Cornelius Ruff is a German student from the University of Hamburg where he studied wood science. He tells us about his experience in the 3rd year Timber Trade programme.

How did you hear about the ESB?

I came to know the ESB through my university because it trains in the industrial field of wood in which I wish to work.

I wanted to go to France to see new things. Nantes is an interesting and attractive city!

What is the difference between your home university and the pedagogy offered by ESB?

At ESB, we work on many projects with companies but also with students from different countries.

In France, the pedagogy is more practical, whereas in Germany it is more theoretical.

Was there a course that stood out for you when you arrived at ESB?

JeI will never forget my first class with an American professor about international relations.

We had a lot of fun! It was a question of better understanding the different cultures, behaviours and ways of life of each other.

Is it easy to be an international student at ESB?

It’s really easy, yes! People are curious. They want to know more about me, my culture, my country and my university.

You quickly become part of the family, because the BSE is like a big family!

In the international programme, we have classes of 20 students, so we can interact more with each other.

Your best memories at ESB?

The gala of course! It’s a big event where the whole school is involved!

There is also the graduation trip where we visited companies and ate different dishes that I didn’t know.