CEMS Student Board Meeting at the University of Cologne, Germany

The CEMS Student Board held its second meeting for the year 2017 at the University of Cologne (Köln, Germany) from 31st August to 3rd September. The Student Board meeting is a purposeful gathering of all team members and CEMS Head Office members with the objective to enhance the CEMS experience for CEMS students,
CEMS Student Board Meeting at the University of Cologne Picture

Köln meeting

During the course of the meeting, 15 new members were integrated to the CEMS Student Board and a critical re-evaluation was conducted on the current and future projects, best practice sharing and establishing a feedback culture within the board. Together with their six functional teams, the key projects that the Student Board's has been driving this year include the Global Alumni Week, the CEMS Startup Challenge and the Asia Pacific Forum.

Beyond the focus of their initiatives, the Student Board Meeting was also an opportunity to connect with local stakeholders including students, corporate partners, and alumni to help promote CEMS and further build its network. 

Between brainstorming, students had the opportunity to visit Corporate Partners at their headquarters and engage in discussions with the respective Talent Managers of Bayer and Simon-Kucher & Partners. Highlight of these visits include the lunch with Bayer Board Member Mr. Hartmut Klusik and CEMS Alumni, and Simon-Kucher & Partners presentation of pricing strategies by Stephan Butscher, Chief Talent Officer.

The Student Board would like to extend their appreciation to the University of Cologne, Germany for their warm welcome and support throughout the meeting.

"Every time I am surprised how much energy it takes to lead a team of 30 SB reps to the best of our abilities. But, this energy is never wasted! The energy you receive in return from the student board and the positive responses from CEMS community worldwide make it all worth it. It is not difficult to keep up the hard work if you see the positive impact we can have on the CEMS experience", Josje van der Wielen (President).

"Being part of the Executive Team of the CEMS Student Board 2017 is my personal CEMS experience 2.0. Our diverse and very dedicated team of more than 30 individuals from all schools of the alliance can only be a snapshot of the excellence CEMS has to offer. My personal goal is to give each and every board member a voice within the board and through that also all students within our alliance", Arne-Steffen Möller (Vice President Finance).

Facts about UoC, Köln

 Founded in 1388, the University of Cologne is one of the oldest and largest universities in Germany and has recently been awarded as University of Excellence in Germany. The Cologne Faculty of Management, Economics and Social Sciences (WiSo-Faculty), is one of the six schools of the University and Germany’s largest and most reputable Faculty of its type. UoC became part of the CEMS alliance as a founding member in 1988.

About the Student Board

The CEMS Student Board consists of elected representatives from each CEMS school. Seven teams with different focus areas drive the global projects. The board is chaired by the Executive Team that works together on the strategy and structure of the Student Board and oversees the work of the different teams. The other teams are: Marketing & Communications, CEMS Club Support, Master in International Management Affairs, Corporate Partners, Responsible Leadership and Alumni Relations.