leadership position in a company and organisational structure change situations Form of assessment: Manageable scope. Many presentations. Helpful professor.
Leisure activities
What is the range of sports on campus? There is a wide range of sports courses on offer. UDEM also has a fitness centre, which is open from Monday to Saturday from 7.00 am to 9.00 pm. The sports courses on offer and the fitness centre are free of charge for UDEM students.
Do I have to pay for the sports programmes? It depends on the sport. However, most courses are free of charge.
What leisure activities does the university offer? Climbing, mountain biking, hiking, jogging.
What sights are there locally? Chipinque is a national park in San Pedro. You should go there to enjoy the view from Monterrey.
What tourist attractions does the surrounding area have to offer? There are regular opportunities to take part in excursions organised by the UDEM.
Are there many good restaurants and bars nearby? There is a large selection of restaurants nearby. The food is generally very tasty in Mexico.
Are there any special features of the local cuisine? Mexican cuisine is particularly spicy.
Where do you go in the evening (pubs, bars, discos, cinemas)? There is a large selection of pubs, bars and discos nearby.
Final considerations - Conclusion
How would you rate your stay abroad overall? My stay abroad was very beneficial to me personally. I was able to familiarise myself with a new culture and language. I was also able to make a lot of international friends. I can only recommend this experience to anyone.
Did you choose the right time for your semester abroad? In my opinion, yes. It should definitely take place after the foundation degree and before the final thesis.
What will you never forget? The close friendships and the experiences with friends.
What advice would you like to give to other students on your degree programme who decide to spend a semester abroad at this foreign university? It is very important that you have familiarised yourself with the country you are going to beforehand and that you can identify with the culture yourself. You also have to realise that many things are done very differently there than you are used to here.
Any criticism or suggestions? The support from FH Aachen was impeccable. Mr Fuchs and Ms Wolf from the IFO were always on hand to help and were always open to questions, whether before or during the semester abroad. Even in the case of a change or processing, the speedy handling is a strength of the IFO.
