Die Projektierer

What does “International Project Engineering and Management” stand for?

International Project Engineering and Management is a branch of mechanical engineering. You complete an entire course of mechanical engineering while intensively training two foreign languages and gaining a deeper understanding of different management aspects. These elements make it possible for you to actively take part in international projects, particularly in the technical departments.

The major difference between IPEM and plain mechanical engineering is that you learn numerous qualities that enable you to work successfully in an international team. It is very common to spend a semester overseas in order to attain a deeper insight of the language and to learn more about others’ culture.

During the 6 regular semesters it is also required of you to complete an internship at a company (this can also be done overseas). There are many programs at the university which make it possible for you to easily find a placement abroad. One more positive aspect of IPEM is that there are not many students studying this course, therefore you have close contact to other semesters and this makes it possible for students of different semesters to work together.

Here another, slightly older (but very detailed), impression which also applies to the Bachelor/Master students.

Ok, what do you know about international project management? Nothing? Well, that’s not a surprise since this course has only been on offer since 1988 at the University of Siegen and yes, you will only find it here in the lovely (sometimes a little rainy) heart of Germany.

What is so special about this course?

Let’s have a look at the course’s profile and... Let’s begin with mechanical engineering. A bit boring don’t you think? We should add something that will grab your future boss’s attention. And project management is definitely a good choice. I mean you can do the same job every day. But the main part of the design work is done in project teams. And someone has to make sure that the project succeeds. This means you’ve got to have an eye on everything, but you tell the people what to do. And every project is unique!

Sounds better already. But we still need something that makes us indispensable for the company. In order to reach this goal we’ll just do some of the stuff in another language, no, even better in two different languages. (Yes, IPEM students are probably a little bit masochistic by nature) Well, I think this is all you need.

Don’t forget, you are not a common engineer. Project management enables you to work in various departments. Think about insurance or logistics companies, financing and research. Project management is becoming more and more popular because it is an important tool. And together with the languages; I don’t think I need to elaborate on reasons why you should be familiar with two foreign languages.

IPEM students are generally highly motivated to complete their studies in an adequate amount of time. But they do even more than that. EVERY student has spent at least 6 months studying or working abroad. You are not forced to, but remember it shines out as another great qualification and offers you an excellent chance to improve your language skills and spending an awesome time!

A closer look:

As you have seen in the previous section, the core focus is mechanical engineering. It covers roughly 70 percent of your subjects, such as:

Mechanics, chemistry, mathematics, material science... they provide you with the essential general knowledge, which you will need as an engineer.

Design, energy management or environmental technologies... are some of the areas which you can major in, as soon as you have completed your basic studies.

During this time you will always be working on your language skills and your major subject: project management. While English is compulsory, you can choose the other language to be either French or Spanish (or both if you fancy).