Survival Kit for Exchange Students

Spring Term 2012

Survival Kit

For Exchange Students Spring 2012

Presented by the International Relations Office

Imprint

This brochure has been carried out with the support of the European Commission within the framework of the Lifelong Learning Programme.

Editor: WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management Editorial Staff: International Relations Deadline: December 2011

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Table of contents

I. WELCOME LETTERS ...... 4 II. MEETINGS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES IN THE FIRST WEEKS ...... 6

II.1 SCHEDULE ...... 6 II.2 WELCOME RECEPTION AND INTERNATIONAL DINNER ...... 7 II.3 REGIONAL TOUR ...... 7 II.4 CHECKLIST ...... 8 II.5 BUDDY-PROGRAMME ...... 9 III. LANGUAGE ...... 10

III.1 GERMAN COURSES ...... 10 III.2 TESTDAF ...... 11 III.3 TANDEM – LANGUAGE EXCHANGE PROGRAM ...... 11 III.4 ONLINE-DICTIONARY ...... 11 IV. SERVICES ON CAMPUS ...... 12

IV.1 GREETINGS FROM THE HOUSING OFFICE ...... 12 IV.2 LIBRARY & WHU CARD ...... 12 IV.3 IT-SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS ...... 14 IV.4 WIRELESS LAN AT WHU ...... 14 IV.5 MYWHU - THE WHU INTRANET PORTAL ...... 15 IV.6 MANAGING YOUR WHU-EMAIL-ACCOUNT ...... 17 IV.7 VIP ...... 19 IV.8 CAREER SERVICE ...... 22 IV.9 IN PRAXI E. V. – WHU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION...... 22 IV.10 CONFLUENTES ...... 23 IV.11 STUDENT INITIATIVES ...... 24 IV.12 WHU GYM ...... 25 IV.13 SPECIAL EVENTS FOR TAUSCHIES THROUGHOUT THE TERM – INTEGRATION@ ...... 25 V. USEFUL INFORMATION FOR YOUR ACADEMIC LIFE AT WHU...... 26

V.1 WHU GRADING SYSTEM ...... 26 V.2 SPECIAL INFORMATION FOR TAUSCHIES IN MBA-CLASSES...... 26 VI. USEFUL INFORMATION FOR DAILY LIFE ...... 27

VI.1 EMAIL ADDRESSES AT WHU ...... 27 VI.2 IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS ...... 28 VI.3 DOCTORS IN VALLENDAR, AND ...... 29 VI.4 SEPARATION OF GARBAGE...... 30 VI.5 LAUNDRY SERVICES ...... 31 VI.6 CAR RENTAL ...... 31 VII. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ...... 32

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I. Welcome Letters

To all exchange students at WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management (in the following also nicknamed “Tauschies”)

Spring Term 2012

Dear Tauschies,

We, the International Relations Office Team, are delighted to welcome you today for an exchange term at WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management!

This survival kit gives you information regarding the important activities you have to do during your first weeks at WHU, as well as useful information for your daily life in . Please also pay special attention to the checklist in section II with regards to the formalities that you have to complete upon arrival.

Detailed information regarding course selection, visa extension and proof of insurance will be discussed in our first meetings. For this please see the schedule on the next pages.

We wish you a very nice stay!

Please remember that you can always come to our office to discuss any questions you may have. We are at your disposal.

Best regards,

Your International Relations Office Team

Welcome Letter from the students‘ representatives

Dear Tauschies,

WHU not only stands for “excellence in management education” and very distinguished MSc and BSc programs, but also and especially for the exceptional student body. When coming to WHU, one of the first languages you will hear is English. Internationality and integrity are major parts of our “WHU-Spirit”. Not only because we have a lot of partner universities and remarkable exchange programs, no – it's the naturalness of people from all over the world who come here and feel right at home. At first sight small cities like Vallendar or Koblenz don't seem being “the places to be”, but through the constant proximity to other students and the life around the campus you will immediately find yourself right at the WHU-pulsidge. Congresses, lectures and of course the fun around and, also after it, will for sure catch you in a heartbeat. Thanks to that, we have one of the tightest and biggest alumni networks, which counts not only the fellow “WHUlers” but also countless exchange students, who spent here a great and unforgettable time.

Give it a try and be part of the “spirit”!

We are definitely looking forward to meeting you soon. The students’ representatives

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The IRO Team

Stefanie Schweins

Director of International Relations Phone: +49 261 6509 160 [email protected]

Wiebke Gerdelmann Exchange Coordinator – Double Degree Programs Program Coordinator European MBA Summer Institute Phone: +49 261 6509 161 [email protected]

Christina Flach Exchange Coordinator – Asia, Australia, New Zealand International Marketing Coordinator Phone: +49 261 6509 162 [email protected]

Christina Meiners Exchange Coordinator – Americas, Africa Phone: +49 261 6509 164 [email protected]

Madlen Schweiger Exchange Coordinator – Europe Program Coordinator European Programs Phone: +49 261 6509 165 [email protected]

Julia Wassermann Assistant International Relations Program Coordinator Scholarships and European Bachelor Summer Institute Phone: +49 261 6509 163 [email protected]

IRO Office Fax: +49 261 6509 169

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II. Meetings and Social Activities in the First Weeks

II.1 Schedule The following schedule gives you an overview of your information meetings and social activities with the International Relations Office and WHU-Students.

MEETING DATE TIME EVENT ORGANIZER POINT

International Relations Official Welcome Meeting Chapel 9:00 am Office Information Session Choice of Courses – Graduate Students International Relations 10:30 am (including presentation of K-001 Office our MSc- and MBA- Program Office)

Information Session Residence Permit – International Relations 10:30 am Undergraduate Non EU- K-101 Office Citizens

Information Session Choice of Courses – Undergraduate Students International Relations 11:30 am (including presentation of K-001 Office our BSc-Program Office)

Information Session

Residence Permit – International Relations 11:30 am Graduate Non EU- K-101 Office Citizens

Time for taking lunch Cafeteria, … Tuesday,

Gabriele Karls-Ulrich German Placement Tests K-001 January 3rd 2:00 pm and Elke Peplow

Individual Interviews Gabriele Karls-Ulrich

4:00 pm (German Placement Tests) and Elke Peplow

Burgplatz (in Campus Tour 6:30 pm front of WHU’s VIP main entrance)

Presentation of “CampusCar” (a car K-101 Campus Car / IRO 7:30 pm sharing possibility at WHU)

VIP-Presentation

7:45 pm (including „Being a student K-101 VIP at WHU“)

Wednesday, Burgplatz (in Koblenz-Rallye front of WHU’s VIP January 4th 3:30 pm main entrance)

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Team Building 11:00 am C-102/103 VIP Thursday,

January 5th Welcome Reception and International Relations 7:00 pm International Dinner Chapel Office

Friday, Burgplatz (in Pubcrawl front of WHU’s VIP January 6th 7:00 pm main entrance)

Saturday, 11:30 am Brunch VIP January 7th C-102/103

Tuesday, 7:00 pm TGV-Election VIP January 10th K-001

Saturday, Regional Tour Bus stop at International Relations Around 1:30 pm Vallendar’s train January 14th (Please sign up!) Office station

II.2 Welcome Reception and International Dinner

The International Relations Office will be hosting a Welcome Reception for all international students on Thursday, January 5th at 7:00 pm in the Chapel. The evening will start with an introduction of each student in the Chapel and will be followed by an “International Buffet” and drinks in WHU’s vaulted cellar.

We ask each of you to bring either food or drinks representative of your home country to contribute to the buffet. If you do not have something from your country please feel free to bring any type of food or drink. Portions do not need to be big.

This is a great opportunity for all of us to get to know each other better. Your student and academic buddies have also been invited to this event and it would be a great way to meet him/her, if you haven’t done so already.

We look forward to seeing you at the Welcome Reception on the 5th of January!!!

II.3 Regional Tour

The International Relations Office would like to invite all of you to the Spring 2012 Regional Tour on Saturday, January 14th. We will be meeting at the bus stop near the train station in Vallendar around 1:30 pm and take a bus to the Marksburg castle.

After having a guided tour through the medieval Marksburg castle, we will take a bus to the Lahnstein Brewery. At the brewery, we will have a guided tour with beer tasting. We will conclude our day with a dinner at a typical German Restaurant in Lahnstein. The International Relations Office will cover the tour and dinner expenses. We would just kindly ask you to pay for your drinks yourselves.

After dinner the bus will take us back to Vallendar, where we will arrive around 9:00 pm.

If you are interested in joining us please respond to Christina Flach via e-mail at [email protected] no later than Monday, January 9th. Please specify if you prefer vegetarian food. 7

II.4 Checklist

The following check list helps you to organize yourself with respect to any registration or important formalities once your semester at WHU starts:

FORMALITY OFFICE DEADLINE DONE

German Placement Test / German Teachers – Elke Peplow and 03.01.2012 Individual Interviews Gabriele-Karls Ulrich

Registration for Regional International Relations – Exchange 09.01.2012 Tour (request vegetarian Coordinators food if applicable) (via E-Mail: [email protected])

Payment of Housing Housing Office – Philomena Richartz 06.01.2012 Deposit (Room B-007)

International Relations – Exchange Proof of Health Insurance 06.01.2012 Coordinators (Room K-402)

International Relations – Exchange Sign IT-Agreement 06.01.2012 Coordinators (Room K-402)

International Relations – Exchange Sign Transcript Release 06.01.2012 Coordinators (Room K-401) List

International Relations – Exchange Pick-up WHU Card 06.01.2012 Coordinators (Room K-401)

Registration in Vallendar Local authorities (Rathaus) 10.01.2012

International Relations – Exchange Residence Permit 24.01.2012 Coordinators (Room K-402) Application

Your registration in Vallendar:

All exchange students – EU and non-EU citizens - MUST register with the local authorities, no later than Tuesday, January 10th. You must bring the following documents with you to register with the local authorities:  original passport  two copies of the passport showing the page with the photo and personal data

Below is a list of Town Halls for purposes of registering.

If you live in:  Vallendar, , , or Urbar: Rathaus Vallendar (Town Hall, big red house on the right side at the end of the pedestrian zone) Rathausplatz 13, Vallendar

Office Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 am – 12:00 pm Monday: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Wednesday: 2:00 pm – 5:30 pm

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 Koblenz: Bürgeramt Gymnasialstraße 4-8 56068 Koblenz

Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm Tuesday and Friday: 8:00 am – 2:00 pm Thursday: 8:00 am – 7:00 pm 1st Saturday of each month: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

Once you are registered, the local authorities will directly give you a form which you should keep with you during your entire stay in Germany.

II.5 Buddy-Programme

During your stay at WHU, you are assigned two buddies: a student buddy and an academic buddy. The student buddy can help you out with all “regular” questions concerning studying at WHU and everyday life (at WHU, in Germany, …) whereas the academic buddy (for example a professor or research assistant / doctoral student) can guide you as a counsellor with more specific academic questions (concerning literature, …) you might have once you started your term at WHU. You will get more information about your academic buddy during your first week at WHU. If your academic buddy (a professor or research assistant) contacts you (via email), please respond him / her! Your student buddy should have contacted you before the beginning of the term, so that you could already get in touch via email before your arrival and communicate about possible questions. Your student buddy can show WHU as well as the city to you, take you to meet his / her friends, have a coffee together, etc. It is a great opportunity to meet German students and to integrate into the WHU student body! If you have any questions or concerns about the Buddy-Programme (for example if your student buddy did not contact you yet), don’t hesitate to contact us!

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III. Language

III.1 German Courses

WHU offers free intensive German courses running through the semester. Exchange students have the opportunity to participate in one of the 4 levels offered, from beginners to advanced. The course is worth 5 ECTS credits.

The levels are classified as follows:

LEVEL FROM PREVIOUS EUROPEAN OBJECTIVE AND COURSE LEVEL KNOWLEDGE TEACHER LANG. CONTENT REQUIRED CERTIFICATE

First Steps in Prep- None Elke Peplow Every day life German – Preparation German Course for German Course Level 1

Prep-Course Introduction to German (written and I A1 or only little Elke Peplow spoken); German in everyday life, Basics knowledge basics of grammar.

Enabling you to understand, analyse

II Advanced Gabriele and comment on written and spoken A2 Intermediate basic Karls-Ulrich texts; communication in everyday life, knowledge living in Germany.

Reduce typical mistakes in the fields of

grammar, vocabulary and syntax;

improve communication skills; III B1 Advanced Elke Peplow Germany in an intercultural context, Advanced current affairs, business German, discussing, presenting, analysing.

Improvement of proficiency in spoken

and written German in higher

IV Gabriele education context; discussing living Proficiency B2 / C1 Very Karls-Ulrich and working at a German university advanced and its cultural surroundings; deep understanding of German grammatical structures.

We are meeting on January 3rd in room K-001 at 2:00 pm. You will be given some general information concerning the courses. Afterwards you will be required to take a placement test. At 4:00 pm we will be starting with individual interviews which are obligatory for all participants except beginners (Prep-Course and German Level I). All this may take a little time, so please keep the afternoon free if you can.

You do not need to register for the examination of the German course. For Level I & II the final grade given is based on your participation (50%) and your final exam (50%). For Level III & IV, the final grade given is based on your participation (30%), your presentation (20%) and your exam (50%). Attendance is compulsory!

Looking forward to seeing you, Gabriele Karls-Ulrich - [email protected] Elke Peplow - [email protected] 10

III.2 TestDaF

TestDaF is a centralized and standardized language test for German as a foreign language. WHU is a Test-DaF-Center. Therefore, you have the possibility to take the TestDaF at WHU in April.

For more information, please contact Gabriele Karls-Ulrich.

III.3 Tandem – Language Exchange Program

You will have the possibility to find a German student studying your native language as a conversation partner.

You are proposed to meet at least once a week for about one hour, practicing half of the time German, the other half your language and speaking about cultural themes.

When, where and how often you meet is to be decided by you and your partner.

If you are interested in this program, just register in the lists which will be distributed in the German language courses.

It will be up to your German partners to contact you.

III.4 Online-Dictionary

You will find a good online-dictionary via the link www.pons.eu You can look up the translation of more than 140,000 words to German, for example from the following languages: English, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Polish … The special thing about those dictionaries is that if you are missing a word, you can propose it to the editorial department of the homepage and they will usually include it soon!

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IV. Services on Campus

IV.1 Greetings from the Housing Office

Dear Tauschies,

WHU’s Housing Office has offered you an apartment or room for the duration of your stay at WHU. Upon arrival you need to pay your first month’s rent and a security deposit of 500 €in cash or with credit card within the next days after your arrival (credit card is preferred). To do this, please meet me in my office.

My office is in room B-007 (main building, ground floor). My office hours are on weekdays from approx. 8:00 am to 12:00 pm.

Upon departure this deposit (or part of it in case of damages) will be returned to you either by your landlord directly or by WHU after having checked your apartment.

Do not hesitate to contact me personally or by email if you have any questions.

I wish you a pleasant and successful stay at WHU and in Vallendar!

Philomena Richartz Housing Office [email protected] +49 261 6509 503

IV.2 Library & WHU Card

WHU has a modern library with a current stock of around 45,000 books (including approx. more than 5100 e-Books), approx. 200 journals in print and more than 62,000 online journals. Approximately two thirds of the journals are in English. In addition, there are journals in other languages.

The library team is happy to welcome you! In order to make sure that you will profit from this facility, please find some important information below.

WHU Card:

The WHU Card is a multifunction card serving as admission card for the library, copy card, print card, entrance card to the buildings, card for payment in the cafeteria and student identity card. Please pick it up at the International Relations Office upon your arrival (free of charge).

If you would like to take advantage of the student price reduction in the cafeteria, you have to pay with your WHU-card. The student price reduction is not possible when paying in cash.

Attention: You will only receive the WHU Card after showing proof of valid health insurance and payment of rent and housing deposit. If you lose your card, please advise the library of WHU immediately, as it serves as a key to the buildings and all facilities and it needs to be blocked in case of loss. This is why you should look after it very carefully! For getting a new one, you will have to pay 10€.

The main entrance to WHU is open from Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm. Outside these times the doors close automatically, i.e. it is only possible to open the doors with your WHU Card after 8:00 pm.

Should you have any problems with your WHU Card, please do not hesitate to contact us! 12

Opening Hours of the Library:

The library and the reading room are available to every student 24 hours a day, including weekends.

Books from the reserve-book-collection are not lendable. They have a colored dot on their back. These books may only be read in the reading room. All other books can be borrowed at the counter or using the self-issue-machine.

Librarians are available to assist you during the following hours:

Monday through Thursday: 7:30 am to 7:00 pm Friday: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm

Rules of Conduct:

Please respect others working in the library and remain quiet at all times. Mobile phones are not permitted in the library at any time.

The PC-Lab also belongs to the library rooms and therefore you should remain quiet there as well. Mobile phones are not permitted.

Please clean up your workstation before leaving and use the recycle bins for unwanted documents.

Please read the rules for using the storage boxes provided in the reading room. These rules of usage are located next to the boxes and are to be followed at all times.

The newspapers you can find outside of the library are free!

The library has online access to the EBSCO database, ABI Inform Global, LexisNexis, ScienceDirect, Wiso and the Springer E-Book Collection amongst others. Every database has a so-called „info-icon“. By clicking on this icon, you will receive a short piece of information (either in German or in English) about the content of the database. The databases are also accessible via the internal WHU net.

Please note that the study rooms in the K-building are designated for undergraduate students, whereas the study rooms in the E-building are designed for graduate students.

Library Tour:

If you wish we can organize a tour of the library in order to explain in detail how the library works.

All you have to do is to build a group of 3 – 8 persons and contact Ms. Ulrike Grosser either per email (mail to: [email protected]) or personally.

Have fun reading!

Your Library Team

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IV.3 IT-Support for Students

Within each student group there are contact persons who will help and support you in case you face any problems with your private computers/notebooks. Please find the list of the persons in charge below. More information on the persons (phone, email ...) can be found in the Lookbook within the web presence of myWHU. Inquiries to the IT department may only be made after consultatinga supporter! The following supporters will be glad to help you:

Bachelor 2014 [email protected]

Uli Kaulfuss [email protected] Igor Shapiro [email protected] Sebastian Sondheimer [email protected] Lars von der Burg [email protected]

Bachelor 2013 [email protected]

Philipp Klais [email protected]

Bachelor 2012 [email protected]

Nicolai von Bismarck [email protected] Cornelius Korn [email protected] Alexander Rausch [email protected] Laurens Schröder [email protected] Manfred Yuan [email protected]

Master 2013 [email protected]

Lukas Petrikowski [email protected]

Should there be any problems with computers of the PC-Lab, please contact the IT department.

IV.4 Wireless LAN at WHU

Settings to use the Wired and Wireless LAN at WHU

StartSettingsControlpanel (System Control)Internetoptions: choose connections

choose LAN-settings

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choose "no" proxy

Restart the internet explorer; enter the required web address; then you will see a login window:

user name: personal user name password: personal password

Students who don’t have a WHU account: user name: whugast password: beisheim

IV.5 myWHU - The WHU Intranet Portal

We welcome you at myWHU, the WHU intranet portal. This web-based portal will help you gathering information for your studies at WHU and your life in Vallendar.

As a new exchange student at WHU you receive a personal login for your email-account upon arrival. The left part of your address and the given password serve as login data for myWHU, found at www.mywhu.com. myWHU offers a wide range of useful tools for easing your daily life at WHU. To navigate within the portal simply use the navigation bar in well known amazon.com-style. In the main navigation you will find the links that you – as an exchange student – will be allowed to access during the time at WHU and two months after the end of your exchange program.

Checking your personal data and setting your preferences should be your first steps after logging into myWHU. You reach your personal profile via the link "My Profile" in the top right corner. The light blue bar shows related links for the chosen page. Check the registered entries then alter and complete the data if necessary. Please note that due to the importance of our web- based Lookbook, changes of name and address data have to be reviewed by the WHU's administration.

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Via the link "Studies" you can sign up for study groups appropriate to your courses. Here you will find all the courses offered at WHU sorted by the semester they are offered in. Signing up for these study groups will grant access to downloads, notes and dates of every particular course. Select the courses by clicking on the symbol showing the current selection state. More information about the course is available by clicking on the "view"-button which looks like a lens.

Choosing your study groups is highly recommended, because all the dates of the selected courses will appear in your personal timetable which can additionally be filled with your own dates. This information – as well as the information in the Lookbook – is exportable to your personal computer and to Outlook or handhelds.

Besides study groups myWHU offers communities which allow direct and indirect communication of its members. You may sign up for every community listed on the page "Communities" of "My Profile". We suggest that you register at least for the communities "Students" and "Sports". Students can post articles online, upload files, create photo galleries, post voting questionnaires and discuss in forums within each community. In the community "Sports" you will be updated with information about training sessions of the different sport groups at WHU.

Via "Other" you will find several options for customizing myWHU to your needs. In order to change an option, just click on the symbol showing the current state.

The Lookbook contains the contact information of all WHU students and faculties. For searching within Lookbook you can either use the page spanning search appearing on all pages or the advanced search within the Lookbook. Additionally, an up-to-date printable version can be generated.

Another important functionality of myWHU is the registration for courses in the WHU Gym. First of all, for doing so, you need to be a member of the HSSV (the WHU students’ sports association). You can find the appropriate form in myWHU when you click on “to course list” on the right side of the page under the heading “WHU Gym”. Then, you find the link to download the application form on the left (under the heading “Actions”). Once you are a member of HSSV, you can register for the courses in the WHU Gym via myWHU. We encourage you to register for the courses as you will be guaranteed a spot then! Otherwise, you can also just come to the gym and

16 attend spontaneously but keep in mind that spots are allocated on a FCFS basis. To pay for the courses you need to purchase a “10 course card” (30€) which is valid for any 10 gym course sessions or a “One-Time-Trial card” (5€) which is only valid for one course session. With the “10 course card” you can attend any 10 course sessions you like. You do not have to attend the same class throughout the whole semester. The cards are available for sale at the reception in building A. Looking forward to see you in the Gym! myWHU offers quite a lot of possibilities for communicating and interacting with the WHU family. Therefore we suggest that you take some time to make yourself familiar with the system and its features. Fellow students will certainly be very happy to assist you in case of problems or questions. For questions you can also reach the system's administration team via [email protected].

We wish you a good start at WHU and a great exchange semester!

Your myWHU Team

IV.6 Managing your WHU-email-account

As you might already know, you all have a WHU-email-account. It is very important that you keep checking this account, as you receive important information from us as well as about classes via this email-address. For your information, we would like to let you know that you have the possibility to set individual configurations within your WHU-email-account – for example, you can filter the emails to organize the account according to your preferences. For further instructions, please have a look at the following pictures:

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IV.7 VIP

Dear Tauschies,

First of all a warm welcome from our side as well! We are all students of the WHU and together we form the student initiative “VIP.” VIP stands for “Vallendar Integration Program” and we will try to help you to integrate into the student community here at WHU.

Tauschies are an essential part of our lives as WHU students. Each term, exchange students from all over the world represent about one quarter of our student community at the university, and all of us are very committed to make your stay an enriching and pleasurable experience.

Before you arrive at WHU we are happy to help you with all kinds of questions regarding student life in Vallendar. Then, at the beginning of your stay you will get the opportunity to take part in our welcoming activities, like BBQs and team building events. In the course of the term we will arrange a number of trips to different locations and events, as for example an excursion to the famous German Carnival in .

You can also get advice from VIP on how to apply for an internship or a job in Germany and we can give you support if there is a trip or event you want to organize during your stay.

We will meet you during the orientation days from the International Relations Office. We are looking forward to meeting you and to welcoming you as a Tauschie at the WHU in Germany!

Your VIP Team

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Benedict is one of the old members of the VIP Team. He is spending a lot of time with his buddies and likes to cook with his friends. He enjoys life and misses not a single party. Benedict is spontaneous and open for new ideas and experiences. He just finished his exchange semester abroad in Ohio, Columbus, and is looking forward to meet all of the new Tauschies!

Daniela just finished her Bachelor at WHU and starts with her Master now. She always has thousands of ideas how to keep her away from her studies. And if the Tauschies want to have some real beer (no Öttinger or Kölsch) they can be pretty sure that she’s in.

Aga’s student life started in Berlin where she studied Law for two years. During those two years she found out two things: 1) Neither in theory nor in practice does Law feel like something that would suit her - but Business Admin does. 2) Those people from WHU are incredibly content although their university isn't located in a vibrant metropolis... and they keep on talking about something called 'WHU spirit'. She decided to check out what's behind it... and also became enchanted with it. Now, almost 3 years later, she's looking forward to prolong that great experience during her Master studies. In her free time, she enjoys travelling, running, hanging out and cooking. As she's from , you'll be always warmly invited to drop by for some Polish specialties.

If you are looking for someone to talk to, study or party hard with, then you found the right guy! Nils is always willing to help you with whatever you need, let it be a Tauschie Tuesday or a spontaneous Barbecue on Niederwerth. He is always interested in trying new and different kinds of food, talking and meeting different people from all around the world, so if you want to get a coffee or a beer to discuss just anything around the world or cook something, feel free to give him a call. And should you not be able to reach him Nils might just be at Korova, supporting his favorite soccer team 1. Fc Köln.

Sabine has worked for VIP almost since the beginning of her Bachelor studies. Last year she took a little break from VIP (and from studying) in order to spend a gap-year in Ecuador and to travel South-America. But now she’s back for her Master’s and excited for the new Tauschies! In her free time she loves to go out and dance, to go rock climbing, to travel, to cook with other people, or to have girls’ nights with cheesy TV-shows. In general she’s just pretty much up for any kind of social gathering!

Katharina has started now the last semester of her Bachelor studies at WHU and is new to the VIP team. For her, spending time with family and friends is a great way to relax from studying and whenever possible, she loves going scuba diving, but please not in the cold German waters. She is excited for a great semester with all the Tauschies and the incredible experiences that will come along with it.

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Carolin (or Caro, as everyone calls her) is in her last semester of Bachelor studies at WHU. She spent her exchange semester in Singapore and since she is young just loves travelling, discovering new countries and learning a view words in every foreign language possible. So, please help her out and teach her something new in your mother tongue! In her free time, Caro is always up to something: work-out at the gym, organizing the girls’ choir (anyone of you interested in singing – just contact her!), Tandem meetings, watching movies, game evenings at her place, etc. pp. Whenever you have a problem, want to hang out or need somebody to talk to, you can definitely count on her!

Vanessa became part of the VIP Team in summer 2011 after she came back from her exchange semester in Texas. Now, she is in her last Bachelor year. Vanessa loves to meet people from all over the world and is always open for experiences. Her passion is travelling and dancing and she does not miss any single party at WHU. Also, she is excited about getting to know all of you Tauschies!

Anne is enrolled in the last semester of her Bachelor studies at WHU and just started to work with the VIP. One of her favorite hobbies is travelling – something she did a lot during her exchange semester in Canada. She loves to meet new people, party, sing, dance, run along the river and hang out with friends – as long as she can take a break from her studies and enjoy the awesome parts of life in Vallendar. And most of all, she is very much looking forward to meeting all the new Tauschies in 2012!!

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IV.8 Career Service

The university’s Career Service is the point of contact between companies, students as well as Alumni of WHU and supports these stakeholders. The Career Service team keeps in contact with the companies and organizes numerous career activities each semester for the students. All our exchange students are welcome to attend these events that are announced to the WHU students by our weekly newsletter. The offered activities include:

 An application and interview training exclusively for exchange students  A company visit each semester exclusively for exchange students  Career counseling and career orientation  Company presentations: About 50 companies are active on WHU’s campus each year through corporate presentations  Career events: Two recruiting fairs take place each year (“Master Your Career” in January and the “Career Day” in September)  Weekly newsletters inform students with info and news of our companies, alumni and current internship and job offers

All offered activities are very helpful to find internship or job opportunities and to get in personal contact with company representatives. A further aspect for exchange students when taking part in these events is the valuable exposure to the German language and culture as well as networking.

Ways of contact E-Mail: [email protected] Phone: +49 261 6509 570 Room number: A-017

E-Mail: [email protected] Phone: +49 261 6509 574 Room number: A-015

IV.9 In Praxi e. V. – WHU Alumni Association

Dear Tauschies,

In Praxi, the WHU Alumni Association, wishes you a warm welcome. We hope that your experience here at WHU, in Germany and in Europe will be unforgettable.

Although you are just about to start your semester abroad, at one point you are going to leave WHU. In Praxi offers you the possibility to join the global alumni network, meet WHU alumni worldwide and keep your WHU experience alive. We believe that your Tauschie-stay is not just a little dot in your life but rather a life-long experience. At the end of your stay we would gladly welcome you as members of "In Praxi e.V.", our alumni association. Among other activities, your benefits are:

. access to our myInPraxi online-portal (with a Lookbook of all Alumni, upcoming events, news etc.) . regular updates on WHU and the alumni community via mail and email . invitations to major events at WHU and to the yearly alumni conference with eminent speakers on topics of current interest

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. invitations to alumni events in the regional chapters (groups) in Germany, Australia, China, , Switzerland, UK and the USA, as well as an ongoing series of continuing education seminars . high quality post placement offers, if you decide to change jobs

In Praxi is especially useful for keeping in touch with all WHU-students and, of course, with all other Tauschies, and to develop your professional network particularly for those of you who are staying in Europe.

Just drop by our office on Campus and we will be happy to provide you with further information. You will find our office at Burgplatz 1 – in opposite of the main entrance besides the fancy fashion boutique, just follow the In Praxi signs in the window.

Best regards and keep in touch!

Marc-Olivier Lücke Christoph Rose In Praxi Board In Praxi Office

For more information visit www.in-praxi.org, write us ([email protected]) or call +49 261 92139600

IV.10 Confluentes confluentes e.V. is the students’ consultancy at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. It aims at providing businesses with the expertise and capacities of WHU’s Bachelor, Master and Ph.D. students. Since 1994, confluentes conducts projects covering the whole value chain, developing efficient and effective solutions. Currently, about 400 students from all programs engage in approximately 70 projects per year and across all sectors, ranging from family business to DAX companies (stock index of Germany’s largest firms). Thereby, students can contribute theoretical knowledge from their studies and leverage experience from internships to further develop their practical skills. In addition, close cooperation with chairs and research centers as well as with WHU’s alumni network contributes towards a close symbiosis of science and praxis. Of course, your work on a project will be remunerated. Furthermore, all profits realized from projects benefit the university and its direct environment. 23

Besides WHU students on exchange, incoming students from our partner universities are an important resource for confluentes to conduct projects on an international scale. Hence, we would be pleased to welcome you as a consultant in our team during your semester at WHU. For more information please visit www.confluentes.de.

We are looking forward to working with you!

IV.11 Student Initiatives

Although WHU students face a demanding and tightly packed program of studies, student life is by no means neglected. Many of them take the time to enrich their university life by engaging in one of countless student initiatives.

Be it sport, music, art, theater, the stock exchange or social commitments, campus life offers something for everybody. Barely a class leaves WHU without having added a new initiative to the list.

The enthusiasm with which they pursue common goals, and make dreams and ideas a reality is a manifestation of WHU spirit that is so highly valued by all university groups.

WHU Euromasters The international sports festival, "WHU Euromasters" has been organized by WHU students since 1997 and has become the largest and most significant business school sports festival in Europe. Euromasters brings together business students from universities throughout Europe and, in addition to offering top-class sport, makes a unique contribution to the generation of student networks and contacts.

On the first weekend of November every year, almost 1,000 students from top European schools in Germany, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, the UK and Switzerland compete against one another in basketball, cheerleading, soccer, rowing, relay running and volleyball.

The closing ceremony, traditionally held on Saturday evening, is celebrated in the form of a huge party following the relay race. More information can be found here: http://www.whu.edu/en/campus-life/student- activities/student-activities/whu-euromasters/

Theater Group The WHU student theater group has been in existence since fall 1989. Its founder was Philipp Burgtorf (Diplom class of 1993), who received acting and directing classes during a year abroad. Over the years, the amateur actors have delighted audiences with their performances, including, among others, classics by Sartre, Camus, Dürrenmatt and Shakespeare, as well as comedies by Arnold/Bach, Simons.

The WHU theater group is known for the extraordinary dedication of the constantly changing members of the ensemble, great attention to detail and very different types of characters.

The rewards for all this effort are regular sell-out performances and rapt audiences that are not limited to members of the WHU community, since all performances are open to the public. 24

WHU students help WHU Studenten helfen e.V. (“Students Help”) was founded in fall 2004. The aim of this initiative is to realize social commitment in the form of real-life projects. This should establish a basis from which the activities can be sustained long-term and future classes motivated to instigate their own diverse aid projects.

The budding initiative’s first project is to help equip a gynecological clinic in Herat, Afghanistan. In late May 2005, eight WHU students flew to Afghanistan in order to personally deliver three sea containers, packed full of medical supplies, and to ensure that the medical devices could be put to good use.

Further information can be found at www.whush.de

For information about other student activities and initiatives, please have a look at the following website: http://www.whu.edu/en/campus-life/student-activities/student-activities/

IV.12 WHU Gym

The WHU fitness facility, WHU Gym, is available to all registered students, staff and faculty members. The WHU Gym is located in building D in D’Esterstraße 9 in the basement. WHU offers various sporting facilities to all its students, staff and faculty members. The Gym is open every day from 6 am until 2 am in the night, and accessible with a valid student or employee ID card. Please use the training facilities of the Gym only after you have been instructed by one of our supervisors. They will explain how to use the various devices correctly. Information about sports classes in the Gym are available on myWHU (intranet) Registration for courses in the WHU Gym is possible via myWHU as well. First of all, for doing so, you need to be a member of the HSSV (the WHU students’ sports association). You can find the appropriate form in myWHU when you click on “to course list” on the right side of the page under the heading “WHU Gym”. Then, you find the link to download the application form on the left (under the heading “Actions”). Once you are a member of HSSV, you can register for the courses in the WHU Gym via myWHU. We encourage you to register for the courses as you will be guaranteed a spot then! Otherwise, you can also just come to the gym and attend spontaneously but keep in mind that spots are allocated on a FCFS basis. To pay for the courses you need to purchase a “10 course card” (30€) which is valid for any 10 gym course sessions or a “One-Time-Trial card” (5€) which is only valid for one course session. With the “10 course card” you can attend any 10 course sessions you like. You do not have to attend the same class throughout the whole semester. The cards are available for sale at the reception in building A. Looking forward to see you in the Gym! When visiting the WHU Gym please respect the rules and regulations of the Gym. These can be found at the Gym entrance. Have fun in the Gym!

IV.13 Special events for Tauschies throughout the term – Integration@Vallendar

Within the scope of a monthly series "Integration @ Vallendar", students and international students in particular have the opportunity to familiarize with Vallendar and its citizens. The aim of the project is to even better integrate international students into the WHU community and the city of Vallendar. To this end, WHU, the city of Vallendar, the Schönstatt Movement as well as the Seminary of Philosophy and Theology Vallendar work closely together. A number of evening events are organized for WHU students, the three above-mentioned institutions and citizens in Vallendar. The project is promoted by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

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Program schedule for the spring semester 2012:

 Thursday, January 19th  Monday, February 13th  Wednesday, March 21st  Wednesday, April 11th

V. Useful Information for your Academic Life at WHU

V.1 WHU Grading System

The following scale shows the WHU grading system (for Bachelor- and Master-of Science- Students):

WHU Grading System Definition Explanation

1.0 hervorragend EXCELLENT An outstanding performance 1.3

1.7 A performance that is significantly sehr gut VERY GOOD 2.0 above the average requirements

2.3 A performance that is slightly above or gut GOOD 2.7 conforms to the average requirements 3.0 A performance that largely conforms befriedigend SATISFACTORY 3.3 to the average requirements A performance, that despite 3.7 ausreichend SUFFICIENT deficiencies, still satisfies the 4.0 requirements A performance, which due to 5.0 nicht ausreichend FAIL significant deficiencies, no longer satisfies the requirements

V.2 Special Information for Tauschies in MBA-classes

All Tauschies who are eligible to take MBA courses will be informed via email if the MBA courses they registered for are based on a course-relevant reading pack with copies that they can pick up in the MBA office. Usually this reading pack is available upon the first lecture – or a few days in advance if readings need to be prepared.

Apart from that, due to a special program internal arrangement, course-relevant books are only handed out to full time WHU MBA students. Course-relevant books will be listed in the course outline for each course, but for many courses, you will just need the reading pack. Tauschies can find the course-relevant books in a special section called “reserved book collection” (the books are marked with a yellow dot) in the library. You can use these books within the library or make copies from it using your WHU card.

Please note that the full costs for the complete special arrangement for regular students within the MBA program can, unfortunately, not be covered by the International Relations Office as this service is not a common procedure within the scope of an exchange program. However, the International Relations Office is able to provide part of this service by covering the cost for the reading pack that you will receive from the MBA office.

Moreover, only regular MBA students receive keys to special group rooms with printers. Nevertheless, study groups are usually mixed with Tauschies and MBA students to ensure that each group has access to the printers. 26

VI. Useful Information for Daily Life

VI.1 Email Addresses at WHU

International Relations Office

Director: Stefanie Schweins [email protected]

Assistant: Julia Wassermann [email protected]

Exchange Coordinators:

Wiebke Gerdelmann [email protected] Exchange Coordinator Double Degree Programs

Christina Meiners [email protected] Exchange Coordinator Americas, Africa

Christina Flach [email protected] Exchange Coordinator Asia, Australia, New Zealand

Madlen Schweiger [email protected] Exchange Coordinator Europe

Housing

Philomena Richartz [email protected]

German Teachers

Gabriele Karls-Ulrich [email protected]

Elke Peplow [email protected]

Examination Office

Irmgard Puth [email protected]

Birgit Schwind [email protected]

Alexander Oborowski [email protected]

Career Service

Heike Hülpüsch [email protected]

Katharina Haxel [email protected]

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Other Email Addresses

All students [email protected]

All exchange students (Tauschies) [email protected]

All professors [email protected]

All research assistants [email protected]

All administration employees [email protected]

All students from BSc 2012 [email protected]

All students from BSc 2013 (b) [email protected]

All students from BSc 2014 [email protected]

All students from MSc 2013 [email protected]

All students from MBA 2012 [email protected]

All students on campus [email protected]

All people on campus (students, staff, …) [email protected]

Please do not use the email address [email protected], as it includes alumni, professors, as well as other persons all over the world.

VI.2 Important Phone Numbers

 Police: 110

 Fire Department: 112

 Ambulance and Emergency Doctor: 110

 Info for Pharmacies: 01805 / 25 88 25 56727 (from your mobile phone) or: 0800 - 228 228 0

 Poison Control Center in : 06131 / 19 24 0 (emergency call) or: 06131 / 23 24 66 (information hotline only)

 Taxibank in Vallendar: 0261 / 63 0 66

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VI.3 Doctors in Vallendar, Bendorf and Koblenz

In Germany people have a general practitioner, who will make referrals to a specialist if necessary. Only in certain cases you can visit a specialist without first consulting a general practitioner. In Vallendar there are several practitioners you will be able to go to. It is always recommendable to make an appointment as waiting times can be long. If you need help urgently, you can go without an appointment during office hours, but you should expect waiting time. Please note that you will be charged a fee called “Praxisgebühr” for the first visit every quarter. It amounts to 10 €. The amount is mainly payable in cash.

Please find below a list of doctors in Vallendar and Koblenz:

General Practitioner:  Jutta Wächter-Ginap, Hellenstraße 65, Vallendar, Phone: +49 261 60846  Dr. Witzenhausen, Rathausplatz 6, Vallendar, Phone: +49 261 60267  Drs. Mees-Kröll, Schöberl, D’Esterstraße 11, Vallendar, Phone: +49 261 62074  Emergency Service in Hospital: Gemeinschaftsklinikum Koblenz- Kemperhof Koblenz, Koblenzer Str. 115-155, Phone: +49 261 4990

Oculist:  Dr. Krekeler, Casinostr. 48-54, Koblenz, Phone: +49 261 34827  Dr. Bezler, Friedrich-Ebert-Ring 36, Koblenz, Phone: +49 261 12585  Dr. Bäumges, Löhr-Center 285, Koblenz, Phone: +49 261 17868

Ear Specialist:  Dr. Hahlbrock, Ärztehaus im Löhr-Center, Koblenz, Phone: +49 261 38284  Dr. Schendzielorz, Bahnhofplatz 6, Phone: +49 261 17077

Surgeon:  Dr. Schneider, Rheinstraße 62, Bendorf, Phone: +49 2622 7844

Dentist:  Dr. Randau, Heerstraße 59, Vallendar, Phone: +49 261 60303  Dr. Wickop-Karber, Rheinstraße 103 (Business-Center), Vallendar, Phone: +49 261 9830993  Dr. Truetsch, Gutenbergstr. 4, Vallendar, Phone: +49 261 69393

Gynecologist:  Dr. Roland Mathan, Höhrerstr. 34, Vallendar, Phone: +49 261 9623350

Dermatologist:  Dr. Beyl & Dr. Heider, Pfuhlgasse 20, Koblenz, Phone: +49 261 12166

Hospitals:  Katholisches Klinikum Koblenz-Montabaur, Marienhof und Brüderhaus, Rudolf-Virchow-Str. 7, Koblenz, Phone: +49 261 4960  Gemeinschaftsklinikum Koblenz-Mayen Kemperhof Koblenz, Koblenzer Str. 115-155, Koblenz, Phone: +49 261 4990  Stiftungsklinikum Mittelrhein Gesundheitszentrum Evangelischer Stift St. Martin GmbH, Johannes-Müller-Straße7, Koblenz, Phone: +49 261 1370

The nearest hospital is in Bendorf (Marienhaus Klinikum St. Josef, Entengasse 4-6, Bendorf, +49 2622 7080; good bus connection, 7 km from Vallendar; attention: no emergency hospitalization). In Koblenz there are specialized hospitals and practices.

If you need help to make an appointment, contact anyone of the WHU exchange coordinators and we will help you. 29

VI.4 Separation of Garbage

Germany is aware of the need to protect the environment and has a very strict separation of garbage. Hence, everyone is requested to separate their garbage. We ask you to follow the description below in order to avoid a fine to be paid by you or by your landlord.

Garbage is separated into six main groups:

1) Recyclable Garbage: Plastic, tin cans, etc. You recognize this group with the symbole

(which is called „grüner Punkt” which means “green dot”) or with the international

symbol . You have to throw this kind of garbage in the corresponding container. Either there isa container which has the symbol “grüner Punkt” on it or is labeled as “Kunststoff” (plastic), or you can get yellow garbage bags. There should be a container at your house.

For further questions such as where to get these yellow bags as well as additional information please contact your landlord.

2) Glass: Look for glass containers near your accommodation. Glass is separated by colours: white glass (Weißglas), green glass (Grünglas) and brown glass (Braunglas). There are glass containers at the “Rheinparkplatz” next to the bridge to Niederwerth.

3) Paper: There is a blue paper container at your house. You recognize it by the label “Papier”.

4) Organic Waste (Biomüll): Biodegradable garbage (i.e. rest of vegetables, bread, fruit, etc.). There is a black or brown container at your house.

5) Residual Waste (Restmüll): Please ask your landlord in which container you can throw the residual waste. Normally, the container for residual waste is black.

6) Returnable Bottles: There are some plastic and glass bottles which have the sign This means, when you bought the bottles, you have paid a deposit for it. In most cases, you can return these bottles to any supermarket but some bottles are only accepted at the supermarket where you bought them. You will get the deposit back when you return the bottles.

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VI.5 Laundry Services

The washing center, Eco-Express, in Koblenz is located at Bahnhofstrasse 22. It is opened Monday through Saturday from 6.00 am to 10.00 pm.

It is equipped with 17 regular washing machines, 8 dryers and 1 washing machine for 14 kg.

Prices (per load):

Washing: 3.00 € Drying: 0.60 €EUR Washing powder: 0.50 € Washing 14 kg: 8 €

Find more information on www.waschsalon.de

VI.6 Car Rental

CampusCar is a car sharing solution designed to meet the needs of the WHU community. Everybody who owns a valid WHU identity card can become a member and drive cars located directly at the school (in the Burgplatz underground parking) by the hour or day. Visit www.campuscar.de for details.

We are offering brandnew Smart cars as well as 1 series BMW. There are low hourly rates as well as overnight and weekend specials. Gas, insurance and parking fees right at the school are included. Besides a one-time sign up fee there are no other fixed costs. CampusCar is great for the enviroment and also definitely the most economical and hassle-free way of driving a fun, well- maintained car.

CampusCar is part of a research project on capacity management at the Chair of Operations Management. Any profits from this venture are donated to WHU Studenten helfen e.V. the WHU students' charity organization. CampusCar is operated by Mobility Now UG (haftungsbeschränkt), a WHU start-up and German limited.

Detailed information is available on the following website: http://www.campuscar.de

WHU also has a contract with Europcar Business Partner Service. This means WHU receives discount prices when hiring cars from Europcar. Exchange students might want to take advantage of this money-saving deal when hiring a car.

If you are interested in hiring a car via Europcar, please come to our office to arrange everything!

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VII. Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I find the courses offered during the semester? You can find the schedule in the WHU Intranet at: www.mywhu.com by clicking “Studies”  “Study Program and Course Overview” choose your study program from the drop-down menu ”Prebook”

2. Where do I get more information about the courses? During the orientation days there will be an info session about how to find and register for courses. However, you are always welcome to pass by the International Relations Office and we will be happy to answer your questions.

3. How is the semester at WHU subdivided? The semester at WHU is divided into two modules: Fall term: Quarter I: beginning of September to end of October, Quarter II: end of October to Christmas. Spring term: Quarter III: beginning of January to end of February, Quarter IV: end of February to end of April. There are courses only taught in Module I or in Module II but there are also courses running through both modules. However, the program structure of the MBA is different. For more information on the structure of that program please look in the “Information Book for Exchange Students” we have sent you before.

4. What about exams at WHU? For BSc and MSc classes, exams will be held during the last week of each quarter. For MBA classes, exams will be held throughout the quarter. Though there maybe some exceptions. We will give you detailed information about course and exam issues in our information sessions.

5. What is a seminar? For each seminar there is an introduction meeting at the beginning during which the presentation topics will be distributed to the different groups. After this, the groups have a certain period of time to work on the issue. At the end, each group will present its work and study followed by a discussion.

6. How can I find a specific member of the institution? Search in the Lookbook at www.mywhu.com

7. What if I lose something? If something is found, it will normally be brought to the reception desk in the main building. Please ask there first!

8. What if I have no washing machine in my apartment? There is a laundromat in Koblenz (unfortunately, not in Vallendar). Please see page 31 for detailed information.

9. Where can I get bus schedules or buy monthly cards? In Koblenz: KEVAG-Office, basement of the shopping mall Löhr-Center. Single tickets can be bought directly from the bus driver. The bus schedules and prices can also be found on the internet: http://www.kevag.de/index.php?id=4.

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10. How to open a bank account? There are two main banks in Vallendar, “Sparkasse” and “Volksbank”. Both are located near WHU, in Hellenstraße. The procedure and prices for opening a bank account differ between those banks.

Sparkasse: You have to bring your passport, a copy of your registration in Vallendar as well as a proof of your address in your home country (a bill containing your address or something similar). If you are younger than 25, you have to pay 15 € uniquely. If you are older than 25, you have to pay 4.95 € monthly.

Volksbank: You have to bring your passport and your student card (WHU card). Regardless of your age, you have to pay 20 €uniquely for opening the account and 6 € for getting a cash-card so that you are able to withdraw money from the bank’s atm.

Before leaving, you have to close the bank account. Just go to the bank some days before your departure and tell them that you will be leaving. Please don’t have any account movements four days prior to closing the account (which means that you should not pay with your bank account card, …).

11. Are there lockers available to students at WHU? There is the possibility to rent a locker at WHU. It costs 8 € per term. Additionally, you have to pay a deposit of 13 € for the key which you will get back at the end of the term. If you are interested in getting a locker, please come to our office. You have to fill out a form and bring this to the reception desk, where you will pay and get your key then.

12. How can I get access to the internet in my apartment? If internet is not provided via your apartment or students’ residence, one possibility would be to ask your neighbor if you can use his network / wireless LAN as well.

13. Where can I get a SIM card for my mobile phone? If you would like to purchase a German prepaid SIM card for your mobile phone, you can do this for example either at the supermarket called “Lidl” (Rheinstr. 105), or at the supermarket “Aldi” (Rheinauf 2), but Lidl is closer to WHU. You can recharge the Lidl-Sim-card at the gas station next to Lidl as well.

Any time you have questions or concerns of any kind, please do not hesitate to contact us at the International Relations Office.

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