Studying with acondas in Brazil

Categories: here at acondasPublished On: 8.05.2020

acondas is deeply committed to developing its employees. As part of this commitment, acondas cooperates with the School of International Business and Entrepreneurship (SIBE) to enable employees to earn a master’s degree in international management on a part-time basis. This course includes studying abroad for several weeks. Here’s how our SIBE student Marie fared in Brazil.

In March 2020 I had the opportunity to take part in a study trip abroad in Brazil for three weeks. The host university was the Universidade Vila Velha (UVV) in the state of Espírito Santo, where I attended lectures on current business management topics and had many exciting visits to local companies. In addition to the unique experiences I was able to gain in Brazil, my studies abroad will allow me to earn an MBA from UVV.

Together with my classmates, I flew to Vitória, the capital of Espírito Santo in Brazil, at the beginning of March. We were housed in an oceanfront hotel. At the beginning of the program we were given a tour of the university and ample organizational support and got to know the Brazilian students who looked after us during our stay.

Our first company visits started soon thereafter. We had the opportunity to visit very different companies: e.g. PBA Stones – a supplier of natural stone kitchen countertops, Azys – a start-up hub, Buaiz Alimentos – a producer of baking mixes and Cobra D’agua – a clothing company. It was particularly exciting to see how the Brazilian companies meet challenges differently than German companies. For example, a start-up company is developing wristbands that track various vital functions, which are supposed to be worn by production employees or drivers to prevent occupational accidents. While the very strict data protection regulations would need to be observed before such a product could be introduced in Germany, the greatest challenge in Brazil was the technical development and the initial funding.

The lectures covered various topics, starting with Brazilian culture, followed by different economic and management topics such as entrepreneurship, the Brazilian start-up scene and globalization, and ending with emotional intelligence. The Brazilian students accompanying us participated in all lectures, which made for lively exchange.

In addition to the official part, we were also offered a colorful leisure program. We had our first taste of Capoeira, learned some basic funk steps, hiked on the Morro do Moreno, went on a boat trip and took a weekend trip to the waterfalls in Serra do Caparao. Additionally, several evening events with typical Brazilian food and music were organized.

Unfortunately, due to Covid-19 our stay had to end a few days earlier than planned. I am very grateful for everything I experienced in Brazil and the strong impression it has made on me. I have come to love the country and its people, and I am already looking forward to travelling to Brazil again one day.

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