23. February '22
Three people are in a modern office with a large screen displaying a presentation on surveillance. One person stands, pointing at the screen, while two others are seated with a laptop. A wall features the text “International Master in Coburg,” highlighting the Hochschule Coburg’s educational excellence.
Three people are in a modern office with a large screen displaying a presentation on surveillance. One person stands, pointing at the screen, while two others are seated with a laptop. A wall features the text "International Master in Coburg," highlighting the Hochschule Coburg's educational excellence.
Three people are in an office with “Hochschule Coburg International Master” on the wall. Two men sit on a red couch with laptops, while another stands pointing at a screen displaying information and images. The room exudes a modern, collaborative atmosphere.
Three people are in an office with "Hochschule Coburg International Master" on the wall. Two men sit on a red couch with laptops, while another stands pointing at a screen displaying information and images. The room exudes a modern, collaborative atmosphere.
Three men are in a meeting room with a large screen displaying a presentation at Hochschule Coburg. One man stands near the screen, gesturing, while the other two sit on a red couch, one using a laptop. Wall graphics include “Hamburg,” creating a professional and modern atmosphere.
Three men are in a meeting room with a large screen displaying a presentation at Hochschule Coburg. One man stands near the screen, gesturing, while the other two sit on a red couch, one using a laptop. Wall graphics include "Hamburg," creating a professional and modern atmosphere.
In a sleek, modern office at Hochschule Coburg, three men in business attire review financial data on large screens. One sits at a desk with a laptop while the other two stand beside him, smiling confidently at the camera.
In a sleek, modern office at Hochschule Coburg, three men in business attire review financial data on large screens. One sits at a desk with a laptop while the other two stand beside him, smiling confidently at the camera.
Coburg University of Applied Sciences has opened an intercultural meeting room for the international Master’s degree courses AIMS and Financial Management in the winter semester 2021/22. It also houses the new Bloomberg Lab: students can gain practical experience in the world of finance and markets here.
“The risk profile of a company like Microsoft,” Melkamu Taye points to the orange graph on one of the two 86-inch monitors on the wall, “is very low.” There are many ways to come to this conclusion, but Taye is not talking about Microsoft. He wants to use the example to demonstrate how the financial market can be analyzed mathematically with the help of real-time data. “We are comparing live data on the return on Microsoft shares with the S&P 500, one of the most widely followed stock indices in the world.” And the return on both the share and the index is around a factor of 1. “This is a large company that is part of the index. It’s different for a company that is not connected to the market,” explains Taye. “So students learn to compare the relationship between risk and return. As a tutor on the international Master’s course in Financial Management, Taye uses the “Bloomberg Lab”, which was set up in the winter semester with the International Common Room (ICR) in Room 10 of Building 9.
The real world of finance in the lecture hall
Bloomberg offers MBA students real-time prices, fundamental data, charts, financial analysis tools and statistics. Course Director Prof. Dr. Victor Randall explains with regard to the Bloomberg terminal: “We can call up global commodity and foreign exchange markets as well as fixed income and equity markets and offer our students access to the same information platform that decision-makers from the financial sector, industry and politics work with – in real time. Four core modules of the MBA program at the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics benefit directly from this.” According to Randall, only five universities in Bavaria have such a Bloomberg terminal for teaching; Coburg is the first university of applied sciences to give its students practical experience in data analysis, which can also benefit research and theses. “Through regular Bloomberg training, we want to give our students a head start when they are on the job market,” says Randall. Graduates with Bloomberg experience are in high demand. “Anyone studying finance needs to be very familiar with market data research,” explains tutor Taye. The Ethiopian is doing his doctorate under Prof. Randall at Coburg University of Applied Sciences and FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg on agricultural commodity markets in Africa. He talks about the financial markets in English – the language in which both Financial Management and the second international degree course AIMS are taught.
Ideal for the conference with Shanghai
AIMS stands for Analytical Instruments, Measurement and Sensor Technology, is part of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and has a lot in common with Financial Management despite the different content. “We help each other and use synergies to become even more attractive for our international guests,” says course director Prof. Dr. Michael Wick. “It’s great that we now have a meeting room here for international students.” In addition to the two large touch monitors on the wall, each of which has its own computer, the Department of Technology and Construction has also equipped the room to meet the latest multimedia requirements. Cameras and microphones in the ceiling allow people to move freely around the room during video conferences. “This is practical for our meetings with international partners.” Several Coburg professors can comfortably take part in admissions interviews at partner universities in Shanghai, China, for example, at the same time.
Wick explains that the relaxed environment is also popular for student presentations. “You can work well on projects in small groups here.” There are high tables, matching chairs, but also a cozy couch corner. Susanna Buchwald, Head of the Building Department, has adapted the design of the room to the various purposes. She has painted a skyline on one wall. The details are important to Wick and Randall. “The small accessories in particular have made this a great place. It’s a good working atmosphere. You can exchange ideas across disciplines or just have a coffee,” says Wick. And then the physicist has a chat with Taye about the development of the financial markets.
Further information:
For information on using the Bloomberg terminal and training courses, please contact the FM Master Office.
