Throughout the Industrial Engineering & Management master’s program, we explored the topic of “Africa as a Market of the Future” and considered how best to build bridges between Europe and Africa. Various group projects and challenges in the first and second semesters ultimately led us to a study trip to Stellenbosch University in South Africa. The trip was jointly organized and carried out by MCI, Makerere University in Uganda, and Stellenbosch University in South Africa. Stellenbosch University provided for our accommodation and meals. We only had to arrange the flight ourselves.
When I arrived in Cape Town on a Monday after an overnight flight of over 11 hours, the first thing I noticed was the heat. We Europeans had just come from the depths of winter – with temperatures as low as -10°C the previous weekend – and were now in the middle of South Africa’s high summer, so I had to acclimate first. Luckily, we landed very early and the heat was still bearable. The pickup, organized by students from the university who drove us the approximately 40 minutes from Cape Town to Stellenbosch, was already there.
We drove straight to the university housing, where we first checked into our rooms. Since our program didn’t start until Tuesday, we took the opportunity to explore the city of Stellenbosch with Paul to get our bearings for the coming days. Paul is the liaison student at Stellenbosch University and helps international students settle into life in South Africa; he also participated in the Summer School himself. Some of our colleagues, like Georg, immediately climbed the mountain near Stellenbosch.
On Tuesday, the lecture series began with general safety instructions and guidance on how to conduct oneself. “We are not in Austria anymore!” was the message I took away from the orientation. Even though Stellenbosch is a very safe city, you still have to follow certain rules to avoid unpleasant encounters. Afterward, we were given a history lesson on the various tribes as well as the arrival of the Boers (who are Dutch) and later the British.
South Africa as we know it today didn’t emerge until 1910, following the Boer Wars. The topic of apartheid was also discussed in detail, along with the deep scars it left on society. The day ended with a group braai (the South African term for a barbecue), which I used as an opportunity to get to know my fellow students from Uganda and South Africa better.
The visit to the Kayamandi township on the second day of the university program left me with very mixed feelings. Even though the visit is certainly necessary for us Western students to bring us back down to earth and help us better understand the poverty, it also felt to me like a kind of “zoo visit.” It was simply too intrusive for me that we saw and entered so many of the residents’ living spaces. As a group – made up of Ugandans, South Africans, and Europeans – we talked a lot about this visit and how much it was weighing on us. We also shared this with our professors the next day and discussed it together again. I felt that this reflective conversation helped us process what we had experienced.
On Thursday, the think tank kicked off; its goal was to develop business-related issues within a multinational group and then pitch them to the committee. Issues that had once seemed very theoretical in previous semesters – focused on improving the living conditions of many Africans—now became tangible and were enriched by a more nuanced perspective through discussions with my Ugandan and South African classmates.
I was lucky enough to be part of a highly motivated team that was able to clearly define the issue in a very short time. I really enjoyed being challenged by the group work. In between, there were frequent company pitches from startups that had emerged from the university to give us an idea of what our own pitches should look like the following Tuesday.
We usually spent our evenings together at a nice restaurant, enjoying a glass of wine and excellent food. I can say without exaggeration that I had the best steak of my life in Stellenbosch.
The entire weekend was then devoted to exploring on my own. With a trip to Cape Town, a sightseeing tour, and a cable car ride up Table Mountain, I was able to make the most of my time with my old and new friends and soak up the local culture. Before heading back to Stellenbosch, I was able to visit the Cape Town Aquarium to explore the local marine life. I highly recommend making the most of your time here!
On Sunday, a few motivated fellow participants joined me in climbing the lower summit cross of Stellenbosch’s local mountain – known in Afrikaans as the “Tweede Kruis” (Second Cross) – to enjoy the phenomenal sunrise together. You just have to not mind the early start at 4:30 a.m. In the afternoon, we headed to the beach and into the pleasantly warm sea before the final phase of the think tank began on Monday.
The think tank concluded on Tuesday with presentations to a panel of professors and entrepreneurs from Europe and Africa, where we took second place with our project “Afri-Hydro” – a hydrogen supply solution for remote locations in Africa. The awards were presented at the closing dinner at the beautiful “Seven Sisters” winery, and we once again made the most of our time together for deep conversations and plenty of laughter.
On Thursday, we packed our bags and received our Stellenbosch hoodies, which really sealed the deal that it was time to say goodbye. I was overcome with a deep sense of melancholy because I realized that my time with these new friends I’d grown so fond of was coming to an end, and I wouldn’t be seeing them again anytime soon.
Nevertheless, I can proudly say that I’ve stayed in touch with some of the people I met and hope to see them again soon.
All in all, it was a special experience that allowed me to create wonderful memories and grow as a person. I firmly believe that this won’t be my last visit to Africa and South Africa.
A personal message for future students:
I highly recommend this trip to every student and encourage you to fully immerse yourselves in the experience. Make the most of your time, let go of your shyness, and talk to your fellow students from Uganda and South Africa. Staying in your European bubble won’t add any value to your experience. Bring up topics you’ve always wanted to know about. You’ll be surprised at how much you can learn and how beautiful the southernmost part of Africa is. I hope you have a great time on the trip!
Best,
Carl
Highlights from the study tour to South Africa ©MCI/Carl Egger
On the way into the unknown ©MCI/Carl Egger
Program introduction ©MCI/Carl Egger
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