ESTIEM Magazine | Spring 2024 | The Change Starts With You

04 - Project Leader’s Speech

05 - President’s Speech

02

10 - Be the change you wish to see in the world

12 - Adapting yourself to navigate stressful situations

ONE

03

14

04

INNOVATIONS

32 - SkillSync: Empowering Africa

35 - From ideas to impact: The E3H event in Munich

38 - Embracing the online, for the sake of offline. Or: how to maximise the potential of hybrid

44 - Let’s take a look at the Winter Academy with two Academic Leaders for the first time with a unique concept!

05

48 - What is Quality? A reflection on Quality Management and its consequences on our day-to-day lives IEM

01 PROJECT LEADER'S SPEECH

Dear reader,

Welcome to the 66th and most inspiring issue of ESTIEM Magazine. In this issue, our focus topic will be “The Change Starts with You”. The reason why we chose this topic is to encourage people to overcome their fears and take a step toward their goals. The hardest and most essential part is to make a start, and after that, everything falls into place. It is for sure that it will bring many positive outcomes.

There is power in numbers. One person can start things, while a second person can create momentum. A third person may influence others to join in, and before you know it, a movement is created.

The world is constantly changing, and if enough people create ripples for positive change, we can create a better future. You have a choice: complain about everything that’s wrong or be the one who helps make things right. Remember that one person can make all the difference, and that person is YOU!

Are you ready to make a difference?

The change starts with you.

In this issue, our writers will share some of their experiences where small steps make big changes and improvements.

Moreover, we will share the brand new “ONE” (Observation Near ESTIEM) concept, where we can make observations from every part of ESTIEM’s complex structure. Valuable writings from ONE Local Responsible, ONE Regional Coordinator, ONE Committee Member, ONE Project Leader and ONE Trainer Legend…

I hope you like this concept. Most importantly, I hope that this concept brings a new perspective to your life, positively affecting all aspects of your own life and your ESTIEM path.

This issue will be the ONE!

Enjoy your reading,

INTROD

PRESIDENT'S SPEECH

Dear reader,

Is humanity good by nature? Are people born good or bad, or are they shaped by their upbringings and surroundings? Does free will exist, or is the entire universe a predetermined chain of cause-effect? Do our choices matter?

Well, I do not know the answers of these deep questions, and there are probably more qualified people to answer them. However, I recently finished watching the classic Spider-Man Trilogy. In my opinion, great movies. The story of Spider-Man, while being a cliche superhero story with the archetypal hero’s journey prominently featured throughout the movie, Spider-Man has a special place in my and many readers’ hearts. The story of Spider-Man teaches us that it is not the superpowers that make the hero. It is the choices we make that can turn us into heroes.

Spider-Man got me thinking about my own life, the impact I have had on my surroundings as well and the impact I have had on my own life. It was not my super powers that impacted my life (I am fairly good at playing board games, I cook delicious Wok dishes, and I am incredibly handsome!). It was my choices that impacted my life. I chose to dedicate time to help my friend’s brother pass their exams. I chose to work for my community to support those that got it worse than me. I chose to get educated. I chose to work in ESTIEM. And I did not get to where I am today by using any special

gifts or talents. I am where I am, and I am who I am, because of the choices I made. And likewise, I will become the person I will become, because of my choices.

Now, I do not know if humanity is good by nature, if people are born good or bad or if there is free will. But I can answer one of these questions. Do our choices matter? By experimenting my whole life, I can tell you that yes, our choices matter. You have the power to change the world around you. And that change starts with a choice. Your choice. Change starts with you.

Enjoy reading the 66th edition of the ESTIEM magazine,

ALL OVER EUROPE...

Back in 1990, students from five different countries founded an organisation, which they named ESTIEM: European Students of Industrial Engineering and Management.

After more than 30 years, it has grown into an organisation bringing together over 60,000 students from 77 universities in 27 European countries, and it is still growing. All these universities offer courses in IEM. Based on this structure, ESTIEM forms links between students, academia and companies in order to create an Europe-wide, multilevel IEM network. ESTIEM has continuously increased the number of its activities, thus being able to offer a great variety of events to IEM students and an opportunity to experience different cultures, take part in international projects and become friends with other ESTIEMers from all over Europe.

Naturally, the backbone of ESTIEM is the European IEM student. The students involved in ESTIEM incorporate both the skills required for modern business and an open-minded approach towards other people and cultural issues.

The decision-making body of ESTIEM is the Council, which meets twice a year, in autumn and in spring. Each university, represented by its so-called “Local Group”, sends two student representatives. The six members of the Board of ESTIEM are elected during the spring Council Meeting. The Board is responsible for the management, coordination and administration of the association.

Besides taking leadership positions in the Board and as Service or Committee Leaders, ESTIEM members can also take up responsibilities by working in one of the Services, Committees or Initiatives. With lots of teams and tasks to choose from, there is a place for everyone.

For more detailed information about our organisation and its activities, please visit our website at www.estiem.org.

Local

77 180+ 3,000 8,000

Events

Travels are made yearly by 2,000 students.

Members and a reach of 60,000 towards IEM students in Europe.

Connect and support the growth and sustainability of European associations of IEM students, to foster relations and to develop their IEM students, personally and professionally.

OUR MISSION

OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION

Be the connector of IEM Students with an IEM Europe.

An IEM Europe is the ecosystem of companies, universities, organisations and other entities interested in the field of IEM. We are striving for each IEM Student to have a connection not only with other students all over Europe of the same field but also to other companies and universities, to ensure each student as a voice as well as the opportunity to make a difference, and to allow each outstanding innovative idea to become reality.

OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION OUR VISION

Embracing Diversity

We see multiculturalism as a strength of ESTIEM. We benefit from our cultural diversity by being able to approach chances and challenges with different insights. Respect is not just something we strive for, but part of the very basis of our network.

Striving for Development

We grow together by trying hard and learning from mistakes, we are eager to go through a learning process and see accessibility and freedom as highest goals. ESTIEMers gain practical experience and important softskills needed in today’s world.

Encouraging Participation

ESTIEM being a democratic organisation with a flat hierarchy encourages the participation of all its members. We inspire each other to partake in ESTIEM’s activities and develop new ideas.

Aiming High

We are not afraid of stepping out of our comfort zone. ESTIEM’s members are proactive students that always give 100%. We encourage an entrepreneurial spirit among students and other stakeholders by gathering and exchanging experiences and best practices.

OUR FOUR CORE VALUES

02 BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD

Everything we do has an effect on the world around us. We are all intertwined and connected through words, thought and action. How we treat our surroundings and what we normalise as acceptable behaviour towards others is what sets the baseline of our society

and the lives we live. To better the world and to ensure a brighter tomorrow, we must lean towards change, and change must start from within. What is change, how do we define and measure it? If we look at the definition from the dictionary, to change means to make or become different.

Making or becoming different does not indicate a correct way to approach change nor does it mean by pure definition that all change is positive. How can we then define it and later measure something we do not understand? Change is a personal journey and to me, change is a feeling more than it is an action. We change ourselves from within because we feel like we need to, because we feel better after taking another route, because we feel like it’s all we have left. Taking a step towards change is a change in itself because there has been a point in our life where we decided that we can be more and should do more. We realised that the potential within us is undeniable.

The goal should be to achieve positive change which means to change for inner betterment and with the knowledge gained from the change to be able to treat the world around us with kindness and compassion. Everything we do is a projection of our inner state and the world we live in is a full picture of how

its inhabitants see and treat themselves and each other.

Dissatisfaction with our life mustn’t be blamed on the world we live in because the world is a collective refusing to change. The mindset behind the refusal is oftentimes thinking that an individual cannot make a difference. While it is true that only an individual cannot change the world, the biggest mistake is seeing only one side to it. Try saying it one more time, but with a different tone. Only an individual cannot make a change in the world. The key word is only. Only one individual cannot, but all of us together can. Understanding this is crucial for the change of perspective in the world.

How can the change be measured and is there even a way to measure it?

Measuring change is difficult, but let’s take an engineering perspective on this. We can measure it by differentiating between change activities and results. Even though measuring activities of change is a good starting point, achieving results when driving change will not be secured if you focus on ones that do not start from scratch. You need to bake a cake before eating it. Not starting from scratch can result only in short term change which is not really the change we aim for. Another way is to use goal setting to drive performance. Setting up goals we want to achieve can even be something so trivial, just so it keeps you motivated

and determined to change. Change is individual and it is important to measure it for yourself and on different levels. Change is your own journey and mustn’t be compared to the journey of those around you. We often hear people talking about being stuck in an endless tunnel when they are in the middle of a change process. While this feeling of darkness is probably always going to exist to some extent, what is important is to always remember why the change started and why you are on the journey to it. There can never be light without darkness.

Change requires time, persistence and is gradually achieved.

Only those ready to experience it and face the struggles to achieve it can live in the beauty of it. Let us all strive to not only change by action, but to transform our inner state into the change we want to live. Let your every moment be an example of what you teach and counsel. Let your every action be a reflection of your beliefs. Let every word be reflective of your own thoughts. Only then can we truly commit ourselves to change, to lead with heart in order to contribute greater value to the world.

If not now, then when?

02ADAPTING YOURSELF TO NAVIGATE STRESSFUL SITUATIONS

In the fast pace of modern life, stress has been an inevitable companion for all of us, affecting both our mental and physical health. Stress is familiar to every single one of us, as everyone has felt it at some point during their lives. Personally, I have always been an anxious person even when I was a kid, so I had to find various ways to cope with it in my everyday life. Now.. trying to balance your university life while being an active ESTIEMer and even more being a leader is no easy task. Having that on top of being a stressful person can really mess with you if you don’t have healthy ways of coping. So, these are some tricks that I have found helpful in the last few years and I hope that maybe you can find something in them that could help you a bit as well.

Dealing with stress starts with taking care of yourself.

At first, you have to find what actually triggers your stress in your everyday life in order to identify it every time it happens and learn how to cope better. While learning to deal with it, you have to find what works better for you

as it may be different from other people. So what works for me may need a little adjusting for you. After all, no one can know what will actually help you if you don’t try on your own and find out. It really is a personal journey.

For me, walking regularly and exercising has always been really helpful. Taking a walk in nature or even spending time surrounded by it can have a positive impact on your day. Apparently, it has actually been found that it lowers your stress hormones and improves your mood. Who could imagine that something so small could have such an effect? Finding an hour every day may be a hard task sometimes, but will definitely help you feel better. It surely helps me on the days that I’m feeling overwhelmed.

Also, making time in your day to do the things you love definitely works positively on making you more relaxed. Engaging in the hobbies you enjoy daily can give you a much-needed break from your possibly stressful reality. It could be something small, such as reading a book for example, but it will take your mind off things even for a bit.

On the other hand, when having a huge amount of work to deal with, I have found that dividing your tasks into smaller ones and taking care of them one by one can immensely help you, without feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work you have to deal with. That way, even if deadlines are running over your head, you can focus on one thing at a time and do a decent job at each task you have. Thinking about the other 15 deadlines you have to catch at the same time isn’t as helpful as you may believe sometimes.

What is crucial to do is to set your boundaries and make them known to other people. Don’t be afraid to say no. Believe me, I know how hard this is at first, but it’s okay to decline additional responsibilities when you are already feeling overwhelmed. You can’t always make everyone happy.

Another big stress relief, at least for me, is seeking support from your trusted people. Sometimes talking to someone that understands you can

provide you with relief. Don’t be afraid to search for emotional support and guidance, a different perspective on our problems is much needed from time to time. On that note, it’s really important to remember to be kind to yourself and show the same compassion you would offer to a friend.

Adding something personal and what I have also found really contributive to my mental health, is going to therapy. It’s not a shame to seek professional help, because the reality is that you can’t always deal with every situation on your own. Sometimes you need a little push and some advice from someone who knows better in order to get some relief.

At the end of the day, you need to remember that you have the power to choose how you respond to stress. Every day that you wake up you can make a choice of dealing with it. Nothing is worth diminishing your health and prioritising your well-being is the best gift you could give yourself!

In this issue, we are honored to introduce a new concept called ONE, which stands for “Observation Near ESTIEM”.

With the help of this concept, readers can observe and stay informed about everything happening in ESTIEM.

As the structure of ESTIEM can be complicated and hard to follow, the main goal of this concept is to provide readers with information from every part of ESTIEM and keep them updated. To achieve this, one Local Responsible, Project Leader, Committee member, Regional Coordinator and an ESTIEM Trainer will share their experiences, achievements, challenges they have faced. They will also write how they overcame these challenges and what can be done to overcome such challenges in the future.

Please do not forget ONE thing: Enjoy your reading!

Itisthe onecon ceptItis theone concept Itisth

Itisthe onecon ceptItistheoneconcept Itisth

First of all, I am Ale, the current Corporate Relations Leader of Local Group Seville and the co-Project Leader of the 69th Council Meeting alongside Alan Solís, our favourite Local Responsible. The next Council Meeting will take place in Seville in November and we think it could be a good experience to share with you how a Council Meeting is from the inside.

As we all know, the Council Meeting is the biggest event that happens every 6 months, in which the Local Groups decide on the next steps that ESTIEM will take, from deciding on the next

03

INSIDE THE MAKING OF THE 69TH COUNCIL MEETING IN SEVILLA

Board members to small changes in ESTIEM’s statutes.

The wingspan of an event in which around 250-300 people will attend and with a duration of around 6 or 7 days, as everyone knows, is no joke at all to organize, so it needs special dedication and organization to succeed but...

What does it mean to organize a Council Meeting?

What are the tasks a Local Group needs to face in order to carry out a Council Meeting?

Finding accommodation for 250 people in a city like Seville, which is not that big but not that small at the same time, is not easy - even though November is not the best month of the year to travel to Seville like it is in March or in April.

Depending on where the hostels or the university apartments are located, we will need to take some time for transportation because the public transport here is not the best...

We should not forget about the food being one of the hardest tasks to solve in any event. The people that have organized an international event know what I’m talking about, and the Council Meeting is not going to be less hard in that aspect. Finding good catering or talking with the university’s restaurant would help a lot.

Every night needs its special activity, because not everything in a Council Meeting is to sit in the General Assembly room and decide on ESTIEM matters - ESTIEMers need some fun from time to time so a key point is to search for crazy and funny ideas for the night activities, so that people can socialize with each other, make genuine connections and forge new friendships.

One of the biggest walls an organization group must face in the preparation of a Council Meeting is the financing of the project, which is not easy but not impossible at all. Whoever wants something, should know that it costs something.

Every event needs its own internal organization teams. Now, you readers might be thinking “What has Local Group Seville planned for this?”. So the teams we thought about forming, even though it is just the beginning, are:

Finances

Their main task will be one of the hardest, yet one of the most important ones, which will be to get us the necessary funds we will need for a Council Meeting. Their work will be varying from contacting companies in a search for partnerships, to managing the finances before,

during and after the event. This team will be one of our key pillars to the success of the event.

Public Relations and Press

We already have the experience of organizing a Council Meeting, and getting the local Sevillian and Andalusian media involved in the event can help us give an important external focus to develop the Local Group. At the same time, this team will be the one in charge of the development of pretty and cool merchandise items that everyone will want to buy in order to hold the memories of the event in their houses and to not forget it was the 69th Council Meeting...

Accommodation and Logistics

Like Finances, Accommodation and Logistics are some of the most difficult and important tasks. They will be in charge of finding a place where people can sleep and rest a little bit every day. Also, if something is needed during the Council Meeting, they will ensure that it will be provided as soon as possible, solving anything in the shortest time.

Food

As I said before, we will need to provide people with three meals per day (plus the needed coffee break), to keep people energized and follow the event regularly (without having anyone sleeping in the General Assembly room, because that means punishment and Local Group Seville doesn’t want that).

Night Activities

We will have 5 nights to give it all on the dance floor, but we will need places to do it, and that is where this team will show up. They will bring the ideas of crazy parties to the table and give this CM a different meaning than the others, with much different night activities than usual. Just think about some costumes by countries or maybe immersing yourself in the Sevillian culture while partying... sounds great to me!

Alumni and Crashers

With years of experience in international events, we want to treat our Alumni with the utmost care so that they can enjoy Seville at 100%. But we should not forget about the crashers, because we guess everyone will want to come to Seville (come to Sevilla illa illa, was it?) and they are a fundamental part of the event too.

Joker Team

Sometimes, people can cause difficulties from time to time unintentionally, but as organizers we need to deal with everything that happens during the Council Meeting. That is why we will need a team to be our secret weapon, a team that can work in every moment and that team will be

our Joker card, ready for whatever happens as expected.

To sum up, since Seville was elected as the next Council Meeting place after the beautiful city of Aveiro, we have held meetings with the Project Leaders of Budapest and Aveiro in order to offer you guys the best of the best. So, expect the unexpected as everyone in every international event.

We want to see you in Seville in November, so reserve those days in your diaries because it will be a Council Meeting that will never be forgotten.

See you somewhere in Europe…

Our

READ

ONE REGIONAL COORDINATOR

Hello everyone,

I’m thrilled to be writing my first article for the ESTIEM Magazine—a long-held aspiration of mine that I’m finally realizing. A heartfelt thank you to the team for giving me this opportunity!

Let’s dive right in. I’m Deeqo, representing Local Group Lappeenranta from the enchanting Nordic region. For those who might not be familiar, the Nordic region encompasses Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, and Estonian Local Groups. You can easily spot us by our signature overalls, symbolizing our origins. In this article, I’ll share some insights into our activities in the region and a bit about myself.

Our journey kicked off with the Nordic Motivational Weekend in December 2023, a significant event where we welcomed around 17 participants from various corners of the region. As the Regional Coordinator (RC), this event held special significance for me. It was the first time during my tenure that I truly felt the essence of our region. Witnessing everyone come together made the tireless efforts I had put in feel tangible and rewarding.

While ESTIEM leaders often operate in the virtual realm, events like these ground us, reminding us of the impact we’re making within the network.

The journey continued with the Regional Coordination Meeting in Tallinn in February, arguably the most significant event of my mandate. I’ll admit, I was nervous, having poured my heart and soul into its organization. Regional Coordination Meetings have always held a special place in my heart and were a driving force behind my decision to become a Regional Coordinator. During this event, we delved into the region’s challenges and brainstormed potential solutions. The exchange of ideas was invaluable, and the bonds forged through various activities made it an event I’ll cherish for years to come.

In addition to these regional events, we’ve had online chats and I am proud to say we will have delegates from each Local Group within the region in the upcoming Council Meeting! And if I had to talk about my biggest takeaways this year, it has to be the feeling of belonging that I have received from my region, and also the sense of purpose of being able to concretely see what you have done.

One of the aspects I value most about being part of ESTIEM is the opportunity to connect with peers from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Whether through workshops, seminars, or social activities, I’ve gained insights into different problem-solving approaches, leadership styles, and even culinary traditions! It’s an enriching experience that broadens my horizons and equips me for a globalized world.

Furthermore, ESTIEM places great emphasis on personal development. Whether it’s organizing events, leading projects, or simply networking with fellow members, my journey as a Regional Coordinator and leader has significantly enhanced

my communication skills, confidence, and global perspective.

Being part of ESTIEM has been immensely rewarding on both personal and professional levels. It has provided me with a platform to learn, grow, and connect with like-minded individuals from across Europe and beyond. I eagerly anticipate continuing this journey and contributing to the vibrant ESTIEM community.

Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you somewhere in Europe soon!

Warm regards,

Hello everyone,

I am İnci Yerebasmaz; the current Local Responsible of Local Group Ankara- METU, and will be the former soon. In this article, I will express my opinion and feelings about how our Local Group has changed with me and my local boardies’.

Do not forget that the change is starting with ourselves!

Local Responsibility is the highest representative of each Local Group. Local Responsibles have different responsibilities, depending on the Local Group’s structure. During my mandate as Local Responsible, I am responsible for the communication between Central ESTIEM and the

Local Group - which is the main responsibility of all Local Responsibles, along with the team building of the local board and teaching the new members about ESTIEM and the ESTIEM spirit. In ESTIEM, when the Local Groups want to organize an event, their Local Responsible needs to reach out to the Central ESTIEM leaders with good, understandable communication. When an event happens, it is also their responsibility to prepare an event report after the event they have organized ends. In general, those are all the Local Responsible’s duties, but there can be more additional responsibility according to each Local Group system.

One example of what differs from Local Group to Local Group, is that Local Groups may have a different system of defining their Local Responsible. In our Local Group, the Local Responsible is selected by the active members of Local Group Ankara- METU in a General Assembly. The Local Responsible applicants should hold a presentation just like the central ESTIEM leader applicants are doing during the spring Council Meetings about their goals, their ESTIEM journey, etc.

My own goals were based on including each part of ESTIEM in our Local Group and making our event portfolio balancedand what I mean by balanced is organising different types of events. During my mandate, I wanted to improve my Local Group, my region and our network in every aspect of what ESTIEM offers. I wanted to increase the value of ESTIEM in our Local Group by aiming high. Eventually, I managed to reach all of my goals. This year, I organized the “Gothenburg visits Ankara-METU’’ Exchange, TIMES Local Qualification, Europe3D Türkiye, Winter Academy and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Local Course with the help of my dear lovely local board. Thanks to this variety of events, our new members had a chance to learn what ESTIEM offers more than just verbally, they had the chance to be a part of local and international events. Organising a lot

of events with different concepts also showed me that with good dedication, good communication and good time management, and most importantly with a good team, we can do everything. I hope that the change I started continues in the future of our Local Group as well.

Another goal of mine is reaching out to more Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM) students. One of the missing points in our Local Group system is not only the lack of IEM students, but also the lack of IEM students in higher grades. Students remain in ESTIEM for one or two years, and when they have more technical classes, they change their focus on doing other things. The reason this happens is because in the previous years the perspective of being in ESTIEM was seen as only having fun. This year, by organising the TIMES mentoring system (having chats and training sessions from our alumni who are currently working in global companies), and the Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Local Course, our 3rd and 4th year IEM students realised that ESTIEM has many career and academic opportunities as well. So eventually, we managed to reach our target with all of our efforts, and hence, we have more IEM student members from the freshmen to the senior years.

One more thing that I did in our Local Group is that I started a system in order to decrease the workload of the Local Responsible. In general, when we organize an event, we choose a project leader from the new members. Even though the project leaders are doing a pretty good job, they are not as experienced as we are, and that is why It’s very common that the Local Responsible takes the responsibility of organising the event on his/her own self. Since I realized that this is an issue, I created a new system called “Event Coordinator”, which means that in every event type one local board member is responsible for the event just as the Local Responsible would be. The “Event Coordinator” is the person to help the project leader the most and it also gives the local board members the chance to improve themselves in the event organization field.

To sum up, my advice to all current and next Local Responsibles is to not hesitate to create a goal and make it happen. You should always know that the change starts with you.

The best thing that has happened to me in my ESTIEM journey so far is becoming the Local Responsible. I played in a huge playground with my local boardies (Sılanaz Altay, Sude Öner, Doğa Güneri and Fatih Serdar Işık), and without them I would not be able to reach my goals. So, I would like to say thank you to the 28th Board of Local Group Ankara-METU.

Keep in mind that ESTIEM is a huge playground where we work hard and play hard!

LEGENDARY INSIGHTS: INTERVIEW WITH ONE ESTIEM TRAINER LEGEND

How did you decide to become a Trainer? What were your motivations and expectations?

It all started with a crisis. During an event my Local Group was organising, we suddenly received information that we would have a 2-hour-long hole in the agenda the next day due to external reasons. It was too late to try to arrange anything. To save the situation, I remembered that I attended a workshop recently, and I could try to recreate it for participants. I did it, and it was a spectacular success! Or I wish I could say that. It wasn’t the best session. However, people reacted very positively. I even received better feedback than one of the professionals.

All of that made me think that maybe it’s something that I could devote myself to. I loved self-development and working with people, so it seemed like a perfect opportunity to do something that connects both. However, I wasn’t sure if it was something that I could actually do. Becoming a Trainer seemed like something reserved for especially intelligent, knowledgeable and confident people with great presentation skills. To give it a chance, I attended the Trainers Practice

Camp in Kyiv, which was a wonderful experience that gave me a little push that I needed to apply for Training New Trainers in Izmir-DEU. Attending a Training New Trainers was definitely one of the most important experiences that ESTIEM gave me and the most transformative one. Fast-forward 7 years and here I am, with over 250 hours of delivered Training Sessions, three delivered TNTs, one attended Training Advanced Trainers, an uncountable amount of met people and built connections, and zero regrets.

What is TNT? Can you briefly explain what the participants do during this event?

Training New Trainers is an event that’s designed for people who want to develop their training skills and learn everything they need to become competent Trainers. During this 6 working days long event, participants are taught everything they need to know to be able to define, design and deliver a Training Session. It’s a very intensive event, with the agenda full from morning till the evening. There is not even time for a City Tour! However, event after event, when we hear the feedback from participants, we know it’s worth

During the event participants develop their presentation, facilitation, and group management skills. We teach them how people learn, so they can use it while guiding others. It’s a very potent mixture of skills which is something that improves nearly every aspect of life, both personal and professional.

All of these skills are being taught in an environment that aims to be safe and inclusive, while also helping people get out of their comfort zones. It allows for getting to know yourself better, your strengths and weaknesses, and receiving feedback from some of the most experienced ESTIEMers to help you further develop yourself. It’s one of the most unique opportunities that ESTIEM offers to its members.

What were the personal and professional contributions of becoming a Trainer? What kind of changes did you observe in your life?

It started with little things. After coming back from Training Next Trainers, I started noticing more things, both about myself and the people around me. It opened a completely new world around me of things that I never saw before. It was mind-blowing how differently I started to perceive people’s discussions and interactions. It also gave me a new dimension of self-reflection skills. All of these gave me a tremendous amount of motivation to develop myself further and deliver more sessions as a Trainer.

At this point, it’s even hard to distinguish what exactly were the contributions of becoming a Trainer. Delivering Training Sessions and events became a significant part of my life. This continuous development and leaving my comfort zone affected every area of my life. By improving my communication skills, it was much easier to manage my personal and professional relationships. It allowed me to be more empathetic and better manage negotiations or conflicts. It helped me cultivate my research, goal-setting and planning skills. Overall, it created a very special mindset that I am very happy to have,

which leads me through not only every Training Session I deliver but also my life, my work and every interaction with other people.

How many training sessions have you delivered so far? What has been the best training you have ever delivered so far? Could you share with us a memorable and enjoyable experience you had during a training session?

I have delivered over 250 hours of Training Sessions, so with the average length of a session being around 1,5-2 hours… That would mean I delivered approximately 125-150 Training Sessions. Some were short and simple, some were long and complex. While I hope that my Training Sessions improved over time, it’s hard to say which session I delivered was the best. One of the first things that are taught in the Training Next Trainers is that every Training Session should provide an impact to address a problem identified during the needs assessment. Sessions shouldn’t be

evaluated over if they were fun or followed the plan, they should be evaluated over the outcomes they were able to reach. With this in mind, I can share one very memorable session I delivered and one of the greatest experiences I had as a Trainer outside the training room.

During the Training Advanced Trainers event, as participants, we were joined in pairs and were asked to deliver a Training Session on a selected topic. It was one of the best possible environments to prepare a session, that would not be able to be delivered in another place. We were delivering to fellow Trainers and observed by some of the most experienced Trainers ESTIEM ever had (shoutout to Rebekka Nagel, Gregor Herr and Sebastian Geese for delivering this event for us!). I had an absolute blast and a great pleasure to deliver together with Robin Dietrich a session about storytelling. But it wasn’t a “normal storytelling training session”. We storytold the whole training session. We created a setting of prehistoric times, we sat around a drawn campfire, and both Robin and I delivered the whole session while hooded like monks or priests sharing holy knowledge. We set up tables vertically to create a cut-off area, which was our cave of enlightenment, in which participants, after proving themselves worthy, were able to receive knowledge about how the human brain works, how stories interact with it and how Trainers can use it to their advantage. It was an extremely creative, very one-of-a-kind type of session, that was only possible to happen because it was happening inside a Training Advanced Trainers event. Even though that’s not how the sessions look like normally, I always look back very fondly on this session and the experience of being able to deliver it.

Another experience that I would like to share is something that I wish every Trainer could experience. During an International Night at a Council Meeting, I was approached by a person. They said, “Hey Kris, I am not sure if you remember, but I was a participant at the event you delivered two years ago and just wanted to thank you because that event was something that changed my life, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it”. We talked for a few minutes,

and they were gone. It might have been just a moment, but receiving this appreciation was incredible. The feeling of gratitude and warmth in my heart is something that I can still feel every time I think about this situation, even though it happened before COVID.

When participants are not sufficiently engaged in the sessions, what process do you follow?

Firstly, I try to understand if participants want to be in the room. There’s nothing more counterproductive than delivering a training session to people who never wanted to receive it. Sometimes it’s okay to just let people like that go and don’t force them.

If they want to be there, want to develop, and it’s just difficult for them to pay attention because they didn’t sleep enough or partied a bit too hard last night, I have a couple of tricks that I use. Firstly, I like to have a light and a bit funny atmosphere in the room. Allowing people to crack jokes helps them stay engaged and say whatever is on their minds. Sometimes it requires taking a step back so that the session doesn’t become fun only, but it’s one of the key elements of my deliveries to make sure participants want to be a part of it.

What is more, hands-on experience is one of the key principles of Training Sessions in ESTIEM.

We base our sessions on experiential learning, which heavily emphasizes giving participants a chance to try out the things they learn in practice. Due to that, it’s hard for participants to not be engaged, because sessions are full of discussions, exercises, case studies and other tasks that require them to actively take part in the session. It’s not like at the university, where you just sit, take notes and hope not to snore too loudly!

Lastly, every Trainer should have their handy toolbox of energizers in mind, so that whenever the energy level in the room drops, we can raise it back.

What are the opportunities of being a Trainer in ESTIEM?

Becoming a Trainer in ESTIEM opens a lot of doors to you.

After graduating from Training Next Trainers, participants receive a mentor to help them make their first steps as trainers. After that, the sky’s the limit! In ESTIEM there’s a plethora of opportunities to be active as a Trainer. Trainers can deliver locally, or we have events like the Local Responsible Forum or BrainTrainer. Every Council Meeting provides opportunities to deliver Training Sessions as well. What is more, Trainers don’t even have to travel, since there are online opportunities as well. All of these allow freshly graduated Trainers to have an impact on a great number of people with their deliveries. This leads to improving ESTIEM as a network, its entities and most importantly - helping in the development of fellow ESTIEMers. It is a great responsibility, but also a tremendous opportunity as well.

Trainers in ESTIEM are also supported. For some of the events, Trainers pay reduced or even no participation fee. In some cases, even the travelling costs are covered. Being a Trainer requires time and effort, and ESTIEM as a network tries to aid this in multiple ways.

A cherry on top is becoming a part of our over 100 people big Trainers Community. Joining it means you have direct access to support, feedback and input from some of the most experienced ESTIEMers.

How can someone become a Trainer in ESTIEM?

The easiest way to become a Trainer is to attend a Training New Trainers event. The next one will be between the 9th and 16th of June in Local Group Zagreb.

The application period is open until the 18th of April, so there’s little time to apply!

If you think that becoming a Trainer and devoting yourself to the development of other ESTIEMers is something for you, don’t hesitate to apply!

If you read it later - check out the portal and see if there is any Training Next Trainers event incoming. If not, feel free to reach out to the Trainers Community Leader, they will answer all your questions!

PAINTING EUROPE IN GREEN GROWING UP BY SPREADING THE ESTIEM SPIRIT

Ever since I joined ESTIEM back in 2020, I realized how many great opportunities it offers and that not all students have the chance to take them. I really wanted to fix that.

So going forward to early 2022, I happened to join the Members’ Committee as Approaching Responsible. I quickly discovered the importance of this position and that anyone who works as Approaching Responsible can write history and change ESTIEM. The first thing I learned is that ESTIEM is not equally represented across Europe, there are even big and important cities and countries where we have local groups. I said to myself - “Such a shame for us as an organization to not have all the cultures inside ESTIEM and such a shame those students do not even know we exist”.

It took me nearly one year of learning and work to start getting some results. I have worked under three generations of leaders and each of them supported me a lot and gave me the freedom I needed to gradually lay the foundations for my goal.

Over the last years, I have sent hundreds, if not thousands of mails and messages to professors, students and university staff. Every start is difficult and not surprisingly it was very rare to receive answers. But I did not give up. And it paid off. In September 2023, under the leadership of Fran Lopez, the current Members’ Committee leader, some tweaks to the way we approach universities were made. But the most important thing is that Fran shares the same goal as me - to grow ESTIEM in Europe and once we joined forces and

recruited some new members to the team, things immediately took off. It is like you build something for many years without any results and then you lay that last brick and things start to work out.

I went from struggling to get answers to having chats with universities at least once every week, especially in November and December.

This was something I was not expecting nor prepared for. Yes, I have had many chats before, but not like that - those people knew barely anything about ESTIEM and in 30 minutes you can either successfully sell it to them and draw their interest or fail and make them not interested in what ESTIEM offers. I realized how important and difficult it is to represent ESTIEM in a good way and most importantly make it relatable to their studies and students. Fortunately, I quickly got used to doing it successfully and realized that there is more or less a pattern of how to do it.

What I did not know is that those calls and experiences can teach me things and help me grow as a person. I learned how similar all the students are - for the most part, we have the same ambitions, needs and problems, regardless of what we study or where we study. I talked to students from France, Denmark, Greece, Slovenia, Bosnia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Romania and Montenegro. All of them were incredibly friendly and unique people and regardless of the success of the approach, I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to talk to them.

However, some experiences stand out from the others and I feel like it is worth telling them. The first one was when I found a professor from the University of Sarajevo on LinkedIn and contacted him. He was surprisingly open to having a call with us and we quickly arranged it. The call with this professor was one of the best calls I have ever had and he was definitely the most impressive foreign professor I spoke to. He was one of the few professors I have met who talked to us like a student-to-student. He immediately understood the purpose of ESTIEM and not only was willing to help us find students from Sarajevo, but he

wanted to help us create more local groups in general, especially in the Balkan region with the connections he has with other professors (which he eventually did, he connected us to a student from another university). He spent a lot of time talking about his experiences as a professor in different universities and how important it to him is to have healthy relations with the students and push them to participate in international organizations since he knows how much experience that can give them later in life. The call left me and the other ESTIEMers very pleased and motivated to continue doing what we do with approaching.

The second one is when me and Fran visited the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). We were already in touch with a representative from their student union and convenient enough - both of us had a trip to the Nordics in November, so we managed to make a short visit to Copenhagen before. We took a long trip to the DTU campus, where we met with the representative. He showed us around the campus and the student house and

told us in detail how their student organizations function. While we did not achieve any specific results when it came to establishing a local group there during the meeting, his kindness was the highlight for me. In the end, to make it perfect, we randomly met ESTIEMers doing their masters in the student house.

The third and last one is very recent. At the beginning of February, Fran and a BEST representative from Slovenia, who decided to join us at the last moment, took a trip to Ljubljana straight after ESTIEM College. We had already been in touch with a PhD student from the University of Ljubljana, who surprisingly for a PhD was very motivated to help us establish a local group there. He arranged a room for us inside the university and in a few hours we sat down and came up with an action plan and future steps. Once again, what stood out was his friendliness and the experiences and stories about our universities we exchanged. And it was also amazing that a BEST representative was with us to share a different perspective.

After all this time talking to and meeting so many different students and people from non-ESTIEM

universities, I learned some very important things and my vision changed. There are so many things that we have in common as students despite the cultural differences and we should put more effort into capitalizing on those common things. After all, we are the youth and future of Europe. We as students and young people, regardless of the organizations we belong to, have the privilege that people did not have in the past - to communicate and travel freely.

My message to all of you reading this is to take up the responsibility to be ambassadors of a better and united Europe, where we students carry the torch of light and will eventually realize ourselves as successful professionals in their areas. The change starts first within us and then from us when we connect young people from different backgrounds with each other through NGOs such as ESTIEM. So whenever you come to visit a friend in another university or just visit another university - do not be afraid to share the spirit of ESTIEM there, you never know where you could plant a seed.

The ESTIEM Magazine is an awesome opportunity for anyone who is interested to share their experience. It’s created to motivate you to develop the writer within you and to encourage you to share your voice.

We are always looking for new members, so what are you waiting for?

04SKILLSYNC: EMPOWERING AFRICA

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime”

In the heart of Africa lies a rich potential waiting to be unlocked. Within the rich variety of cultures and environments, there exists a common thread of aspiration for growth and development. However, achieving these aspirations requires more than just ambition; it demands the right skills and knowledge. Recognizing this need, SkillSync emerged as a beacon of hope, aiming to bridge the education gap and empower the African youth.

Africa’s educational system faces a crucial challenge: the lack of access to quality tools, design thinking methods, and entrepreneurial concepts as it was stated by the Ministry of Trade and Industry of Rwanda back in November of 2018. This deficiency hampers the development of the continent’s business industries and, consequently, its economic progression.

SkillSync, a non-profit organization, endeavors to address this issue head-on by providing tailored courses designed to equip participants with the essential skills needed to navigate modern challenges.

The genesis of SkillSync was born from a collective desire to make a meaningful impact. Founded by a diverse group of ESTIEMers, including Vasco, João, Rodrigo, Selin, Domagoj, Oskar, Marcus, Jose, Adrian and Jakov. The project envisioned a network of problem solvers and knowledgeable students spanning various disciplines and the first stones were set in the first Coordination Meeting that took place in Munich at the end of July of 2023 after winning the AdFundum Award during Council Meeting Porto. However, despite their passion and dedication, the realities of time constraints have necessitated a difficult decision for some of the team members: to step away from the project.

Despite this setback, the mission of SkillSync remains steadfast. At its core, SkillSync aims to develop, sustain, and expand a comprehensive set of courses that empower participants with problem-solving, process thinking, engineering, and entrepreneurship skills. By providing volunteering opportunities, SkillSync not only benefits its participants but also fosters a culture of giving back and making a difference.

Lean Six Sigma is the first certified course SkillSync plans to deliver in Africa. It is a methodology that combines the principles of Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma to improve the quality of products, services, and processes while eliminating defects. The Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Course has existed within ESTIEM for several years now, already being taught to more than 1500 participants. This Course has also been implemented in Africa by ESTIEM Alumni in the past.

Covering subjects such as Entrepreneurship, Communication, Leadership, Innovation, or even Soft Skills, SkillSync aims to ensure a well-rounded learning experience that equips individuals with the tools they need to succeed in today’s dynamic world.

ESTIEM and its members can benefit from this project as they can become team members, take part as volunteers and instructors, and, in the future, get certified in new educational offers created by SkillSync as all of them will be made available.

As we close this chapter, we invite new allies to join our cause. Despite our team’s constraints, our vision persists: to empower Africa’s youth and forge lasting bonds between African and European students. Together, let’s create a tangible impact and a dynamic network where meaningful connections and friendships flourish.

Join us in shaping a brighter future for all!

FROM IDEAS TO IMPACT: THE E3H EVENT IN MUNICH

In the busy city of Munich, innovation and entrepreneurship unite as ESTIEM’s businessbooster together with Local Group Munich hosts its much-anticipated event, the European Environmental Entrepreneurship Hackathon.

Together with START Munich and the climatetech startup Chúuk, an unmatched environment for growth and professional development was created. The goal of this event is to connect ambitious and driven people from ESTIEM and START Munich, as well as to encourage ideas

and solutions aimed at addressing important environmental challenges.

European Environmental Entrepreneurship Hackathon, or “E3H”, brings together a diverse group of students, professionals, and experts from various fields to tackle environmental issues through entrepreneurship and innovation. Thanks to the amazing organizers from the local group Munich, the event was held in the capital city of the German state of Bavaria, a city known for its technological advancements and commitment to sustainability.

Throughout the event, participants engage in a series of workshops, mentorship sessions, and brainstorming activities designed to advance their entrepreneurial skills and refine their ideas. The core essence of E3H revolves around innovation. Participants are encouraged to think outside the box, leveraging their unique skills and perspectives to develop creative solutions to environmental problems. Whether it’s reducing carbon emissions, promoting renewable energy, or minimizing waste, E3H is a project for aspiring entrepreneurs to help them make a positive change in the world. Abundant networking opportunities allow attendees to create connections and collaborate.

The first edition of E3H was attended by 15 participants from 8 different countries and 12 different local groups.

Each day started with a session given by an expert, where participants had a chance to learn the fundamentals of environmental entrepreneurship. During the six days of the event, six topics were covered. Those include Problem Solving and Root Cause Analysis, Systemic Thinking, Design Thinking, Impact Evaluation and Measurement, Value Propositions & Business Model Canvas, and Pitching. Interactive workshops were held every day, where the participants had the opportunity to put their newly acquired knowledge into practice.

Some people worked in a team, some individually, and as a result, by the end of the event, eight different startup ideas were created, along with many beautiful friendships and memories. On the last day of the event, the participants presented their ideas and, in that way, rounded off their previous work.

Apart from the intense work during the day, Local Group Munich prepared exciting night activities. The participants also got a taste of Bavarian culture through interesting historical stories, different food, and drinks.

The first edition of E3H sparked not only new ideas but also a passion for change and making an impact on the world. It was a real journey from ideation to implementation, from problem to solution. With the hope that this event inspires new entrepreneurs or environmental leaders, businessbooster and Local Group Munich are ready to organize the second edition of E3H.

Get ready to embark on a journey of innovation and sustainability as we pave the way towards a greener, eco-friendly future!

BY OPENING OUR VIEWS OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME AND THINKING OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, WE CAN ENVISION A NETWORK THAT CAN TRULY ACHIEVE AMAZING THINGS, INSPIRING STUDENTS AND CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL OF US TO BE PROUD OF.

EMBRACING THE ONLINE, FOR THE SAKE OF OFFLINE

OR: HOW TO MAXIMISE THE POTENTIAL OF HYBRID

Starting up in the online generation of ESTIEM was a big challenge. Luckily, ESTIEMers in my Local Group and in Central ESTIEM gave their best to make sure the ESTIEM Spirit stays alive and ready to kick back in - which it did. I was there in Europe3D Serbia 2021, the second offline event after the pandemic, as one of the organisers. The energy I had felt, the motivation, the strength and spirit those people brought to Belgrade, it inspired me to one day become a Europe3D leader. And here we are. I was active in the Europe3D team for a full year prior to applying for leadership.

And during that year I noticed something interesting. When the pandemic subsided, everything went back to the way it was in 2019. The online event concept that we had, Europe3Digital, was completely scrapped. Small online cultural events, apart from Language Nights, disappeared. And it wasn’t just Europe3D. Basically every other service reverted back to the old ways. That made me think. Because companies around the world, especially their employees, praised remote work and the online environment. Companies tried to force the employees back into the office.

But many embraced the hybrid and flexibility of work, seeing the potential in it. True, we’re talking about different things. Companies need workers to work, we need participants to enjoy the event that we’re making for them. Barely anyone is willing to sit in front of a screen for hours, listening to lectures, presentations and whatnot for days on end, with barely any interaction. I know that I’m not. Creating a truly interactive online event where the participants feel involved and embraced. Trust me, I’ve tried, organising monthly online team buildings for my whole Local Group (100+ people), it’s very hard.

However, that doesn’t mean that we should completely disregard the online and pretend it never existed.

I’m glad to see that there are online central events such as PR school, Event organisation school, Website Bootcamp and plenty others. They serve an important purpose, aiming at the exact target audience that finds it needed, without feeling too exhausting with their short format. With their educational or strategic content, they also made sure that the ESTIEMers and the network kept moving onwards and aiming high, without having the need to logistically organise an event and over-engineering it around a small topic, at the same time making a small environmental impact by skipping unnecessary flights.

Then, during my time as the team member, a new event type appeared on the portal – Be X For X Hours. It immediately grabbed my interest. It seemed amazing. Getting to know a profession in just a few hours, talking with people who do it and even trying it out with a small case study, sacrificing only one afternoon/evening and 0€. If you were thinking about going into that profession after graduating but were not sure, this was an event for you. One day I saw an event on the portal called Be an IT Consultant for 5 Hours with IBB. “I would love to potentially be a consultant”, I thought to myself. So, I applied and attended. It definitely helped me get a bit clearer image on what consultants are and what they do and I knew if I wanted to research it further.

When it was time to start thinking about my Europe3D leadership application, I sat down and thought carefully. “Why don’t we do something like that too?”, I thought. A valid question. Now both Language Programme and Be X For X Days had online event types to support their overall portfolio and satisfy the demand of the network. So, I wrote down a new concept for an online Europe3D event.

Back in the pandemic times, Europe3Digital was just an online version of Europe3D. Usually a threeday long event with lectures and presentations about Politics, Economy and Culture of said country. I hadn’t attended one, but I could just imagine it being mentally exhausting and it reminded me of university lectures. I didn’t want to bring that back, especially with offline Europe3D events happening.

Then I remembered some of my first ESTIEM events – short online sessions organised by Local

Group Saint Petersburg in late February or early March where they would present an aspect of their culture and actually do it interactively! First time we were celebrating Maslenitsa, a week dedicated to welcoming Spring, at which the organisers also taught us how to make Russian pancakes! Next year it was dedicated to Russian culture in general, but we had a short dance lesson and we made traditional Russian hats and dolls (that doll that I made two years ago is still sitting on my shelf watching me). I was sad that they stopped doing it, since I enjoyed it quite much.

That’s when I knew, online events can serve another purpose. They can be there to keep reminding us of what we have in the network, even if we can’t experience it in person, or we don’t know what to expect. Same to how BXH was there to give you a sneak peek into a profession, there could be online cultural events that give you a peek into a country. That’s the day Preview3D was born.

During the first few months of my leadership mandate I kept thinking about that idea, letting it settle and develop. I wanted to try it out multiple times during my mandate and develop it to a well-formed event type.

Sadly, for Preview3D, the first 6 months of my mandate came and went in a flash, with so many events being scripted and many rushed, that we didn’t have time to test it out. But, what could it exactly be?

For starters, I wanted to connect Preview3D to an existing Europe3D event.

Europe3D is not a service that is usually struggling with applications for its events. But more awareness is never a bad thing. I imagined it as a short online session during the application period for the connecting Europe3D, with a goal to give a teaser preview of that country and event to the ESTIEMers, so that people can know what to expect and to help them decide if they want to apply for the upcoming offline event and further promote it.

Then a perfect opportunity arose. Local Group Famagusta was organising a Europe3D event in May and everything was going according to schedule, with no rush whatsoever. Famagusta being a Local Group in a hard-toreach location and in a territory filled with controversies and myths, it seemed perfect. Esin Kösemihal, the Local Responsible of Famagusta, and I made the exact concept

of the event in three parts. First one was dedicated to getting to know Europe3D as the event type and what will be happening in the upcoming event. Second part was called On the road to Famagusta and was dedicated to describing to participants how they can get to Famagusta considering the political situation, showing what is it that Famagusta and the region have to offer to their visitors and breaking the most common misconceptions and myths about the region.

Finally, there was a Q&A session, where the organisers answered the most common questions usually asked and had an open conversation with the participants. To wrap it up, as with every online event, we had some night activities, starting with a quiz about Famagusta and Europe3D, which participants quite liked.

This test just proved to me that online isn’t just a necessary evil. It’s an opportunity to embrace, to give us more room to grow, develop and connect.

By opening our views outside of the frame and thinking outside of the box, we can envision a network that can truly achieve amazing things, inspiring students and creating an environment for all of us to be proud of.

PRE VIE w3D

Overall, impressions from the event were nice and feedback was quite valuable to both the local organisers and us as the central team. The event type is still in its early pilot phase and we will use this knowledge for the next Europe3D event that is coming up. I believe that Preview3D has potential for Europe3D service, local organisers and ESTIEMers in the network to see what exactly to target in the events and further promote our offerings and make it more reachable even to ESTIEMers that are unable to travel. I am looking forward to seeing how this concept further develops.

Here is a cool idea:

Join Central ESTIEM!

What is CENTRAL ESTIEM?

Central ESTIEM can be seen as the working place in ESTIEM. It aims to provide a framework where people can work together and develop their ideas with like-minded ESTIEMers. The Central ESTIEM structure consist of the board and several entities that support the board and the network and others that focus on the value creation by coordinating the organization of services. More information on Central ESTIEM can be found below.

Why join CENTRAL ESTIEM?

There are a many reasons why you should join Central ESTIEM. First of all, you will be working in an international team. In this team you can create your own impact by developing ideas or starting initiatives. Furthermore, it is a great opportunity to develop yourself by learning new things and improve a variety of skills. Last but not least, it is amazing to be part of an European Community. In this community you will make new friends, collaborate with people from different cultures and have a lot of fun!

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE WINTER ACADEMY WITH TWO ACADEMIC LEADERS FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH A UNIQUE CONCEPT!

Adream came true. It is a dream with dragons, adventures, fun, difficult paths to overcome, dance, and a happy ending. As the project leader of the “Winter Academy: Let’s Dance With Our Dragons!” - an event which was held in Sapanca/Türkiye, I will tell you the fairytale of our event.

Once upon a time, there was an event called Summer Academy… This event is known as ESTIEM’s most life-changing type of event. Whether it’s Spring, Summer, Winter, or Autumn, the participants get the chance to have a vacation from their everyday obligations and go on a retreat in a remote area together with ESTIEMers while bonding friendships, discovering their inner motivations and opportunities for growth under the guidance of an Academic leader. Or maybe two this time!

We said, “Change starts with you.” and as Local Group Ankara-METU by being a little more involved in the content, we set out with our dragons to add change and a little adventure to this inspiring service that has been running on the same concepts for a long time.

The concept of our Winter Academy event was based on a technology we call “Dragon Dreaming Methodology,” a collaborative design method that was born in Australia. Moreover,

we organized the event with two academic leaders, two different and complementary energies to deliver this technology, and sessions that included different methods to help participants understand their world and feelings for the first time in the history of Summer Academy!

Even though organizing this Academy with those innovations in a limited time was tough, we overcame the difficulties one by one, and we made this event happen while finishing this fairytale with a happy ending.

This unique Winter Academy has passed with unforgettable memories. We had too much fun while living in a house for one week with 15 ESTIEMers from different countries while having sessions with amazing academic leaders.

We built a common dream together. After creating our plan, we learned how to find action roles based on our superpowers. And finally, we celebrated our success after we danced with our dragons. Lastly, I cannot describe how grateful I am for the opportunity to organize this fantastic event with our Local Responsible, İnci Yerebasmaz!

Now, here you can read Academic Leaders and some of the participants’ thoughts about the event:

All Academies are different but this one was really distinct from others. Having two academic leaders made it less dependent on one single personality and offered more richness of perspectives. Furthermore, we used a constructionist approach, which means that all the personal development took place in a

collaborative construction setting. We built something together, and personal development issues rose naturally from that building process. Finally, we explored a set of tools that are designed not only to foster the personal growth of the participants but also to help them improve the world they live in.

As an academic leader, I went to this experience willing to share my experience and knowledge, hoping to contribute to the growth of each participant. What I found was a group of motivated and interested young people who shared their ideas and emotions, their experiences, and their knowledge. In the end, I have grown by listening to everyone and observing

In February, I had the honour of finally attending an Academy. I remember being a newbie in ESTIEM and hearing all these life-changing stories from much more experienced people that I really respected and looked up to. Now, I can claim that it gave me a different perspective of the world and tools that I will definitely use in my future career/ life. The transformative power of the Academy can only be truly understood by those who participate.

Being away from everything and barely having access to the outside world

their individual and collective growth in the short period that we shared. I came out of this experience much richer and believe in a better future where people know how to ‘dance with their dragons’ and achieve their dreams in a collective way.

can be terrifying at first, but when you accept that reality, it becomes a warming environment that you don’t want to leave for anything. It was much more than just learning about the Dragon Dreaming methodology; it was a personal and collective endeavour through our inner feelings in a space where you just bonded so much so rapidly with everyone. I’m truly thankful for this experience and everyone involved, and I definitely recommend it to everyone.

I joined ESTIEM in 2017, and since that time, I heard many exciting stories about Summer/Winter Academy from my friends. This event is known to be life-changing, and in February 2024, I finally managed to experience this myself. This Winter Academy was unique as we had two academic leaders with different mindsets and points of view. This helped us to learn about the topic of the event and approach ourselves from other sides as well. During the sessions, we learned about

the Dragons Dreaming Methodology and applied it right away; we discovered our superpowers and inner warriors. I can say that I left the event with more self-confidence in myself; I left my fears and doubts away and entered a new path where I’m capable of everything. And, of course, this event gave me good friendships which I’m sure will last for many years. I think that every ESTIEMer should experience this feeling at least once.

Winter Academy: Let’s Dance With Our Dragons

WHAT IS QUALITY? A REFLECTION ON QUALITY MANAGEMENT & ITS CONSEQUENCES ON OUR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES

What is quality? This is one of the questions we asked the most during our first classes. And it’s something that I feel that we do not ask enough throughout our daily lives.

So, what is quality? Some might argue it has to do with complying with norms or specifications. Defined criteria are negotiated or imposed by some external entity. That is the rule when it comes to most Business-to-Business (B2B) interactions. It’s through this shared common language of specifications, that companies can work together and define standards for what is a good product and what is not (a defect). That

is also why norms exist (like ISO, DIN or IEC). To standardize the communication and rules between companies. Because standards also need standards. And it is truly impressive to me how this works. Suppose a company needs M3 Aluminium Screws with hexagon socket countersunk head ISO 10642. In that case, both the supplier and the client automatically know that the threaded part of the bolt should be 18 mm long, the diameter of the head is 6.72mm and the pitch diameter 2.675, and all the respective tolerances associated with these measures, in terms of dimensions, circularity or perpendicularity. This ensures that the supplier knows which specifications to follow,

and the client company knows what to expect from the supplied product and can objectively test its quality.

But there are some situations where the definition of quality is not that straightforward. How does one evaluate quality in a Business-to-Consumer (B2C) environment? Following the same rationale that we see in the B2B case, what are the “hidden” specifications agreed upon by our consumers? When thinking about what makes a quality car have quality, our common sense is quick to bring a lot of factors to the table: Reliability, Performance, Design, Economy, etc. But these seem to differ between industries and different customer segments, and that’s exactly the case. What is valued by each consumer may not (and is not) the same thing. And it is not feasible or possible, in most cases, to ask consumers to send their own specifications for all the products they need, since most consumers do not know what specifications are there, and even if they knew, it would be a problem to scale such practices. B2C companies want to know what the “secret” specifications behind the minds of their clients are, and what are the things that their target audience wants and does not even know. That is why in this case, quality is not defined (only) through fixed specifications but encompasses all these subjective views on quality through the lens of the consumer. As Joseph Juran has said, “Quality is fitness for use”, so a product has quality if it fits the needs and expectations of its target clients. This means that B2C companies need to have a strong definition of their target audience, as well as their preference and feedback, to thrive and stay competitive. But it also means that B2C companies are incentivized to innovate and to create new needs and new quality standards for the existing consumers.

This is what we have discussed in our Quality Management course throughout the first classes. But it created a thought in me. How can we define quality in a Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) environment? And I came up with the example of a garage sale. In this case, we have a consumer (let’s call him John) selling some of his goods to other consumers who might be interested in whatever

John has to offer. In this case, most of the things we discussed regarding the B2C situation, hold true. John does not have specifications for what people are looking for in his garage sale, for example. And, in practice, John acts as a small reselling company. And that’s why I think that the idea that quality is fitness for use still holds true. Not much differs in these edge cases, except the fact that John is legally not a company. This comparison gets a bit more complex when it comes to online E-commerce platforms since the perceived quality by the buying customer depends both on the E-commerce platform and the seller, but in general, the idea of quality stays the same.

But the main thing that intrigued me was: How can we measure quality in our daily lives? When can we say we had a quality interaction with someone? How can we live a quality life?

I decided to name these interactions as Personto-person (P2P) or Person-to-self (P2S) for this short essay.

Let’s picture a conversation between John, the salesman in our previous example, and his wife, Melissa, after John has been out all day trying to sell some of the antiques they had around the house. Is “fitness for use” a good definition of quality in what comes to their conversation? I’d argue that in this case, this definition holds.

When talking with someone, we need to adapt our discourse, our content, and our delivery to the “audience” we have at hand. And a conversation is better if it corresponds to what we want to know about it. And this is transversal to most human interactions, from an isolated perspective.

I’d even go further from this. A person is deemed “good” if they are “fit for use”. Someone who is “good” for somebody else, should be “useful” and “usable” in one way or another. And just like in the B2C example, this fitness for use depends on the context. A person is a “good” person at work if they are useful for the workplace. In the university, a teacher is a “good” person if they are useful both for the University and to the students. A “good” person to society is someone who is useful to society and follows society’s specifications or rules (at least in the eyes of that specific society, without wanting to enter into theoretical tangents on what is useful for a society and what should or should not be good rules).

And for me, this is one way we can look at quality in our personal lives as well. Am I getting what I need? Is this lifestyle “fit” for me, or should I aim to change? In what ways can I make my life more useful to myself? What is my goal? Why do I want to have a quality life? What are the characteristics that I value the most?

Quality is all about understanding what our needs are and fulfilling them accordingly. And something as quality when it is “fit” to be used to fulfill that need. That is the case in B2B (where specifications are set after reflection on what is and what does not fit), in the B2C scenario (“fitness for use”), in the somewhat similar C2C case and throughout our own lives.

As industrial engineers, it is important to reflect on these great tools and teachings and apply them not only in the industry, when the time comes, but also to reflect more about how we can apply these concepts in our daily lives and strive to continually change them for the better, towards this constant moving goal of “Quality”. Everyday. Step by step.

SEE you somewhere in europe!