"Studying was the best decision"

What content does the Master's degree in Business Administration - Sustainable Management with a specialization in People, Organization & Transformation offer?

Valentina Angeli: I mainly focus on how organizations can remain fit for the future. It's about topics such as culture, leadership, new work, but also sustainability, digitalization and change processes. I learn how to design companies in a human, effective and sustainable way so that employees enjoy working there and organizations can develop positively in the long term. The focus is very much on the interaction between people, organizations and transformation and, above all, on communication.you are currently working at Henkel in Dornbirn and are completing an internship in Human Resources.


What is your area of responsibility?

Valentina Angeli: Very diverse. I work in recruiting, process job advertisements and am responsible for communicating with applicants. I also work in employer branding, go to job fairs and create content. But administrative work is also included, such as issuing employer reference letters, time corrections or preparing onboarding and offboarding. So I'm basically doing a work placement as an HR generalist, which is very varied. It was very important for me to get to know all areas of HR in order to understand the topics holistically.


How does the course support you in your daily work?

Valentina Angeli: The course complements my HR work perfectly and vice versa. I can apply a lot of the content directly in practice or bring in practical examples from my company in the lectures and seminars and thus draw comparisons with other companies. The subject "Employee Life Cycle Management" supports me directly in my daily HR work because it covers all the processes that I have to deal with on a day-to-day basis, from the initial contact with applicants through to development, retention and offboarding.


To what extent is the theory valuable in combination with practice?

Valentina Angeli: Much of what we learn about as "ideal procedures" during our studies is already being implemented at Henkel. For example, feedback is actively collected via employee surveys in the course of pulse checks on satisfaction or potential for improvement. This correspondence between theory and practice has given me an even better understanding of why certain HR measures are structured in this way. I also get new impetus during my studies from best-practice examples or current research findings on topics that show how existing processes could be optimized.


How do you reconcile part-time studies with your job?

Valentina Angeli: I am currently employed 50 percent of the time. This allows me to combine my studies and my job very well. It was very important to me that I was able to learn as much as possible from both my studies and my work placement. I didn't want to miss out on anything. This even leaves me enough time for hobbies and free time in addition to my studies and work - a good keyword.


How do you spend your free time?

Valentina Angeli: I am very versatile and like yoga and pilates, being in nature, cycling and skiing, camping with the roof tent, walking, traveling, but also cooking and baking. In between, I simply enjoy the peace and quiet, for example by the lake, drinking a matcha latte or tea. Now I have almost more time for all of this than in my previous full-time job.


What makes studying at the FHV so special?

Valentina Angeli: Definitely the practical perspective, learning by doing or always learning directly from practical examples. I like the personal atmosphere and working in small groups, which makes exchanges and discussions possible. I don't feel like a number, but am perceived as a person. That is very important to me personally. The FHV offers many opportunities and I am very satisfied with the organization of my studies.


What advice would you give to people who are considering part-time studies?

Valentina Angeli: Take the plunge. Part-time studies offer the perfect opportunity to put what you have learned into practice or to bring in practical examples from your studies. The exchange with others provides new impetus. My tip: Of course, a full-time job and part-time studies are somehow feasible, and for some people there is no other way due to private circumstances. But if you have the opportunity, reduce your hours to a workload of 50 to 80 percent. That way, you can simply take a lot more with you and perform well both at work and at university.


How do you look back on your decision to study?

Valentina Angeli: Studying is not just about continuing education, but above all a personal development process. I grew with the challenges and met inspiring people. For me, it was definitely one of the best decisions I've made in recent years.