Merve Yürekli
Study programmes: International Business at the DHBW (BA) / Digital Transformation and Global Entrepreneurship (MSc) (opens in a new window)
Employer: PERI SE
Position: HR Business Partner
What made you decide to study at HNU?
After completing my Bachelor’s degree in International Business, I deliberately wanted to set myself a new challenge. HNU’s DTE programme offered exactly that: a combination of business, digitalisation and IT – many topics that, as a working professional in HR, I hadn’t previously focused on. I wanted to broaden my horizons and step outside my comfort zone.
What would you say to someone considering applying for DTE or IEDS?
If you’re looking for a degree programme where everything is laid out for you step by step and you want to succeed on your own, this probably isn’t the right place for you. But if you fancy stepping out of your comfort zone, working in a practical environment, putting your own ideas into practice and experiencing genuine teamwork, then you should definitely apply.
What aspects of your degree – whether content, projects or experiences – have particularly stuck in your memory?
Definitely the practical projects with companies such as LEGO, Haribo, DHL and Gardena. It was a great feeling to work on real-world problems and contribute my own ideas. Our trip to Athens remains unforgettable; it really brought us together as a course group.
In your view, what makes the DTE degree programme special?
DTE is anything but a traditional theory-based degree programme. Instead of sitting through boring lectures and learning concepts solely from slides, you work hands-on to tackle real-world challenges. Through industry partners, interdisciplinary projects and international teams, you are constantly challenged to think creatively, take on responsibility and develop solutions together. A positive side effect is the self-confidence you continue to build through the many presentations.
How has your degree helped you develop academically, personally or professionally?
Academically, I learnt a great deal about digital transformation, AI and scientific research – knowledge that adds value regardless of my future career path. Personally, however, the programme has shaped me the most: nowhere else do you learn so quickly and intensively to collaborate with such a diverse range of people, cultures and areas of expertise, to take on responsibility, to drive projects forward together and to surpass your own limits.
What skills did you develop during your degree that are particularly valuable to you in your professional life today?
Above all, iterative working, intercultural communication, self-reflection, leadership and the ability to focus on what matters most. It is precisely these skills that constantly help me in my day-to-day professional life today.
How would you finish the following sentence?
HNU… “offers an international and practice-oriented degree programme that challenges you academically on current digital topics and helps you grow personally.”
