Testimonial: A Conscious Choice – My Second Degree at HSBA: Learning with Responsibility, Impact and Attitude

But the desire for personal and professional development returned. While searching for a suitable master's programme, I found what I was looking for at HSBA, contrary to my original plans. I'll be honest: other programmes would have been cheaper, shorter and probably less demanding. But I wanted – and still want – more than just to acquire knowledge. I want to reflect, understand and shape things. And I want to actively shape my professional and personal path.

The part-time Master's programme in Digital Transformation & Sustainability not only offered me a compelling curriculum – combining digitalisation and sustainability, two topics that are virtually impossible to ignore today – but above all an understanding of how learning should work today: independently and with a focus on the future.

Because that is exactly what studying at HSBA demands and promotes. It is not enough to memorise content. I constantly have to ask myself: How can I apply what I have learned to my everyday work? Which methods will help me? How can I change my way of thinking in the long term?

In times of rapid change, critical thinking, systemic understanding and the ability to solve problems together are just as important as dealing with uncertainty. These ‘future skills’ do not come from passive knowledge acquisition. They develop through active, self-directed learning, through exchange, friction and reflection.

HSBA offers the ideal setting for this: small groups, a close integration of theory and professional practice, coupled with a network of people who want to make a difference. The exchange with fellow students from different industries is just as valuable to me as the course content itself.

The part-time model allows me to try out new insights directly in my everyday life. Real issues from my professional and private life are analysed, methods are tested, and ways of thinking are sharpened. This not only strengthens my technical understanding, but also my way of working: more structured, more reflective, more responsible. Knowledge is not consumed, but shaped.

How much you take away is up to you. As in real life, personal responsibility and initiative count. That's why there are no traditional exams at DTS, but mainly group and project work – practical, relevant and challenging.

For me, studying is an active engagement with new perspectives and ways of thinking. In a world where change has become the norm, we need people who are willing to continuously develop themselves, take responsibility and navigate complexity with a sense of direction.

Not within the standard period – but just right

I will not complete my master's degree within the standard period of study. You might think that's bad publicity. But there are good reasons for the delay, which have helped me advance professionally and personally more than any schedule could have. During my studies, I took on the management of a challenging project in my full-time job as a sales manager – unique perspectives with visible impact. At the same time, changes in my personal life required me to manage my resources carefully.

The result is a Master's degree with substance, a wealth of experience that cannot be measured in ECTS credits, and the realisation that the fastest or most straightforward path is not always the right one.