2015 student handbook

MBA&E

h a n d b o o kS T U D E N T

2MBA&E Program // HTW Berlin

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S1. First steps 1.1 Residence registration 1.2 Health insurance 1.3 Enrolling at HTW 1.4 Applying for the residence permit 1.5 Opening a bank account2. The HTW Berlin 2.1 HTW locations overview 2.2 The libraries 2.3 The computer center 2.4 The foreign language center 2.5 Copy cards 2.6 Sports 2.7 Dining halls and cafeterias 2.8 The service pools 2.9 The student ID and the International Student Identity Card (ISIC)3. The MBA&E 3.1 Program spaces 3.2 The program office 3.3 Staff contact information4. IT Systems of HTW 4.1 LSF 4.2 eCampus 4.3 Moodle 4.4 The HTW e-mail account 4.5 Internet via Notebook5. FAQ

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W E L C O M E T O T H E M B A & E P R O G R A M A T H T W

Dear new student,

We are happy to welcome you onboard our postgraduate pro-gram Master of Business Administration and Engineering.Upon arriving at Berlin, please pay special attention to chap-ter 1 of this handout. That chapter contains instructions on the first steps that you will need to complete before you can begin studying and enjoying student life in Berlin. It is im-portant that you taken care of these steps timely! If you need assistance, please contact the program office.In chapter 2 you will find information on our host institution. As an MBA&E student, you may use the all the offerings of the HTW Berlin ranging from seminars, language classes and the library to the university sports program. The dining facilities and cafeterias are also described here.Chapter 3 gives you an overview of our programs facilities. You will also find our staffs contact information.The HTW students have access to several IT systems provided by the universitys IT center. These systems are introduced in chapter 4. You will also find instructions on how to get started on the various systems.Finally, under chapter 5 we have collected frequently asked questions, which we hope you will find useful. A large amount of important information can also be found on the HTWs Eng-lish language website: www-en.htw-berlin.deFor any further information, your program office will always be available for your support and assistance in matters ranging from formalities and study organization, to academic consulta-tion and assistance in any personal issues you may encounter. We wish you successful studies at the MBA&E and a pleasant stay in Berlin!

On behalf of the program staff,Yours sincerely,

Dirk Foerster-TralloMBA&E Program Manager


1 . F I R S T S T E P SThis chapter guides you through the necessary formalities as a new student in an international program. Please comple-te the steps in the order they are descri-bed here.

1.1 Residence registrationAll German and international persons moving to Berlin from outside will have to register the address of their residen-ce at the citizens office which is called in German Brgeramt. You can visit any of the many citizens offices in Berlin below we are pointing you to the one closest to our location.The registration must be completed wit-hin 14 days from moving to Berlin!The registration forms are provided to you by email and/or as printouts by the program office. The most convenient of-fice for most of the MBA&E students to visit is located on the second floor of the shopping center Tierpark Center in the address:

Brgeramt 3Otto-Schmirgal-Strasse 710319 Berlin

Currently, you may visit this citizens of-fice with or without appointment. If you have no appointment right after entering the offices waiting room, please use the vendor on the wall to acquire a queue number, then wait until your number will be called up. Your service desk number is displayed with the queue number on the signboard. Note that you have to be the-re very early, at least 30 minutes before the office opens so you have the chance to get a number if you dont want to wait for a few hours.

The appointment system you can find it on the Internet, although we highly re-commend you to line up without an ap-pointment to speed up the process due to the fact that you need this document for many other issues like a cell phone contract, bank account, registering at university, etc.The city of Berlin also grants a welcome money of 50 to all new students mo-ving into the city from outside. In order to get this fund, you must complete an application form and have it stamped while registering your residence at the citizens office (Brgeramt).Please see the emails sent to you by the program, or visit the program office to get the forms for your residence registra-tion. Please have the following with you when visiting the citizens office:

Residence registration form (Anmeldung bei der Meldebehrde) Welcome money application form Your passport and visa Your rental contract or the accommodation confirmation from the MBA&E

1.2 Health insuranceOne of the first tasks after arrival is to obtain a student health insurance policy. Universities are required to ensure that all students have a health insurance, thus enrolment is not possible without a valid insurance policy. The proof is al-ways a confirmation from a German in-surance provider (foreign documents are not accepted).An exception to the previous statements are students over 30 years of age. These are required to have a health insurance, too, but are no longer eligible for the

Download the residence registration

& welcome money form under:

www.berlin.de/ba-lich-tenberg/verwaltung/

behoerdenwegweiser/infosystem.php/

dienstleistung/120686


standard student insurance. They may also enroll at the HTW without a health insurance certificate. If you are over 30 years of age, you may wish to opt for one of the private health insurance funds, which are significantly less expensive than the public ones.The state-regulated health insurance po-licy for students at any public health in-surance company total cost is 78,50 Eu-ros per month. Students below 30 years of age are eligible too, although in this case there are less expensive alternatives available like private health insurances.You are free to select your insurance company, but the MBA&E currently co-operates with the public insurance provi-der AOK and TK. You may visit their office on the HTW campus or contact our Eng-lish speaking partner at AOK/TK to make an appointment either at the university or at the offices Treskowallee:

AOK Mondays, 11:00am 02:[email protected] Tuesdays, 11:00am 02:[email protected]

If you come from another EU state or wish to use a foreign international in-surance policy, you will have to visit the AOK/TK to gain a certificate that you are waived from health insurance.

1.3 Enrolling at HTWAfter obtaining your health insurance, please visit the admissions office of our student services to get enrolled at the HTW and to get your student ID inclu-ding the semester ticket.

StudierendenserviceOffice HG-034, main building of the campus Treskowallee (Treskowallee 8, 10318 Berlin)

+49 30 5019 [email protected]

Please have with you the following do-cuments:

Passport + visa (submit copies, show originals) Health insurance certificate (submit original) MBA&E study contract (submit original) MBA&E study placement acceptance (submit original)

You may visit the MBA&E office for any printouts or copies. Copies can be made using the copy card at any public copier at the HTW. Please see the instructions below.

1.4 Applying for the residence permitStudents from outside the EU are granted a three-month study visa, which must be extended into a proper residence permit at the immigration office (Auslnderbe-hrde) in Berlin.The conventional residence permit (ad-hesive label on passport) has been repla-ced by the electronic residence permit (eAT) in credit card format as of 1st Sep-tember 2011.The electronic residence permit is equip-ped with a contact-free chip inside the card in which biometric features (photo-graph and two fingerprints), any ancil-lary conditions, and your personal data are saved. In addition, the chip can be used as an electronic identity document and an electronic signature.It is extremely important that you make an appointment at the Auslnderbehrde for applying for the residence permit at least 20 days before your visa expires. Please see the online application book-ing system on the following website un-der Appointment (online):

www.berlin.de/labo/auslaender/dienst-leistungen/studium_en.html

Important! Have your passport at hand while booking the appointment. Your

Make an online appointment with

the Auslnderbehrde under:

www.berlin.de/labo/auslaender/dienst-

leistungen/studium_en.html


data must be identical to that provided in your passport. You can get the form you will need for the residence permit in the MBA&E office or under:

http://www.berlin.de/formularserver/formular.php?72301

The closest public transportation connec- tions to the Auslnderbehrde are U9- Amrumer Strasse and S-Westhafen. It is located at:

Auslnderbehrde/LABOFriedrich-Krause-Ufer 2413353 Berlin

Please take the following with you to the appointment:

Application form for the residence permit Your passport Two up to date biometric passport photos Certificate of health insurance coverage (letter of health insurance) Certificate of matriculation (student ID + an enrolment slip) Residence registration certificate from the Brgeramt Proof of source of livelihood (e.g., scholarship, bank statement, study credit grant, letter from pa- rents with their bank statement) The residence permit fee of 110 Euros in cash

1.5 Opening a bank accountUnless you have opened a bank account already during your visa application pro-cess, you should do so soon after arri-ving at Berlin. Taking care of daily ac-tivities is basically not possible without a German bank account. For students, a bank account is free of charge.With the opening of a current account (Girokonto), you will receive an EC card (the German ATM and electronic cash system) together with a PIN. Cash with-drawals and payments at shops are made using these.

You can choose any bank you wish. We recommend you the Deutsche Bank or the Berliner Sparkasse for their good network of branch offices and ATMs. (Deutsche Bank also partners with Com-merzbank, Dresdner Bank, Postbank und HypoVereinsbank whos ATMs you can use for free.) Deutsche Bank also has online banking in English, as well as a rather good international presence.In order to open a bank account, please visit a bank of your preference with the following documents:

Passport and visa or residence permit Residence registration from the Brgeramt Student ID and an enrolment slip from the HTW

Note! Always use the ATM

of your own bank (or bank group) to with-draw cash, for other

banks will charge you a fee of several Euros.


2 . T H E H T W B E R L I NThe second chapter gives you information on the services and facilities of the HTW Berlin.

2.1 HTW locations overviewThe HTW Berlin has two main campuses that are directly connected by the tram line 27. The campus Wilhelminenhof is also served by the lines 63 and 67, and the campus Treskowal-lee by the lines M17 and 37. All these lines cross at the stop Edisonstrasse/Wilhelminenhofstrasse. The HTW tram stops are called:

Rathenaustrasse/HTW (for Wilhelminenhof)Treskowallee/HTW (for Treskowallee)

From the city, Wilhelminenhof campus can also be reached by the S-Bahn station S-Schneweide (from there, trams 63 and 67 to the campus). Campus Treskowallee can be reached by the metro line U5, station U-Tierpark (from there, a 5-minute walk or trams M17, 27 or 37 to the campus).Berlin has one of the worlds most convenient and functional public transportation systems. The semester ticket attached to your student ID provides you free use of all public transporta-tion. Please use the Berlin public transportation (BVG) journey planner to see how to get anywhere in the city:

www.bvg.de/en

Notes:The most important locations on Treskowallee for the MBA&E students are the business simulation (M3 Special Topics in BA) spaces in the north end of the Main Building, second floor, room HG-227 andthe admissions office in the main building, room HG-34, left from the Treskowallee entrance

Campus Wilhelminenhof (WH)Main entrance, buildings A-H:Wilhelminenhofstrasse 75a12459 BerlinBusiness/industrial engineering, technical, design and miscellaneous study programs

Peter-Behrens-building (PBH)Ostendtrasse 112459 BerlinMBA&E and other studies

TGS buildingOstendtrasse 2512459 BerlinLanguage instituteIT center

Campus Treskowallee (TA)Main entrance, buildings 1-11: Treskowallee 810318 BerlinEconomics, business administration, finance, law, taxation, and miscellaneous study programsUniversity management and central administration


C A M P U S E SCampus Wilhelminenhof (WH)

Design Department 5Information, AStA, FSR, Halls 1-4, Caf KopfbauDepartment 1, 2, 4Department 2, Halls 5-7 Department 2Department 1, 2Library, Mensa, Cafeteria, Department 1Research- & further education centerDepartment 4, MBA&EPlusenergie-SolarhausTechnology- and founders center, language institute

A B

CDEFG H PBHSOLTGS

Campus Treskowallee (TA)

Main buildingUniversity management and central administrationMensa/AudimaxBeach volleyballFlachbauGymLittle gymLibraryProject centerCafeteriaFounders center

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2.2 The librariesThe library system of the HTW consists of the central library (with 2 reading halls) at Treskowallee (main building), and the campus library at Wilhelminenhof (buil-ding G). For the moment being, you will need to acquire a separate library card in addition to your student ID. You can gain this simply by visiting one of the libraries with the following documents: Student ID, Passport, Residence registra-tion certificate from the Brgeramt.The library homepage can be found at the address:

http://bibliothek.htw-berlin.de/en

Importantly, the Berlin universities ope-rate a centrally coordinated system of li-braries. Using your HTW student ID, you may gain access to all of Berlins univer-sity libraries. Especially the large univer-sities, the Humboldt University, the Free University and the Technical University, have very large collections on basically any field of science. If you cannot find specific works in the HTW library, you may look for the in those other libraries.The links to the above mentioned libra-ries:

www.ub.hu-berlin.dewww.ub.fu-berlin.dewww.ub.tu-berlin.de

2.3 The computer centerThe Computer Center offers all students and staff of the HTW a comprehensive range of services in the area of IT such as: Computer workstations/internet caf (incl. the use of scanners and printers) Access to online services and the campus network also via WLAN Home drives and individual homepages Student email Access to discounted software products User manuals for software, programming languages and operating systems A wide range of information on the online help center Service hotline and personal consultation

The Computer Center is located on the Wilhelminenhof campus in the TGS buil-ding, please see the campus map above. Help center offices are located at Wilhel-minenhof in building G, room 125a; and at Treskowallee in the Mensa Building, room 200.

http://www.rz.htw-berlin.de

2.4 The foreign language centerIn addition to the German classes offe-red by the MBA&E program you can get in touch with the Foreign Language Cen-ter for any questions concerning training in foreign languages.The Foreign Language Center offers cour-ses in eight different languages: Courses through the advanced foreign language level (GER C1/C2) in English, French, Russian, Spanish and German as a foreign language Basic level courses in Italian, Japanese and Swedish

The Foreign Language Center also offers intensive holiday courses that can be ac-credited if they are completed with an examination. For self-study purposes, a wealth of textbooks, reference books, audio, television and video technology, and two multimedia PCs equipped with software for language exercises are avai-lable to you at the Media Center.You can find the Foreign Language Center on the Wilhelminenhof campus, TGS buil-ding, see campus map above.

http://www-en.htw-berlin.de/fields-of-study/foreign-languages

2.5 Copy cardsCopy cards are available and recharge-able in buildings C (at room 047) and G (lobby) on the campus Wilhelminenhof. The copy cards can be used to copy at all public copy machines within the HTW, and to print at the computer center and any other network printers. There are public copiers on the campus in all buil-dings. The public copier in the Peter-Beh-rens-House is located in room 4033a.

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MBA&E Program // HTW Berlin

2.6 SportsIf you want to meet new people and stay fit and healthy, the university sports program is a great way to go. You can sign up for the gym and a large variety of sport for a very small fee. There are se-parate sports offerings for each semester and semester break. A bank account is needed for the registration.

http://www-en.htw-berlin.de/studying/service-counselling/university-sports

2.7 Dining halls and cafeteriasThe public organization Studentenwerk Berlin operates dining halls and cafete-rias at both locations of the HTW Berlin. To pay at these locations, you will need the Mensa Card. This cash card can be acquired for a small fee at any cash coun-ter, and recharged at the automatic ma-chines in the lobbies of the dining halls.The Mensa card can also be used at any Studentenwerk location (at other univer-sities) across Berlin.The Wilhelminenhof main dining hall is located in the G building, along with a coffee shop. Another caf will be opened in building B. Website:

http://www-en.htw-berlin.de/the-htw-berlin/locations/dining-halls-cafeterias

When paying at the Mensa cafeterias you have screens on top of every dish dis-playing 3 different prices, the one on the left is the price for students (presenting a valid student ID). The price is not de-pending on the amount of food of each dish that you take, but on the number of different dishes you choose.In the Peter Behrens house, where the MBA&E is located, there is a cafeteria operated by the Stephanuswerk. The Mensa Card is not accepted here (cash only).

2.8 The service poolsThe service pools, located in the Tresko-wallee Administrative Building and the Wilhelminenhof building B, offer general support services such as internal mail, a

lost-and-found office, as well as a variety of services for the HTW staff.You will mainly have to use this service only if you wish to send documents to the staff, or if you have lost something.

2.9 The student ID and the Internatio-nal Student Identity Card (ISIC)You will gain your student ID while en-rolling at the admissions office. The stu-dent ID is the main document to prove your student status. No photo is attached and thus it must always be accompanied by an official photo ID (passport). At the initial enrolment you will have to visit the admissions office. For each following semester you will receive the student ID by mail.In addition to your personal data and matriculation number (Matrikelnummer), you will find your IT systems user name and an activation code on the student ID. To activate your IT account, plea-se visit the website start.htw-berlin.de to input your user name and activation code. For further information, please see chapter 4 below.In addition to the student ID, you can apply for the international student iden-tity card (ISIC). This card is very useful since it is accepted worldwide and sub-stitutes your passport in Berlin public transportation (ticket controls).The ISIC card is applied through the HTW student organization AStA, located in the basement of the Treskowallee cam-pus main building. To apply for the ISIC card, please have with you:

A biometric passport photo Copy of your student ID (show original) Copy of your passport (show original) 12 Euro ISIC fee (The application form is available at the AStA office)

Please make an appointment by email at:

[email protected]

Note: Please dont laminate your student ID or semester ticket.

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3 . T H E M B A & EThe third chapter will inform you on the MBA&E program facili-ties and staff. The program office located in the Peter Behrens House (PBH), office PBH-5029, at the Wilhelminenhof campus at the address Ostendstrae 1, 12459 Berlin is your main cont-act point throughout the program.

3.1 Program spacesIn addition to the program office, the programs lecture and project rooms are located in the first floor of the Peter Behrens House. The room numbers are PBH-1112, PBH-1113 and PBH-1115. Some classes will take place outside of those spaces:Any classes (as needed) could take place in other lecture halls and computer labs in the PBH.The class M3 Special Topics in Business Administration will be located in the business simulation spaces in the main building (Hauptgebude) on the campus Treskowallee, room HG-227

3.2 The program officeThe program office is located in the Peter Behrens House, 1st floor, Room 1110. Consultancy hours will be provided closer to the semester start. For taking care of any personal or signifi-cant matters, we recommend you to make a separate appoint-ment. In addition to assisting with any daily questions regarding your studies and life in Berlin, the program office is at your disposal in a broad .variety of other areas such as study performance ma-nagement, career related questions, and degree and study formalities.

The MBA&E mailing address is as follows: MBA&E OfficeOstendstrasse 1D-12459 BerlinPBH-1110Germany

[email protected]+49 30 5019 2411

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3.3 Staff contact informationPlease find the MBA&E staffs contact in-formation in the table below. Professors consultancy hours can be found by sear-ching the HTW Berlin website.

Prof. Dr. Ingo Classen030 5019-2260TA-VG [email protected]

Prof. Dr. Soeren Dressler030 [email protected]

Sandra [email protected]

Prof. Dr. Robert Finke030 [email protected]

Dirk Foerster-Trallo030 [email protected]

Antti Kapanen030 [email protected]

Prof. Dr. Martin Pohlmann030 [email protected]

Prof. Dr. Sven Prueser030 [email protected]. Andreas Reinhard, [email protected]

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Rudolph030 [email protected]

Dr. Bryan TempleExternal+44 141 331 [email protected]

Dr. Rainer [email protected]

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4 . I T S Y S T E M S O F H T WTo get started with the HTW IT systems, the first step is to acti-vate your HTW user account. This is done by inputting your user name and activation code (both are found on your student ID) on the following website:

https://start.htw-berlin.de

IMPORTANT: Please record the password you enter on this page in a secure location.IMPORTANT: Please attend the information systems workshop provided by the MBA&E shortly after the studies have begun.The following subchapters provide you with an introduction to the various information systems of the HTW Berlin. Please see an overview and the links below:

LSF http://lsf.htw-berlin.deThe study management system: course catalogue, personal data & schedule, staff schedules, grade transcript, etc.

eCampus https://ecampus.htw-berlin.deAn eLearning platform: course management and content dis-tribution

Moodle http://moodle2.htw-berlin.de/moodleAn alternative, open source eLearning platform some lecturers may opt to use.

Student email http://portal.rz.htw-berlin.de/en/anleitungen/emailAccess to your HTW student email address. Please either use the HTW email address or set a redirect to your private address in order to not miss any important communication.

Wireless LAN http://portal.rz.htw-berlin.de/anleitungen/wlan/windows_vista/?redirect=trueThe WLAN internet connection is available everywhere on the campus.

NOTE: Please activate your Students HTW e-mail account as soon as possible; you will be receiving important news on HTW events, grades, updates and many other important matters.

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4.1 LSF (Lehre Studium Forschung)The LSF is a studies management system that offers you the following functions:

Viewing appointments on your personal study plan Browsing the whole HTW course catalogue and book classes* Viewing the schedules of any staff member Viewing room availability Downloading your grade transcripts Viewing your enrolment status Viewing your currently recorded mailing address

The MBA&E students are automatically registered onto their relevant classes. Any additional classes, in which you would like to get enrolled, should be booked through LSF.Logging inAfter entering the above-mentioned URL, you will see the LSF login page. You can change the language here, but we recom-mend that you use the German version due to an incomplete translation at the time of writing.Your user name is the one printed on your first student ID: sXXXXXXYour password is the one you have set on the start page.Overview of the functionsWith the following information, you will be able to use the most important fun-ctions and view the most important in-formation.

4.1.1 Personal functionsPersnlicher Stundenplan: Here you can find your personalized schedule for the week or semester in question. You should be automatically registered for the MBA&E modules and should see the appointments in your schedule. You can modify the view on the multifunction box in the middle.Info ber angemeldete Prfungen: You can find the list of the examinations you are taking in the current semester. You should find all classes you are taking in the current semester here. If classes are

missing, please contact the MBA&E office.Aktueller Leistungsstand und Semesterbe-scheinigungen: Here you will be able to view your completed modules along with the grades, and download grade tran-scripts as PDF files.Rckmeldestatus: Here you can view your current enrolment status. Bescheinigungen: Here you can download various files, forms and templates. The selection depends on your current status.Belegbersicht: This option gives you an overview of your course registrations, in-cluding links to the module details.Veranstaltungsliste (PDF): Here you can download a PDF list of your registered modules for the current semester.Adresse anzeigen: This option will display the address and contact data stored in the HTW database.

4.1.2. Common functionsVorlesungsverzeichnis: Here you can find the complete catalogue of modules of-fered at the HTW Berlin. You can browse them by department or institution and search for them by clicking on Suche nach Veranstaltungen in the lower left corner, you can also book additional courses.Vorlesungsplne: This option will show you schedules by study program.Heutige Veranstaltungen: Here you can view all lectures, seminars, etc. taking place on a certain date (default is the current date).Ausfallende Veranstaltungen: Here you will find courses with currently cancelled dates.Dozentenplne: Here you can search for personal schedules of our professors and lecturers.Raumplne: Here you can search for sche-dules for certain rooms and facilities.

4.2 eCampusThe eCampus login information is iden-tical to that of the LSF (user name sXXXXXX, personal password set on the start page).Again, you can change the language at login, but we recommend using the Ger-

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man version.As the first step after logging in, you should book your courses on the eCam-pus. Please follow these instructions to accomplish this:

1. Click on Katalog Wintersemester 2013/142. Open the folder FB Wirtschafts- wissenschaften II3. Open the folder Wirtschaftsinge- nieurwesen (M) (611) (You may click on the course name to see the course information.)4. Click on the shopping cart symbol on the right to book the course (confirm by clicking Buchen)5. Repeat this for each class you are attending

Now you can click on Startseite to re-turn to the eCampus main view. Here, you will now see all your booked courses in the meine Lehrveranstaltungen box on the right. Please click on a course and click OK when prompted to start the course in order to enter the course space.In the course space you can see the fol-lowing options for each class:Startseite/Home: News, links to the lec-turer and the participants, schedule overviewTermine/Dates: List of specific appoint-ments for this course.Teilnehmer/Participants: List of partici-pants with links to their profiles.Kommunikation/Communication: This is the most important function of the course space: discussion forum and file archive. You will find all materials and information uploaded by the lecturer or other participants here.Beschreibung/description: Displays the module description sheet

4.3 MoodleMoodle is an eLearning platform alter-native to the eCampus. Moodle courses can be used as flexible platforms to dis-tribute materials, communicate, collect feedback, and to carry out tests.

The lecturers will inform you if they wish to use Moodle instead of eCampus, and send you the links to register to the clas-ses.You may create a Moodle account by entering your information into the fol-lowing form:

https://moodle2.htw-berlin.de/moodle/login/index.php

Detailed user instructions for Moodle will be delivered in separate emails, as well as in a Moodle workshop.

4.4 The HTW email accountYour HTW account is coupled with a uni-versity email address. Please either use this address or set a redirect into your private email address.Your default email address consists of your username and the HTW domain name in the format [email protected]. You can access your email either by webmail or using email client soft-ware. Please see the instructions under:

http://portal.rz.htw-berlin.de/en/anlei-tungen/email

The email settings including aliases and redirect can be changed on the following web page (only available in German):

http://portal.rz.htw-berlin.de/en/anlei-tungen/email/e-mail_programm

You can log in here using the default user name and password (user name sXXXXXX, personal password set on the start page). The most important options are:Create an email alias: Click on weitere Adresse to open the box neue Adres-se einrichten. Here, enter your preferred email address into the two fields; the se-cond field must be included in your last name. The recommended alias is first-name.lastname@... Click Speichern to save.

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Set an email redirect (only if you do not wish to use the HTW email account):Click after E-Mail-Weiterleitung to open the box for the address to which you would like to have your emails for-warded. Please enter your private email address here. The checkbox E-Mail nach Weiterleitung Verwerfen will delete the email in the HTW mailbox after forwar-ding, if activated. Click Speichern to save.Note: Some email alias problems have been experienced with double last names generally used among Spanish speaking cultures. If you have problems setting up your email alias, please email the IT help center with the details:

[email protected]

4.5 Internet via NotebookWithin all of the HTW premises, you have access to an Internet connection on your notebook either via a wireless or a cable LAN. Please see the instructions for set-ting up either connection at:

http://portal.rz.htw-berlin.de/en/an-leitungen/wlan/anleitung_wlan/index.html

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5 . F A QIn this chapter, we are collecting the questions asked most often by our students. The categories are organized in an alphabetic order. This chapter will be extended as further questions arise.

Degree detailsQ: Which degree will I be gaining?A: You will graduate with the degree Master of Business Administration and Engineering, which is a European postgraduate degree according to the Bologna ProcessQ: Is the degree accredited?A: Yes, the degree is accredited by the ACQUIN: http:// www.acquin.org/en/index.phpQ: I will be living outside of Berlin when I graduate. Can the degree be mailed to me?A: Yes. Please make sure that your current mailing address is recorded in our database.Q: An official is asking for attestation of the degree. Can you help?A: The admissions office of the HTW Berlin will help with an attestation. Please contact the program office to be forwarded to the right person.Q: Will my study specialization be written on the degree or transcripts?A: Yes, your specialization will be mentioned on the transcript/the diploma sup- plement, but not on the degree certificate.

ExcursionsQ: I have personal plans that overlap with an excursion. What should I do?A: Excursions in the MBA&E are not mandatory, although they are highly recommended. In any case, please let the program office know if you will not be able to attend an excursion. Only this way we will be able to book the correct amount of tickets and accommodation.Q: How much money do I need on excursions?A: Travel and accommodation are paid for by the program. You will need money mostly for food and any leisure activities. Occasionally you may have to pay for taxis or other expenses that will be compensated to you after returning to Berlin.Q: Is it possible to bring a friend to an excursion?A: Any cancelled seats will first be offered to previous semesters MBA&E students and alumni. If there is free space without additional cost, the program office may give you the permission to invite a friend or a family member. It may be possible to join some company visits on your own expense.Q: What are the destinations of our excursions?A: Excursions are planned separately for each semester. The plan will be com- municated to the students as early as possible.

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InternshipsQ: My employer wants me to confirm that an internship is mandatory.A: An internship in the MBA&E is voluntary, so we cannot provide such a confirmation. We may however write the employer a letter stating that we faci- litate and support a voluntary internship.Q: The working days on my visa are insufficient for the internship I am planning.A: It is possible to apply for an extension to the 90 working day limit of your student visa. The program office may provide you consultation and the documents.Q: Can I expect to be paid for an internship?A: We generally advise against taking uncompensated internships, since this shows that the employer is not taking you seriously. A usual compensation for is 700 1500 Euros per month.Q: My German is not very strong. Can I intern in English?A: Especially large companies enable English language internships. While Ger- man is definitely an asset, finding a placement is certainly possible without knowing the language.Q: I cant find an internship.A: Experience shows that MBA&E students are very well positioned in the in- dustry and usually find the internships and positions they look for. Success- ful application may however be time consuming and require some persistence. The program office would be happy to review with you your application documents and advise you on the process.Q: Must I register for an internship at the university?A: Letting the program office know by email is sufficient.Q: Can I write my Master thesis while interning?A: We always recommend to discuss these questions with the company. Often it is possible to combine the internship with a thesis. Sometimes, the company wishes you to complete an internship first and write the thesis subsequently. You may also write the thesis on a separate topic while interning, but this will result in a very high workload and is generally not recommended.

MiscellaneousQ: Is my foreign drivers license valid in Germany?A: There is no single answer. EU drivers licenses are generally valid, while only some non-EU licenses are valid. In addition, some licenses may be converted into a German license, sometimes with a driving and theory exam. Doing some internet research on your drivers license as the first step is recommended. The automobile organization ADAC has also useful information on their website in German (http://www.adac.de/)

Specialization groupsQ: I wish to change my specialization group. What should I do?A: The specialization group can be changed in case there are free seats in the other group(s). Please contact the program office for details.Q: I wish to take classes from another specialization group as additional studies. Is this possible?A: If there are available seats, it is possible for you to take additional classes. Please consult with the program office for details.Q: I wish to switch an individual class of my specialization. Is this possible?A: It is fundamentally possible, however not generally recommended, to switch specialization groups. If you for example have significant knowledge in a

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certain area, you may omit that class to gain more value of your studies. Please consult with the program office for details.

Services outside the HTWQ: Which mobile phone provider do you recommend?A: As a study program we have no formal recommendation, but based on student feedback, the O2 student package appears to be a good option. You can find an O2 shop at the Tierpark Center shopping mall at U station Tierpark. The offers by various providers change often.Q: Which bank do you recommend?A: We would recommend you to use one of the large banks, for example Deut- sche Bank, Berliner Sparkasse or Commerzbank.Q: Which health insurance do you recommend?A: While private insurances may be cheaper, we recommend the regular insurance from a public provider such as the AOK (Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse) or the TK (Techniker Krankenkasse).Q: Id like to take further German classes. Which schools do you recommend?A: You may first see whether suitable classes are available at the HTW foreign language center: http://www-en.htw-berlin.de/studying/foreign_languages.html These are free of charge and close to the campus. Further low-cost classes are available at the public institution Volkshochschule: (In German: http://www.berlin.de/vhs/) Finally, there are numerous private language schools which are somewhat more expensive but offer a great variety of classes. Our students have made good experiences with the Hartnackschule: (http://www.hartnackschule-berlin.de/)

Student visa, residence permit and working permitQ: I have extended my studies and now my residence permit is running out. What can I do?A: Just like the first time after arrival, please make an appointment at the Auslnderbehrde to extend your residence permit. The program office will issue a personal study plan, based on which the Auslnderbehrde may evaluate your application for the residence permit.Q: May I stay in Germany after graduation to look for work?A: Yes, this is possible and even desirable. After you graduate, you are first granted an 18-month job searching visa which may then be converted into a working permit after a suitable job has been found.Q: Can I travel to other EU countries with my student visa/residence permit?A: The residence permit issued in Germany is valid for travel in the Schengen area (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schengen_Area)

Studies general questions and problemsQ: I am experiencing problems in the module XYZ. Can you help me?A: In the first place, please contact the lecturer of the module in question to discuss your problem in detail. The program office will generally not override any decisions made by the lecturers.Q: It is difficult to work in a team with persons ABC. Please ask the lecturer to put me into another team.A: An important part of being a management professional is being able to work

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with different people, often in an environment that contains both personal and professional conflicts. Part of the learning process is to solve the conflicts within the team in order to deliver a quality product in the end. If problems persist, the program office will offer you mediation. Please make an appointment with the whole team.Q: I find my grading unfair.A: Please contact the lecturer to explain your disagreement with the grade. The lecturers use structured grading schemes and will be able to rationalize the made grading decisions. If you are after careful consideration still convinced that you have not received the grade you deserve, you may file in a formal complaint to the departments examinations board. You may then be re-exa- mined by a third party, i.e. another professor in the area. So far, however, no such cases have occurred in the MBA&E.Q: I have lost my HTW account password.A: Please visit the program office we will help you regain access to your account via the IT help center.

Working beside the studiesQ: I wish to work part-time during the studies. Can I do that?A: Certainly, but please keep your workload under control, considering that as the examinations period at the end of the semester approaches, you will need more time for your studies. A regular student visa allows foreign students to work 120 full days per calendar year.Q: How much salary can I expect?A: Salaries companies pay (for study related jobs) usually vary between 7 and 15 Euros per hour. Universities have a regulated compensation of 10,85 Euros per hour.Q: What kind of jobs do you recommend?A: We recommend you in the first place to find a job that will support your learning of the MBA&E contents. You may of course consider any jobs ranging from restaurants to call centers in order to generate additional income.

2015 student handbook

Documents

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international program

systems of htw

program staff

program spaces

e o f c o n t e n t

htw students