Observations and Perceptions on a Doctoral Research Seminar in Engineering and Logistics

Abstract

Logistics is a global challenge needing cooperation across disciplinary as well as cultural diversity. International, interdisciplinary education has the potential to provide meaningful experiences and cultural exchange for the individuals involved, including students, faculty, and university professionals and can have a positive impact on their lives and professionalism. We introduce the doctoral training program International Graduate School for Dynamics in Logistics (IGS) at the University of Bremen and explores a German-American educational partnership on the level of doctoral training. Utilizing scholarly personal narratives, the perceptions of two university professionals were garnered. From the narratives, they discussed the advantages and difficulties associated with cultural exchanges, the exposure to many cultures, and engaging with differing educational systems converging within one program. This qualitative study provides and glimpses into the complexity and intentional nuances that should be addressed when developing and operationalizing international, interdisciplinary education.