How Do You Study Abroad, but Online?

MCI Student Elisa Pfennig Completed Her Semester Abroad Virtually

Elisa Pfennig, a student in the Social, Health & Public Management program at MCI, completed her semester abroad online As part of her studies, she took virtual courses at Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences in Finland. “Since I have professional and personal commitments, I participated in the courses entirely online from home or from my workplace. This allowed me to gain international study experience while continuing to pursue my career,” explains Elisa. In the following article, she describes her experiences in more detail:

Support

“The support from the professors was very positive overall. The instructors were knowledgeable, approachable, and open to questions. Despite the online format, communication was straightforward, and the requirements were usually explained clearly.”

Organization

“Confirmation of enrollment in the selected courses came relatively late,” Elisa notes, offering the helpful advice to plan for possible alternative courses. She adds: “The digital learning platforms were clearly organized. Outstanding assignments, deadlines, course materials, and important information were easy to find. This made it easy to structure my workload.”

Courses and Course Content

“I particularly appreciated the opportunity to choose courses based on my own interests and to set my own priorities.

The assignments were practical and varied. Instead of traditional exams and rote memorization, a variety of assessment methods were used, including projects, presentations, written papers, and group work. This allowed me to apply what I had learned directly.

Courses offered in collaboration with several universities were particularly interesting. The diverse academic and cultural backgrounds of the students and instructors enriched the collaboration and provided insights into other higher education systems and ways of working.”

Personal and Academic Enrichment

“The international mix of students was one of the most valuable aspects of the semester for me. Through interactions with participants from different countries, I gained exposure to diverse perspectives, study models, and approaches. We communicated across different time zones via email, Teams, WhatsApp (chat and video calls), and Zoom.

I also gained a lot academically. The course content was relevant, practical, and often drawn directly from real-world issues faced by companies or organizations, which were developed in collaboration with them. In addition, I was able to strengthen my intercultural skills and gain experience working with international teams.”

Difficulties and Challenges

“The language of instruction and communication was English, and I found it generally manageable. The instructors and students had a good command of English, so communication went smoothly.

In addition to the initial course organization, the high degree of personal responsibility was particularly challenging. Much of the material had to be worked through independently. This included extensive reading assignments, individual and group projects, and independently managing multiple deadlines.

The workload was therefore by no means lighter simply because the semester took place online. In some cases, the flexible structure even required a great deal of self-discipline and time management. Compared to a program with regular in-person classes, the learning process had to be organized more independently.

Of course, certain experiences typical of a traditional semester abroad were missing. Life in Finland, personal interactions on campus, and spontaneous social encounters could only be experienced to a limited extent online. Nevertheless, the international character of the courses was clearly evident.

“I would especially recommend this format to people who, due to their career, family, or other commitments, cannot spend an extended period abroad. It offers a great opportunity to gain international experience without having to completely disrupt one’s current daily routine. For me, the semester was an enriching experience both academically and personally.”