The world is waiting for you: Why you should study “International Business and Economics” and the skills you will need for this degree

The world is yours to enjoy with a degree in “International Business and Economics”. We asked Programme Director Dmitri Blüschke to tell us about the unique features of this English language Bachelor’s degree and to explain what distinguishes it from “traditional” business degrees.

What makes this degree programme so unique?

The most striking feature is arguably that it is the first fully English language Bachelor’s programme to be offered at Klagenfurt University. But there are other features that also add to its distinctiveness. For example, it is our aim to achieve a balanced mix of domestic and foreign students, so that students can get used to working or studying in an international environment from the very first day.

Why is it so crucial to consider economics in an international context?

Simply because that is the reality of our time. On the one hand, these days almost every company has to face global competition and must operate internationally. The export markets have long been a core target for numerous companies. Staff frequently hail from different parts of the world, which is why intercultural skills are gaining in importance. Moreover, digitisation (further exacerbated by the pressurs of the COVID-19 pandemic) is advancing inexorably. Taken together, this translates into a high demand for “new” qualifications among employees working for companies operating internationally.

What distinguishes this degree programme from a “traditional” business administration degree?

Proper business skills are necessary in an international context as well, which is why there is a “traditional” business administration degree at the core of this programme, but in a somewhat stripped down form. We have added more economic and method-oriented courses in order to provide students with stronger interdisciplinary and analytical skills. This is supplemented with sociological, legal and intercultural contents that have an international relevance. As an overall package, this degree programme prepares students specifically for a career working for companies that operate in the international arena or for the possibility of continuing on to an English language Master’s degree programme in business and economics. By choosing their own specialisations, students can, of course, consolidate their knowledge in areas of particular interest.

Please tell us what interests students should have, if they wish to enrol in this degree programme.

It is important not to be narrow-minded: Candidates should be capable of, and interested in, thinking outside the box. How do economic relationships function in a global world, what drives companies to succeed internationally, and how can you benefit most from a team made up of employees representing different cultures and languages? Anyone who is interested in these and similar questions will be on the right track with this degree programme.

How can I prepare for the admission examination?

My basic aim is to take away the fear. The admission examination covers two topics: Mathematics and an understanding of fundamental economics. When it comes to mathematics, we want to make sure that people have at least some affinity for numbers. Here, a normal high school diploma level is sufficient.The same applies to economic topics! The purpose of the exam is to find out if students have a basic grasp of this type of content. For both topics, the references are online and they are open-access, so that people can take a look at them whenever they want. In this respect, reading really is the best preparation.

3 TIPS TO PREPARE FOR THE EXAMINATION provided by Dmitri Blüschke, the Programme Director:

1. As mentioned above: Reading is the very best preparation.
2. I guess maybe just reading isn’t enough after all. It is also important to understand what you are reading. This is an essential skill when studying.
3. We urge people to take part in the trial run for the exam to avoid failures as a result of technical problems.