Colin Jachtmann
My name is Colin Jachtmann and I’m a 21-year-old student from Krefeld, Germany. Before coming to IE University, I had just finished my third semester of the Bachelor in Business Administration at Frankfurt School of Finance and Management. Within that program, I chose the International Management elective, which features two semesters abroad. That’s how I ended up doing the Visiting Student Program at IE University—and I’m so glad I did, as it benefited me so much in my personal development.
"I have enjoyed the Visiting Student Program extremely. Though I studied from home, I met so many different people from a variety of countries and it has benefited me so much in my personal development."
Finding his inspiration to innovate at IE University
As he finished his third semester in the BBA program in Germany, Colin Jachtmann was faced with a big decision: he needed to pick the university where he would complete his exchange. Having friends who were already studying at IE University, he knew a bit about the programs and the unique teaching methodology. After stumbling upon the Visiting Student Program specifically and learning more about it, he was sold. The only tough decision since that day was choosing which subjects to enroll in from the huge variety available.
After perusing the syllabi of all the courses available, a process that Colin describes as “advanced” and “very clear,” he opted to enroll in the following: Conscious Leadership; Private Equity; How to Be Successful in Life; The Art of War for Business; Sustainability through Supply Chain Management; Lean Thinking; Negotiation; Risks in the Internationalization of Companies; Country Risk; and Innovation, Creativity and Change Management. He found the offering very special, and says that the range of options ended up helping him narrow down his future career path.
Nevertheless, we all have our favorites, and for Colin, they were Sustainability through Supply Chain Management and Lean Thinking. He chalks this up to having an amazing professor, Felipe Quintana, who made the content relevant and future-forward. Colin finished the courses having discovered new methods for eliminating waste and creating sustainable supply chains, and with a newfound appreciation for the circular economy.
The exchange student also thoroughly enjoyed Innovation, Creativity and Change Management, as it got him thinking about new ways of ideating products that respond to these topics. He realized we as humans actually have many paths that lead to the ultimate goal of becoming an environmentally friendly species, and all of those paths involve innovation.
In addition to his fellow students, Colin also describes his professors as being “super nice” and helpful, and explains that during his time at IE University he learned about a wide range of topics that he wouldn’t have dreamt of exploring before now.
Finally, Colin notes that the university staff guided him every step of the way, especially during the admissions process and right after classes had started, making the experience even better than he had imagined.
Colin’s advice to future students? Be open to whatever comes your way. You’ll get to know lots of new people, nationalities and cultures, who will welcome you with an open heart. All you have to do is accept the invitation.
