Details

• France
• MAMgmt-14
• Graduate
• WS 2025
• Time spent at the partner university: 4 months

1. Preparation

The application at WU was uncomplicated and support was offered kindly. EMLYON offered multiple online sessions on different topics such as housing, arrival in France, or the course selection (No first come first serve, but requires some planning). The registration process at the partner university was initiated via e-mail - I received a message outlining all mandatory to-dos that had to be completed prior to arrival. Travel: Students arrange their journey individually. I traveled from Munich to Lyon by plane. From the Lyon airport it is possible to take the RHONE Express tram or alternatively an Uber.

2. Accommodation

The process of finding accommodation took quite some time and effort. The university referred exchange students to external housing partners such as Livinfrance and Studapart - personally I rented my accommodation via AirBnB: Single appartment (fully equipped), located in Vieux Lyon 5th district (not on the hill)/ Metro D (Campus is in the 7th district at Metro B; good connection Metro or Bike takes about 15 minutes to university) Tips: - It is also worth noting that many rental offers in France require a French guarantor, which can make the process more complicated for international students. - Additionally, due to safety reasons, I would recommend to avoid the Guillotière district when looking for accommodation.

3. Academic life at host university

- New campus (library, free water stations, a lot of tables spread around to work, medical center with nurses) - Teaching style similar to WU Vienna (small classes, focus on interaction and group work) - The university offers a variety of sports courses - the selection starts after the start of the program - My courses (Overall demanding but feasible): Branding (Joonas Rokka): emphazises new & individual perspectives - recommended Lifestyle & markets (Anil Isisag) interesting concept - recommended Leading Strategic Change (Nevena Radoynovska) great professor - recommended Global Strategy (Tao Han) encouraging professor - recommended Nonmarket Strategy: Firm, State & Society (Adam Storer) interesting perspective - recommended Economic Strategy & Competitiveness (Lisa Xiong) bit confusing course - not highly recommended

5. Every day life in the host country

Public transportation/getting around: Works really well and is easy to understand. For students, there is a monthly option for 25€ per month (depending on the age). In addition the bike sharing system Vélo’v is very popular. A yearly pass costs around €20. Moreover, many destinations are within walking distance, which makes it easy to explore the city on foot. Everyday life & Events: In the city center, you can find numerous small supermarkets that are ideal for quick grocery runs. In contrast, there is a large supermarket located close to the university. There a regular local markets offering fresh regional products. Lyon is especially famous for its restaurants! Enjoying the local cuisine is an essential part of the experience (The traditional local cuisine is often quite meat-focused) but you can find very good restaurants of all cuisine types. There are a lot of museums, regional art markets and second hand events. Student life is also very active, with various student groups from EMLYON and the ESN regularly hosting adventures and parties. The app Shotgun provides a helpful overview of events and allows easy ticket booking. I recommend to watch the female selection of Olympique Lyon ;) Tips: - There are no drugstores comparable to chains like dm. Instead, products such as cosmetics, supplements, and certain health-related items are typically purchased either in supermarkets or in pharmacies

6. Testimonial

In a nutshell, the semester abroad in Lyon was truly an experience. Depending on the chosen courses, the academic workload can be quite demanding, requiring continuous effort throughout the semester. Nevertheless, I greatly enjoyed discovering the city and immersing myself in the local culture. The experience allowed me not only to grow academically, but also personally.