From 23 to 27 September 2024, the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance (FDEF) at the University of Luxembourg proudly welcomed first-year students enrolled in the Bachelor’s in Business Administration (BBA) for the inaugural BBA Integration Week. The Bachelor in Business Administration, a new programme under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Nicolas Jonard, will gradually replace the Bachelor en Gestion between 2024 and 2026.
Integration Week provided an engaging platform for students to meet their classmates, explore Luxembourg’s rich history, and connect with key players in both local and international markets. Nadège Meyer-Hamy, Student Counsellor in internship, career and industry relations and one of the event coordinators, shared her thoughts on the successful completion of the first edition, saying:
‟ It is important to start the year with an integration week. We offered group activities to build relationships and lead students to think about topics such as sustainable development and future career or business set-up. These reflections will be encouraged throughout the bachelor’s course”
Student Counsellor
The week began with a presentation by the University of Luxembourg’s Incubator, where students gained insights into Luxembourg’s future in innovation and entrepreneurship. They also learned about the Incubator & Entrepreneurship Programme and had the opportunity to learn from alumni of the Programme Mikael Da Silva, Clint Howard Brosius, Clémence Jérome and Joni Beu.
Sivakumar BACTAVATCHALOU, Project Manager of the Entrepreneurship Programme and alumni
The next day, students attended a presentation by the Chamber of Commerce Luxembourg, led by Laure DEMEZET and Sidonie PARIS, economists at the Chamber. The session explored the dynamics of Luxembourg’s evolving economy and its unique characteristics. This was followed by a presentation from FEDIL by Laurence KAYL, Head of Communications, focusing on career opportunities in Luxembourg’s industrial sector as well as Luise Koppenburg’s testimonial as Head of Communications and Marketing Luxembourg with Paul Wurth SA.
Visit to Chambre de Commerce, FEDIL and Paul Wurth SA
Additionally, students were introduced to the benefits of joining ANESEC, students association in economics, which provides networking opportunities and helps develop essential soft skills for future careers. These sessions gave students valuable insights into Luxembourg’s economic landscape and employment opportunities.
On the third day, students were divided into four groups to visit industry leaders such as KPMG, Deloitte, BGL BNP Paribas, and Baloise. These visits offered students firsthand exposure to Luxembourg’s corporate environment, helping them learn more about each company and providing invaluable networking opportunities with professionals.
KPMG Luxembourg expressed its enthusiasm for the event, with Cindy Plumer, Campus & Branding Team Leader at KPMG Luxembourg, highlighting that the company’s inspiring speakers provided valuable insights into its Tax, Advisory, and Audit practices, offering students a glimpse into the world of professional services. Following the session, the students had the opportunity to network with KPMG’s ambassadors. Ms. Plumer expressed her gratitude to everyone involved and praised the students for their curiosity and enthusiasm.
Group of students visiting the KPMG office in Luxembourg
BGL BNP Paribas were also happy to host the new students and highlighted the importance of sustainability in finance. Catherine Wurth, Head of Sustainability at BGL BNP Paribas, remarked: “It was a pleasure to discuss the challenges of sustainable finance with the students.”
Group of students visiting BGL BNP Paribas office in Luxembourg
The students were also excited to visit the Deloitte office in Cloche d’Or where Barbara Picard, HR Officer, and her colleague Chahinez Ababsa welcomed them. Francesco, a student who visited Deloitte, shared his thoughts after having visited the Deloitte office: “I thought it was great. We had a little breakfast at the start then visited Deloitte. We were also introduced to some of the workers, learned about their paths and what they do at Deloitte, and how much they enjoy it. I found it really interesting to see how they got here.”
Group of students visiting Deloitte office in Luxembourg
Baloise were excited to meet and engage with the new students, Gwenael Le Goff, HR Business Partner at the company, says: “For many years, Baloise has been collaborating with the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance at the University of Luxembourg. It was with great pleasure that we welcomed 45 students from the Bachelor in Business Administration programme today to introduce them to the various careers in insurance, as well as our corporate culture.” After the event, Joël, one of the students, said, “I didn’t think there was such a variety of jobs in the insurance sector. It’s a very interesting field.” Another student, Claire, added, “This visit changed my perception of the insurance world.”
Group of students visiting Baloise office in Luxembourg
On the fourth day of the Integration Week, our students participated in the Climate Fresk workshop, which gave them the chance to engage in discussions about climate change and work toward identifying sustainable solutions—an essential topic for future business leaders. This workshop, coordinated by the Chief Sustainability Officer at the University of Luxembourg, Laurent Betry, Matthieu GILLIERON, and their team, focused on fostering a deeper understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change. “Students are the future citizens,” Betry explains. “It’s really important that they don’t just learn from social networks or random articles but get to know the scientific facts.” Xinyan Chen, a BBA student, emphasizes the significance of such education.“It’s crucial for every citizen on this planet to learn what we have done in the past to cause climate change, what we are facing now, and what we can do in the future to change things,” she asserts. “Every single little step is a big step for all of humanity.”
Group of students Climate Fresk Workshop
The intensive week concluded with the UniCareers Job Fair, where students had the opportunity to meet recruiters and explore potential career paths in Luxembourg’s thriving job market.
The BBA Integration Week 2024 was eventful and insightful, leaving students inspired and well-prepared to embark on their academic journeys. The Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to their partners and everyone involved for making this week such an enriching experience for our students.