From a country at war to a summer course in Germany

A group of 6 [SCE] students, in the M.Sc. program for Green Engineering, returned a few days ago from the city of Lübeck, Germany, where a Summer Session was held at the prestigious university, Technische Hochschule, Lübeck, with which SCE has international cooperation. Also in that academic program were two other Israeli students from the [Holon Institute of Technology] HIT College, as well a local [German] students and students from South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Poland, and even some Iranians (discussed further below).

After a day of meeting the host University’s Faculty members and becoming acquainted with their campus, by means of a challenging navigational race with tasks, the participants went out on a guided tour of Lübeck to learn about the city’s rich history. They participated in cultural workshop, where they became more deeply familiar with the students coming from other countries and their different cultures. Then, they were ready for the main dish—the academic studies.

Among the academic courses were: “Systems and Environmental Simulations;” “Sustainability and Artificial Intelligence;” and “Stores in the Supply Chain.” In addition, the students took a tour of the International Dräger Medical Devices Company’s Main Branch, located in Lübeck. This tour included a visit to an exhibition of the Company’s products, conversations with Company representatives, and a practical-learning workshop about creating a viable, potential solution to a Dräger problem.

Among those who had represented SCE—Anna Grouzmark, Irit Miriam Green, Hila Solomon, Ron Peretz, Hannah Reichman, and Anton Vernytsky—we got hold of the latter, who apparently made the sharpest transition of them all. Anton was drafted to serve in the IDF Reserves, Regiment 5 on October 7 and had already served for four-and-a-half months in the Gaza Strip and other regions. He was meant to return to active duty in the Gaza Strip for another two months, so this trip to Germany became part of the respite he needed.

Anton recounted, “Returning from Reserve duty to a normal routine isn’t simple. Even when you’re released, you’re still connected to the news and your Whatsapp groups that are always turned on. Personally, the courses in Germany enabled me to disconnect a bit from the Israeli reality—to rest in a foreign country, meet people from across the globe, to learn, to see new places, and to get away from the news a bit. It did me good!”

Daniel was among Anton’s new friends; Daniel’s family had left Iran for Germany a few years earlier and he was now a student of Biomedical Engineering. Anton said that “we [he and Daniel] spent a lot of time together during the Summer and, among other things, we talked about the global situation and, specifically, about the [Gaza] War. Daniel told me that living in Iran was very hard and that the [Iranian] Government oppresses its citizens. Against that background, his family had chosen to emigrate.”

Anton continued describing that during their free time, they’d all go out to wander the streets of Lübeck and sit in restaurants, bars, and on the North Sea beach, where a festival was held during their stay. “We’d go out dancing and spend time with people we’d just met, and it was a very enjoyable experience, very socially bonding. I recommend that every student take such Summer courses, if the opportunity arises. It contributes to academic and personal development and, of course, it’s an enriching experience, that can also pave the way to future professional opportunities. Speaking for myself, I’m certain that these memories and experiences will stay with me all my life.”