Update from the Chancellor – Lessons from the Women Who Defied Gravity and Doubt
1. July 2025
Dear Friends of New European College,
As we begin the new academic year, I am reminded of my own journey as a student 37 years ago, when I set off to start my studies in the United Kingdom.
In those days, there was no internet (the internet became public domain in 1991), no smartphones, no digital maps.
My adventure began with my father and I unfolding a paper map of England and plotting the way to Oxford.
I knew very little about the UK at the time—only that it was an island and had a queen. On a Sunday, I flew into Heathrow, not entirely sure how to reach Oxford, where to stay, or even how to find my college the next morning.
Without an introduction week or an orientation program, it was easy to feel lost, confused, and admittedly a bit scared. (Scared of what exactly, I cannot recall—though my imagination did conjure up the odd werewolf at a bus stop far outside my comfort zone.)
What saved me in those early weeks were the friendships I made with locals, who helped me discover more than just the road from my dormitory to college and back. That experience of self-discovery, of being forced to navigate the unknown, shaped me deeply.
This memory returned vividly last Friday, when we welcomed our new students to New European College for their Introduction & Orientation to the Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences programs.
Unlike my own start in Oxford, we strive to ensure that our students feel supported as they embark on their studies.
The day balances academic introductions with insights into Germany, Bavaria, and Munich—culminating in a city tour where students gain not only orientation but also a sense of the history, culture, and booming economy that make Munich such an exceptional place to study.
IAnd as tradition has it, our city tour ends at the Viktualienmarkt, where we enjoy what I confidently call the best Schmalznudel in town at Café Frischhut.
A sweet Bavarian treat to celebrate new beginnings, and perhaps the most delicious way to end an orientation day.
For New European College – Introduction Day and the Munich City Tour are an essential part of the start of the studies regardless if bachelor, master or MBA.
The NEC Team wishes all of our students—returning and new—a successful, inspiring, and transformative semester.
Disclaimer: Werewolves do not exist (at least to our knowledge). New European College does not employ, admit, or otherwise collaborate with any werewolves—though we do occasionally howl with joy over academic success. 🐺📚
