TU Munich stands for cosmopolitanism and international scientific exchange. Through programs such as Erasmus+, TUMexchange and ATHENS, as well as additional scholarships, the TUM Global & Alumni Office offers students a wide range of opportunities to study abroad. With the Erasmus+ programme, TUM enables around 1,000 students per year to study abroad in 32 European countries.
A large number of students from the Department of Sport and Health Sciences also dare to go abroad to study, get to know a new language and the country-specific culture, make new friends and gain experience.
In cooperation with the Department's International Affairs Department headed by Prof. Dr. Karsten Köhler and the International Affairs Delegate Gabriele Fried, a series of TUM students from the Department who are studying abroad will be presented in the form of a profile and a self-made video.
This time: TUM student Ho Huang, who spent a semester abroad at the University of Jyväskylä in Finland as part of Erasmus+.
Profile
Name: Ho Huang
Age: 26 Jahre
Place of residence in Germany: Munich
Course of studies at TUM: M.Sc. Sport and Exercise Science
Current semester: 6th semester
At which university abroad did you spend a semester? University of Jyväskylä/Finland
Is this university a partner university of TUM? Yes
When did you start your studies abroad? Since 4 January 2021
How long did your study abroad last? The exchange semester ended on 31 May 2021, but I stayed in Finland until July 2021.
Which degree program did you study abroad? Sport Sciences
Why did you decide to study abroad? During my studies in Germany, I found out that the Erasmus+ program would allow me to study in another European country for one semester. I had already studied in Germany for two and a half years, so I thought it would be an exceptional opportunity to get a different European perspective and deepen my understanding regarding different aspects of Europe.
Why did you choose this university abroad? In his lectures, Prof. Dr. Henning Wackerhage often talked about good experiences with the Finnish university and studying there. His obvious enthusiasm left a strong impression on me. When I applied for the Erasmus+ program, I curiously looked at the university's website and course schedule. I had already heard a lot of good things about the Scandinavian countries, for example about the landscape, the education system, the quality of life, etc. However, I had no idea how well it all really works and what everyday life is like there. I thought it would be a perfect chance and an exciting adventure to get to know a new culture and live in another country. After that, I made my decision.
What did you miss most about studying at the Department of Sport and Health Science during that time? In my opinion, our Department offers a wide range of different fields. You can deal with various and interesting topics. Furthermore, the lecturers are excellent, because when it comes to research, we have a lot of equipment and resources at our disposal. In addition, the training we get in our Master's program is also of a very high quality.
Did you learn anything during your stay (e.g. food, tradition, skills) that you will take home with you? I gained many new skills in Finland and also at the university. The sports faculty at the University of Jyväskylä offers many sports courses, for example cross-country skiing, Finnish ball games, orienteering, apparatus gymnastics and ice skating. Although the courses are not recognized by the Master's program, I took part in them anyway. The courses were all very thoughtfully designed. Whether you have previous experience or not, everyone can progress at their own pace in the course. I had no previous knowledge of these sports, but by the end of the courses I could really enjoy them. Moreover, the city of Jyväskylä is the so-called "capital of sports in Finland". There is a ski resort that was only a 15-minute walk from my home. I learned both alpine skiing and snowboarding there in winter. Now I can snowboard or ski on my own without any worries. In my free time, I also did CrossFit training and went bouldering with friends. After the orienteering course, my sense of orientation got much better, and since then I've really enjoyed going hiking in the mountains. A highlight of my stay was the internship with a football team as an "Athletic Therapist" and "Strength and Conditioning Coach". There, I was allowed to work together with the physiotherapist or "Strength and Conditioning Coach". During the internship, I not only got to know the training process of the team, but also acquired a lot of practical knowledge. Now I have a rough idea of what my tasks are as an Athletic Therapist or Strength and Conditioning Coach with a football team and how I can design the workflow and help athletes.
Were there any particular challenges you had to overcome during the COVID-19 pandemic with regard to your study abroad? The University of Jyväskylä had a detailed plan and measures against the spread of the coronavirus. It worked very closely with the local health department and constantly evaluated the situation. Almost all (international) exchange students arrived at the dormitory on the same day and went into a ten-day quarantine together. We were only allowed to leave the flat if we wanted to go for a walk outside on our own. Shopping in supermarkets or washing clothes in the common laundry room were not allowed during this period. We had to order groceries online via the supermarket's delivery service. However, the university was incredibly helpful during this time. They cooperated with the refectory and delivered food to our door every day. Despite the strict quarantine, there was a coronavirus outbreak in the dormitory at the beginning of the semester just a few days after the measures were relaxed. Unfortunately, my flatmate got infected during the outbreak. Because of this, I had to spend a month in quarantine in the flat. This was very hard for me physically and mentally. However, I took very good care of my flatmate during that month and fortunately did not get infected myself.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Karsten Köhler
Assistant Professorship of Exercise, Nutrition and Health
Georg-Brauchle-Ring 60/62
80992 München
phone: 089 289 24488
e-mail: karsten.koehler(at)tum.de
Gabriele Fried
International Affairs Delegate
Georg-Brauchle-Ring 60/62
80992 München
phone: 089 289 24625
e-mail: gabi.fried(at)tum.de
Text: Romy Schwaiger
Video: Ho Huang