Nowadays, universities strive more and more to develop global citizens. For the University of the Free State (UFS) and the
Salzburg University of Applied Sciences (SUAS) in Austria, collaboration on the Consecutive Master’s Degree Programme in International Finance is directed at this.
This exclusive and pioneering collaboration between the
Department of Economics and Finance at the UFS and the Department of Management and Tourism at SUAS emanates from more than 15 years of collaboration between Prof Johan Coetzee (UFS) and Prof Christine Mitter (SUAS ).
The collaboration addresses the concerns constantly raised in South Africa that graduates do not have the requisite practical skills when entering the workplace. The UFS attempts to bridge this gap and contribute to a better-equipped, employable South African graduate who understands the link between theory and application in a problem-riddled world entering the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
UFS students Frans Benecke and Su-Mari Dreyer are two of the beneficiaries of the programme and will spend one year in Salzburg, from February 2023 until January 2024.
“This is a dream come true, a dream I didn’t even know I had. To experience a different culture through educational and cultural exchange will deepen my understanding of international relationships, which is a driver of development,” says Dreyer, who completed her MCom degree at the UFS.
Interdisciplinary research
The Consecutive Master’s Degree Programme in International Finance allows students wishing to pursue a master’s degree to acquire two degrees over a two-year study period: an MCom specialising in Finance in the Department of Economics and Finance at the UFS, and an MA in Business Management specialising in Financial Risk Management at SUAS in Austria. The degrees are done on location in Bloemfontein and Salzburg respectively. The UFS master’s is more quantitative in nature and exposes students to highly technical methods and applications, while the SUAS master’s degree is more qualitative in nature and exposes students to more practical real-world management scenarios.
“The
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences has a long-standing and valued partnership with the Salzburg University of Applied Sciences. As a faculty, we see the development of the consecutive master’s degree as a wonderful opportunity for students from both universities to participate in the learning opportunities that both universities offer. These opportunities transcend the academic learning that will take place, to also include the exposure of students to the culture and life in the partner country,” says Prof Philippe Burger, Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. “We believe the learning that will take place through the exposure that the consecutive degree offers, will improve students’ employability and contribute to them building successful careers.”
Bridging the gap
As part of the curriculum requirements, students will also be offered the opportunity to do a short apprenticeship in Austria.
Benecke, who also completed his UFS master’s degree, says he hopes the programme will serve as a call to action for students considering postgraduate studies in the Department of Economics and Finance at the UFS.