Oliver Rätz

I currently work at Heel GmbH, a pharmaceutical company in Baden-Baden. Since completing my master’s degree, I have been responsible as a Digital Communication Specialist for cross-target group and brand-wide digital communication.

My biggest project in this position is the development of a content hub and thus the digitalization of our professional community outreach. As part of this project, I define the digital communication of the product brands for the German market and coordinate it with the brand managers. This includes, for example, determining the appropriate channels and methods to reach the appropriate target groups. Subsequently, I coordinate the implementation of the strategy through the agencies and conduct the controlling.

In my Bachelor’s degree program, I studied business administration with a specialization in logistics and supply chain management at the Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (DHBW) in Mannheim. As a dual student, in addition to the theoretical phases, I worked in practical phases at a rail logistics company. Since I found the transfer from theory and practice to be much more profitable here than a classic degree program at a university, I chose the professionally integrated model of SIBE for my master’s degree program.

During my two-year master’s degree, I was employed in the same company as I am today. There, as a management assistant in marketing, I was primarily responsible for building a digital platform. To accomplish this, I created a business case and subsequently implemented it. Throughout those two years, I was not only able to practically develop and improve the project, but also to conduct a theoretical examination of it and ultimately to work on it in my master’s thesis.

Working on this project over the two years not only brought me a lot of joy, but also helped me significantly develop my skills. As the project manager, I created project plans, implemented project phases, managed external service providers, and successfully completed the project. Through these diverse tasks, I was put in different situations where I was able to learn.

Personally, I have been able to develop my skills significantly over the past two years. Through my work in digital communication, I have gained a great deal of expertise in digital skills within the company. These skills form the foundation of my current work.

Another added value for me was the network and the exchange during the course. So many different industries, departments, divisions, and projects are rarely found. The interdisciplinary mix makes a big difference; if you want to, you can derive a lot of personal benefits from this study model.

I would recommend the study program to anyone who does not want to focus exclusively on theory. For individuals seeking exchange opportunities and who want to put things into practice, SIBE offers the right opportunity. It provides the opportunity to build a skill that can be applied in the respective company.

In my opinion, a good network is highly relevant for professional advancement. Nothing beats good connections when it comes to developing yourself and being able to approach projects in a targeted manner.

Even today I still keep in touch with some of my classmates. Although no one works in the same industry as me, opportunities for exchange arise again and again. Furthermore, I am currently still in contact with some of my professors. Even during my studies, I was very pleased that some of the professors came directly from practice and presented their valuable experiences.

Especially two things. First of all, my course, where we had a great community and also had a lot of fun outside of the seminars; and secondly, the study abroad in Brazil. Of course, being together in the course there was a real highlight. In my eyes, the most interesting thing was to notice the cultural differences, both in the lectures at the university and during the various company visits. All in all, the study abroad was a good opportunity to get to know the country and its culture in depth.

It was incredibly helpful that I, together with my business mentor, looked for a concrete project early on (already in the first weeks of my studies) that suited the two years of study. After a rough framework was established in this regard, it was very easy for me to make the most of the seminars and then approach the project studies in a targeted manner. For the master’s thesis, I had a lot of preliminary work in place.

Therefore, I would advise every student to discuss the study project as early as possible. Clarify expectations from internal stakeholders and then specifically attend the theoretical seminars at the SIBE, focusing on the project. With a solid project for which you are responsible, you provide great added value for the company. The benefit that you can derive from the seminars as a student always depends on how much you immerse yourself in your studies. Of course, not every seminar can be applied to your own project; it is up to each individual to determine which content can be used for their own project or the project as a whole.