Podcast

How to Hochschule

Welcome to our i² podcast How to Hochschule!

This podcast invites you to delve deeply into the lives and work of our diverse international HSRW community. Each month, a specific theme will guide us as we seek out inspiring stories and people springing from life at our institution: how to start, how to fail, how to love, how to stay, how to … . From studio interviews with experts to conversations on campus and beyond, the How to Hochschule podcast aims to bring listeners closer to the experiences of people learning, working, teaching and creating at Rhine-Waal University and the university of life in general. We want to inspire, empower and touch the lives of our listeners.

How To Hochschule is produced and presented by theatre scholar, pop festival maker and film fest organiser Stephan Hanf. The Podcast is part of the i² project, an internationalisation project initiated by the Executive Board, run by the Centre for Internationalisation and Languages and funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Episodes are released at the end of each month from Januar 2023 on your favourite podcast platform.

Contact us:
Feel free to let us know what you think: podcast@hochschule-rhein-waal.de
We are looking forward to hearing about your questions and suggestions and how you liked the episode.

N E W S:

Read about Hari's podcast experiences in the Catcher on the Rhine:

How to Hochschule - Episodes

This way to the Spin-off How to Hochschule VOICES

This way to the Podcast Blog

Episode 1 - How to Start

	Our first episode explores what it means to make a start: Join a first year student, a coordinater for international student life, a PhD graduate from HSRW and a department head as they share their experiences of life at HSRW and what it is like for them to start their studies or even a new university.
Podcast #1 – How to Start	Play it here

Show Notes:

Nele Decker is both a German student at Hochschule Rhein-Waal and the coordinator of the Welcome Centre as part of the Student Advisory Service. Nele’s main task is to help international students with their transition to life and studies at our institution. Organising the Freshers Week, which takes place at the start of every winter semester, is also part of her work.

Dr Zunera Rana completed her Bachelor's degree in Economics and Finance at the Lahore School of Economics in Pakistan. She then moved to Germany to pursue her Master’s degree in the same field. Now she is a research assistant in macroeconomics and public finance at the Hochschule. She holds a PhD in Development Economics with a focus on aid effectiveness and fungibility from Radboud University, the Netherlands.

Episode 2 - How to German

In the second episode, we explore a very important
topic for everyone who studies and lives in Germany:
the German language.
We meet an international student who arrived in
Germany with a good command of German, but
somehow "unlearned" it after living in Germany for
5 years. Join him as he sets out on a quest to regain his
old skills and meets a German language student, a
German teacher, a member of a traditional society that
dates back to the middle ages, and someone who also
came to Germany from abroad, but became fluent in
German and now works in the university's Languages
Department. They share their stories, and with them
priceless advice on how to learn German in the most
effective and fun way possible.

Podcast #2 – How to German

Play it here

Show Notes:

Hariharan Arevalagam is a student of Science Communication & Bionics at Hochschule Rhein-Waal. He is not only the main guest of this episode, but also co-produced the episode by helping with conducting interviews as well as post-production.

Carlos Eduardo Cabral Holguin was in his second semester of Mechatronics Systems Engineering at the time of recording. As an international student with an international background, he was able to share some relatable experiences about living in Germany and using the German language.

Carla Bongers is a German teacher at Hochschule Rhein-Waal. A native of the lower Rhine region, Ms Bongers has years of valuable experience in teaching the German language to international students and offers great advice to German learners.

Episode 3 - How to Study

The theme of this episode is a crucial one for any student:
Studying.

In this episode, we delve into the topic of 'How to Study'
and provide practical insights from students and professors
about their experiences and the lessons they have learned.

We also examine the difficulties that studens often face
and offer effective strategies for overcoming them. Whether
you're studying digitally, collaborating on group assignments,
or preparing for challenging exams, this episode is sure to give
you valuable tips on how to improve your study skills, boost
your confidence, and maximise your academic success.

Podcast #3 – How to Study

Play it here

Show Notes:

Verena Schürmann started her studies in psychology at HSRW and is now a research assistant who provides support in the study programmes Work & Organisational Psychology and International Management & Psychology. Verena is also a researcher and is currently doing her PhD focusing on collaboration.

Related links: About Verena Schürman (in German)

Sophie-Marie Clemens and Larissa-Tabea Bettray are both students of psychology, specialising in industrial and organisational psychology. Their programme is part of the Communication and Environment faculty that is based in HSRW's Kamp-Lintfort campus.

Related links: Psychology, Specialization: Industrial and Organizational Psychology, B.Sc.

Ali Ayan and Anirudh Madhusudhan are both higher semester students of Mechatronic Systems Engineering and are tutors at HSRW's Welcome Centre.

Professor Alexander Struck is a professor of Theoretical Physics at the Faculty of Technology and Bionics. He is very popular among the students of his faculty and is also the professor in charge of HSRW's Astronomy Club.

Professor Jörg Petri is a professor of Media Production in the Faculty of Communication and Environment at HSRW. In 2019 he was elected Vice-President for Studies, Teaching and Continuing Academic Education.

Episode 4 - How to Find a Home

The theme of this How to Hoschule episode may be the
most crucial one for student life yet: finding a home.

We tackle the challenges often encountered by students
in their search for a roof over their head and share their
solutions for overcoming them.

Whether you're a new student navigating the German
housing market, seeking shared living arrangements,
or trying to find the perfect balance between campus
life and personal space, this episode will provide you
with valuable takeaways to help you find the right
accommodation that will support your academic
pursuits and personal growth at Rhine-Waal University
of Applied Sciences.

Podcast #4 – How to Find a Home

Play it here

Show Notes:

Shashwat Singh Chandel is an engineering student at Hochschule Rhein-Waal who originally comes from India. Throughout his time in Kleve, he has moved houses a few times and in this episode, he shares some of his misadventures during his early weeks in Germany where he faced some challenges .

Episode 5 - How to Find Friends

In this episode, we take a look at one of the major aspects
of university life that is often the most memorable one -
finding friends.

Meaningful connections stand the test of time, and
university is a great place to make those connections!

From doing sports activities together to bonding over
music, this episode shares the inspiring stories of the
connections and bonds built within the vibrant,
diverse community of HSRW.

Podcast #5 – How to Find Friends

Play it here

Show Notes:

Charlotte Winkler was the chair of AStA back in 2022. She is a student of International Relations and walks us through some of the activities that take place in HSRW, such as cultural events and the open mic event Mouthpeace. She also tells us about university departments that can offer different types of support to students that might need it.

Philip Ato Amissah and Roy Ikenna Anyiam are both students of Mechanical Engineering who met each other in their first semester. Both of them developed their musical skills during their time in Germany and through that, built a friendship.

Marco van Heys is not only a music lover but it also an employee of HSRW responsible for the coordination of Hochschulmusik. The university music department provides a rehearsal room for musically inclined students as well as opportunities to meet with other musicians and play together.

Episode 6 - How to Find a Job

In this episode of How to Hochschule, we talk about
a very important topic for students, especially those
who are nearing the end of their studies: how to find a job.

With ever-increasing competition in the job market, the
struggle to secure a position once you are done with your
studies can be immensely challenging and frustrating. Our
guests in this episode share their experiences with working
in Germany, from the lessons they've learnt trying to get
their dream job after graduating to the abundance of
mini-jobs available for students to support their studies.

Regardless of where you are in your journey - a prospective
student, on the way to completing your study programme,
or just someone who is in between jobs -
this episode is for you!

Podcast #6 – How to Find a Job

Play it here

Show Notes:

Jordan Freeman is an Agribusiness student at HSRW and is also one of the many student assistants (SHKs) employed by the University. He walks us through his job at the campus greenhouse and tells us about the most important skill that gives students an advantage in finding a job in Germany.

Episode 7 - How to be Sustainable

In this special edition, titled "How to be Sustainable,"
we dive into some of the sustainability research here
at HSRW.
Joining us as the host for this episode is Hari, whom
you may remember from our previous 'How to German'
episode. This time around, he will take you on a journey
through some of the groundbreaking research being
conducted at HSRW in the realm of sustainability.
You'll have the opportunity to hear from our very own
professors and researchers, who will give you an
overview of their work and share practical tips on how
you can live more sustainably in your everyday life.

Podcast #7 – How to be Sustainable

Play it here

Show Notes:

Take part in our 'Before and After' Survey! Find the links here!

About the survey: We would like to know if our content resonates with you and maybe even adds value to the lives of our listeners. That's why we have perpared two survey links for you to fill, one to fill in right before listening to the episode, and one to fill in after.
By participating in this survey, you will help us enhance the quality of our podcast. If you have any further feedback, please don't hesitate; take courage and reach out to us at podcast@hsrw.eu.

Professor Peter Kisters is Vice President for Research, Innovation and Knowledge Transfer. He is responsible for the research activities that takes place at HSRW. In our conversation with Professor Kisters, he shares with us some big ideas in the field of sustainability and gives us an introduction of a brand new project based at HSRW called TransRegINT - Transformation of the Lower Rhine Region, Innovation, Sustainability, Participation.

Related links: Professor Kisters' personal page on the university website, TransRegINT project

Professor Dietrich Darr is the main spokesperson of the Sustainable Food Systems Research Centre (SFSRC) at HSRW. With a background as a forester and business consultant, he now teaches Agribusiness at the Faculty of Life Sciences alongside his research tasks. Professor Darr introduces the SFSRC, its history, and its main research themes. This conversation sets the tone for the second part of the episode, as all the researchers we speak to afterwards are all members of this research centre.

Dr Conor Watson is a scientific staff member from Scotland who researches frass - the by-product of insect larval production. In our engaging conversation with Dr Watson, he walks us through the wonderful ways in which edible insects and the by-products of the edible insect industry can help us combat soil erosion and move towards to a more sustainable existence.

Professor Matthias Kleinke has been teaching environmental technology at HSRW since 2011. His field of research deals with environmental processes and he introduces us to an important idea that forms the basis for much sustainability research: the circular economy.

Related links: Professor Kleinke's personal page on the university website, Sustainable Food Systems Research Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences

Dr Kathrin Meinhold is a research associate at the Centre for Research, Innovation and Transfer (ZFIT). She is the project coordinator for the Sustainable Food Systems Research Centre. As the main contact person of the research centre, she helped us get in touch with her colleagues and this episode would not have been possible without her. As a researcher, she studies wild foods. In our conversation, she walks us through the area of wild foods and gives us some advice on how to diversify our diets and become more sustainable.

Professor Ute Hansen has a background in legislation for the European Commission. She has been teaching biology and environmental monitoring as part of the Faculty of Communication and Environment on Kamp-Lintfort campus since 2014. In this episode, she talks to us about the importance of water management - an area that is fundamental for all the sub-themes of the research projects at the Sustainable Food Systems Research Centre, and to agriculture itself.

Episode 8 - How to Innovate

This episode delves into the intricate world of
innovation at Hochschule Rhein-Waal. We journey
through the vibrant sounds of innovation at our university
and discuss the transformative process of turning an
idea into a tangible reality. With insights from Daniela
Venegas and Philippe Vayda, creators of the Art-Glove,
expert opinions from PD Dr Gerhard Heusipp, Head
of the ZFIT (Centre for Research, Innovation and
Transfer), and valuable contributions from StartGlocal
project coordinator Adriana Boldisova and start-up
Scout Dr Claudio Abels, this episode is for anyone
eager to grasp the essence of innovation.

Podcast #8 – How to Innovate

Play it here

Show Notes:

Daniela Venegas: Originally from Colombia, Daniela is an HSRW graduate in Usability Engineering who is now deeply rooted in the medical industry and plays a key role in the Art-Glove team. Her journey, inspired by her mother's health condition, led to the creation of the Art-Glove.

Related links: Usability Engineering, Art-Glove

Philippe Vayda: An HSRW graduate in Usability Engineering and a developer in the automotive sector, Philipp wears many hats, including that of CEO of Art-Glove. He gives an insight into the design process and the challenges of innovation.

Related links: Usability Engineering, Art-Glove

PD Dr Gerhard Heusipp: As head of the ZFIT (Centre for Research, Innovation and Transfer), Gerhard Heusipp offers a unique perspective on the role of universities in fostering innovation. His discussions of various projects and initiatives undertaken by the ZFIT demonstrate the University's commitment to innovation.

Adriana Boldisova: A graduate of HSRW in Sustainable Development Management and a passionate advocate of innovation, Adriana's journey at HSRW has been marked by her involvement in projects such as StartGlocal. Her experiences provide a unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of fostering innovation in an academic environment.

Dr Claudio Abels: Dr Claudio Abels was the first person to graduate from Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences. Based at the Kamp-Lintfort campus, Dr Abels helps budding entrepreneurs develop their ideas and, as a start-up scout in the StartGlocal project, gives them access to expert advice.

How to Hochschule VOICES - Spin-off

In this new spin-off series from the How to Hochschule team, you can listen to full-length interviews and stand-alone stories as a mid-monthly bonus feature to the main podcast. HtH VOICES will also feature a collection of interviews in German with the people of HSRW, and the people of Kleve and Kamp-Lintfort!

Bonus Feature 1

This episode of HtH VOICES is entirely in German. The English transcript is available on our How to Hochschule blog.

	In our first feature of HtH VOICES, Norman Körber, a first year student featured in the first episode of How to Hochschule, talks to Claudio Abels, the very first graduate of HSRW, about his experience studying at a university that was still in its infancy. This episode of HtH VOICES is in German; the English transcript is available on our How to Hochschule blog.
Podcast #2.1 – HtH VOICES	Play it here

Show Notes:

Related links: Sustainable Tourism, Degree Programmes

Claudio Abels is the very first graduate of HSRW. In 2012, he obtained his engineering Master's degree in Bionics, M.Sc. After moving to Italy, he worked on his PhD in the field of microsystems engineering and even invented an artificial lateral line sensor (Find out more by listening in on the feature). HSRW was then fortunate to win Claudio Abels back as a scientific researcher. Claudio Abels has since joined the StartGlocal team where he shares his experience as an entrepreneur and inventor by helping students develop their own ideas and prototypes.

Related links: Bionics M.Sc., StartGlocal

Bonus Feature 2

Hari, our podcast sidekick, and Brett, HSRW's university translater and department head, standing next to each other and brightly smiling into the camera

In our second installment of How to Hochschule VOICES,
we join Hari, who was featured in the second episode
of How to Hochschule, as he sits down with Brett Ellis.
In this full-length interview, Brett shares special insights
from his journey of becoming fluent in German and making
Germany his home. Dive into the importance of culture
when learning a language and get inspired. It's a must-listen
for language learners and anyone interested in both
cross-cultural experiences and leaving your comfort zone!

Podcast #2.2 – HtH VOICES

Play it here

Show Notes:

Hariharan Arevalagam is a student of Science Communication & Bionics at Hochschule Rhein-Waal. He is the host of this episode and conducted the interview with Brett.

Bonus Feature 3

This episode of VOICES is entirely in German. The English transcript is available on our How to Hochschule blog.

This time How to Hochschule VOICES takes us into the
vibrant student life at the heart of the charming Kellen
district of Kleve. Daniela Polensky, a student of
International Relations at Rhein-Waal University of
Applied Sciences (HSRW), gives us insights into her
experiences of living in an international shared apartment
(WG) and exchanges views with her German neighbor
Wolfgang about the essence of good neighborliness.
Their conversation reveals the special feature of
mutual support, the unique dynamics in a WG, and how
strangers can ultimately become friends.

Podcast #2.3 – HtH VOICES

Play it here

Show Notes:

Daniela Polensky is studying International Relations at HSRW and lives next to her neighbour Wolfgang in a six-person WG in Kleve Kellen.

Bonus Feature 4

In this episode of How to Hochschule VOICES, we
introduce you to three students, Tim, Felix and Johann,
from HSRW as well as Radboud University in the
Netherlands, who tell us about their very special shared
flat at Gut Hogfeld, on the outskirts of Kleve.

From a historic cheese museum in the basement, to
movie nights with homemade kambucha, to navigating
the cleaning schedule of a 12-person shared flat, our
guests paint a picture of modern student life in a small
town. Next to tales about their special home, we also
delve into the subject of friendship and hear all the
stories our three guests have collected over the years
of living here.

Podcast #2.4 – HtH VOICES

Play it here

Show Notes:

Tim Berger is a student of Sustainable Tourism at Hochschule Rhein-Waal and a resident in the Gut Hogfeld WG.

Related links: Faculty of Society & Economics, Sustainable Tourism B.A., Käsemuseum auf Gut Hogfeld (in German only)

Felix Florath is a student of Biomaterials Science at Hochschule Rhein-Waal. He is also the former coach of HSRW's very own futsal team

Johann Alexander Betker is doing his Masters in psychology with a focus on cognitive neuroscience at Radboud University in Nijmegen. Although he studies across the border in a bigger city in the Netherlands, he is living with his friends in the peaceful outskirts of Kleve

Bonus Feature 5

This episode of VOICES is entirely in German. The English transcript is available on our How to Hochschule blog.

In this episode of How to Hochschule VOICES, meet
the passionate Anna-Lea Kossbu, who is both a student
of Sustainable Tourism at Rhine-Waal University of
Applied Sciences and a student entrepreneur to boot.
Let us take you on Anna-Lea’s exciting journey as she
shares how she became her own boss by taking over
the popular Café No. 3 on Kavarinerstraße. She is
supported in this endeavour by her friends Jule Pannen
and Shirley Gander, both studying Bio Science and
Health, with whom she now shares the café.
With their new approach and shared passion for good
coffee, we look forward to seeing how their journey
continues at Café No. 3.
Tune in to find out more about this inspiring story of
student life and entrepreneurship in the world of coffee.

Podcast #2.5 – HtH VOICES

Play it here

Show Notes:

Anna-Lea Koßbu is studying Sustainable Tourism at HSRW and is also a student entrepreneur who runs the Café No. 3 in the Kleve City.

Bonus Feature 6

This episode of How to Hochschule VOICES features the
full-length conversation between Hari and Professor Peter
Kisters, part of which was featured in the last episode of
How to Hochschule, 'How to be Sustainable'.
In this conversation, Professor Kisters gives an overview
of the brand new TransRegINT project (Transformation der
Region Niederrhein Innovation, Nachhaltigkeit, Teilhabe),
talks about important concepts related to sustainability, and
gives us some tips on how we can be more sustainable in
our daily lives. This episode is a must listen for anyone
who wants to get inspired to play their part in
transforming the future.

Podcast #2.6 – HtH VOICES

Play it here

Show Notes:

Hariharan Arevalagam is a student of Science Communication & Bionics at Hochschule Rhein-Waal. He produced this episode of VOICES as well "How to be Sustainable".

Prof. Dr. -Ing. Peter Kisters is the Vice President for Research, Innovation & Transfer at Hochschule Rhein-Waal. A mechanical engineer by training and a child of the Lower Rhine region, Professor Kisters has a vision of making this region more sustainable through research and transparent communication of knowledge, as well as other principles which make up a big part of the TransRegINT project.

Related links: Professor Kisters' personal landing page, TransRegINT project