A Long Awaited Welcome

As Europe slowly starts to open up, 93 students representing 29 countries converged on the Esslingen Graduate School armed with luggage, masks, and a bright-eyed keenness to commence their studies.

It was certainly no easy task for these students and they awaited anxiously for their visas and vaccination appointments, quit their jobs and apartments, and began learning the basics of the German language.

With all that behind them however, they finally arrived on the Flandernstrasse doorstep of the Esslingen University. Armed with their welcome packs and budding friendships, they patiently awaiting the doors to open to the hall where they would meet the Deputy Director of the International Centre Graduate School, Prof. Dr. Michael Flad for the first time.

The welcome presentation was held in two sessions in order to maintain the Corona regulations of distance and capacity and the newly enrolled students were given an introduction to the local industry and culture that would be part of their new lives from there on out. Immediately after the event the students eagerly queued to sign-up for the series of cultural events taking in place in the weeks leading up to the commencement of classes.

These events include a trip to the Zeppelin museum at Lake Constance, to the Mercedes museum and TV tower in Stuttgart, tours of the old cities of Esslingen and Tübingen as well as visits to Nürnberg and Ulm.

It is not just a special time for the students however, but also the staff who have had no face-to-face contact with students for nearly two years. It is such a pleasure to have you all here with us physically from all your diverse backgrounds in one place and we look forward to joining you all on this life-changing journey as a Masters student.

From all of us here st the Esslingen Graduate School, we want to say Herzlich Willkommen.

Phil McDowell, Esslingen Graduate School

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