Her job often takes Rebekka to Southeast Asia - which is organisationally challenging for a part-time business studies course with face-to-face workshops. Nevertheless, she usually completes three modules per semester.

"During my training as a shipping clerk, I learnt a lot about business administration, which I wanted to explore in more depth. That's why I looked for a part-time degree programme after I took over the job. An online-only degree programme was out of the question because face-to-face interaction with other students and lecturers is important to me. And learning in on-site workshops is more effective. I then decided in favour of the C3L because I had also heard a lot of positive things from colleagues.

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I am motivated by the academic appointments and the fact that I can apply what I have learnt directly. The modules address current topics that I also deal with in my day-to-day work. This practical relevance also benefits my employer, who supports my studies financially. The Supply Chain Act is currently a major challenge. I dealt with it intensively during my studies so that I can support our project team in implementing the law individually. This ensures that we organise our processes in a sustainable and compliant manner.

In addition to my professional skills, I am also developing my personal skills. During my studies, I learn how to organise myself and apply soft skills, for example in presenting, group coordination and time management. Improving my soft skills is actually my greatest success on the programme.

Because I am very ambitious, I want to graduate within the standard period of study. Completing three modules per semester was difficult at the beginning, but I can now manage everything much better in terms of time. During the examination phases, you have to coordinate early on because they are often group projects. And of course you don't have quite as much free time. But during the self-study phases, you have more time to meet friends and get on with your life as usual.

My academic appointments take me to Southeast Asia very often. The time difference makes it a bit more difficult to coordinate with fellow students and professors, especially during face-to-face workshops or online meet-ups. I was even able to crack this tough nut because the C3L offers great flexibility and a perfect mix of online and face-to-face study. The innovative examination regulations, which don't require written exams, are also great.

I particularly enjoy working with my fellow students and gaining an insight into other companies. I can see how others deal with problems and how others think innovatively. We are undergoing major change at every level, which is why the lecturers place a lot of emphasis on "thinking outside the box". It's important not just to consider how problems have been solved in the past, but how to develop new approaches and solutions.

In the Leadership and Communication module, we recently took a personality test. It was very exciting for everyone - many were downright shocked because the results exactly mirrored their characters. I can take a lot away from such insights about myself. I now know why I react the way I do in certain situations. Especially with regard to leadership, this helps me to deal with other people better. In general, I have approached topics differently since my studies. That will be a great help in future management positions."

Do I have enough talent to play at the very top? Am I injury-free and in the right team at the right time? Many things remain uncertain in a career as a sportsman. That's why the professional basketball player decided to pursue a second career and an academic degree during his first stint with the Oldenburg Bundesliga club EWE Baskets.

"After leaving school, my sporting career was in sight. But it was hard to predict how successful I would be as a professional. That's why I found out about educational paths alongside sport. I had already heard about the C3L and the part-time bachelor's programme at a school event. When two friends told me only good things about the programme, I also enrolled.

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I deliberately decided against a purely online degree programme. There are only a few on-site workshops, but they are extremely intensive and enriching. I get to meet interesting people, network and discuss things. You feel more confident to ask questions and engage in dialogue in a way that is not possible online. The presentations really give me a lot. The catering was also amazing!

I can quench my thirst for knowledge with the exciting and practical module content. I get an insight into very different companies and get out of my professional sports bubble. This would not have been possible without the degree programme. I always think the group work is great. I particularly enjoyed the business game in the Accounting and Controlling module. We simulated companies together and competed with the other groups.

One highlight: in the "Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods" module, I conducted a survey on basketball on German television together with a fellow student. We called for participation via forums and Facebook and received more than 1000 re-registering students. Neither we nor the lecturers had expected that.

My motivation was very high at the beginning. I then had to take a break from my studies due to changing clubs and sporting challenges. In my early 30s and with the end of my sporting career in sight, my ambition took hold again: I want to have an academic degree in the bag! The biggest challenge still lies ahead of me with my final thesis. I have a lot of respect for it, but I feel a little more confident and well prepared thanks to the "Scientific work" module.

Thanks to the flexible timetable and few attendances, I can combine my studies well with my sporting career. Although the C3L provides great structures, time management remains a challenge. Especially when I'm particularly involved in sport at certain times. I definitely need the deadlines, which then spur me on to phases of intensive learning.

My tip for other students: Keep an eye on deadlines and stick to them - then you won't miss anything and won't fall behind. Regularity and self-discipline are the be-all and end-all. If you keep at it and work on the material continuously, you will get through the module much more easily and reach your goal faster. Open communication is also extremely important - be it with lecturers or fellow students. For example, if you have failed a module, you shouldn't just drop out. It helps a lot to discuss the reasons with your lecturers.

After my career as a professional athlete, the Bachelor's degree in Business Administration will open one or two doors for me that I would otherwise not be able to get through, or at least not so easily. In addition to my specialist skills, my communication skills have improved a lot as a result of my studies, for example when giving presentations. The double workload has also taught me more discipline."

After training as an office management assistant, Wiebke now works in the legal department of a company's contracts department. Because she often had to leave her comfort zone in the first few semesters, she is now much more confident in dealing with challenges.

"I see my degree programme as a valuable investment in my future that will give me new perspectives. I want to develop professionally and personally without having to give up my job. The great flexibility at C3L makes it easy to combine studying and academic appointments and I appreciate the fact that online-based learning is combined with face-to-face workshops.

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The fact that I can manage the challenge of combining my academic appointment with my studies is a major success of my degree programme. Despite the double burden, my grades are good. My studies have taught me how to manage my time better and organise myself better - which also helps me in my day-to-day work.

I think my biggest personal development has been that I have not only deepened my specialist knowledge, but also learned to deal with challenges more confidently. Especially at the beginning, I often had to step out of my comfort zone, for example when giving presentations. I can now cope better with such situations and gain more self-confidence every time.

I'm also learning to let go of my tendency towards perfectionism a little when working on projects. When there are setbacks or wrong decisions, I have to admit to myself from time to time that not everything works straight away. You can also learn valuable lessons from mistakes.

I always think it's great when the project work starts with the development of ideas. Everyone can contribute their individual interests and exchange ideas with their fellow students. At the end of projects, I can combine theoretical and practical aspects from my academic appointment, which opens up new perspectives.

A certain degree of organisation and discipline is required, especially in the project phases, to keep things moving forward. You have to find a balance between work and study without neglecting your free time. In order to study successfully at C3L, you need efficient time management. And in order to concentrate on essential tasks, it is important to set priorities. A certain degree of adaptability helps you to be able to react to unforeseen developments. This avoids stress. What is always helpful is to exchange ideas with your fellow students in order to support and motivate each other.

My decision to study at C3L was also influenced by the experiences of colleagues who studied at C3L while working. I can pass on this recommendation."

Julia had known since leaving school that she wanted to study - but the lectures she attended on a trial basis were too theoretical and boring for her. She therefore decided to train as a retail saleswoman and then worked as a personnel planner. However, the desire to continue her education was always there.

"I opted for the part-time business administration degree programme at the University of Oldenburg because there is a lot of leeway when it comes to choosing modules that suit my academic appointment. I am also flexible in the selection of examinations. The lecturers help me to find the right topics, but also give me plenty of room to organise them. This makes the work even more fun.

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What motivates me above all is keeping my finger on the pulse. The group work with other students gives you an insight into other organisational structures. Jointly developed improvements can be implemented in your own organisation. In the Entrepreneurship module, I developed a business concept with my group that would theoretically have been ready for the market. The lecturers even supported us with the implementation - that shows their commitment.

Designing the business concept with the help of the different expertise of us students made me realise what is possible through intensive discussion, interest and hard work. If you have the right people around you, you can achieve much more than you think - I realised that time and again during my studies. You actually study for yourself, but you also support each other and benefit from each other.

I was most afraid of the seminar papers. I'm not a person who is good at summarising information and finding the right wording. I spent many hours working on these exams as carefully as possible so that I would get a good grade in the end. What helped me: Writing the first written assignment together with a fellow student from a higher semester. She was able to give me tips and take away my fears.

What I liked best were the face-to-face workshops. People from different regions and companies come together and share their experiences and stories. It's always exciting to gain new insights. Most of the work is practical and there are only a few theoretical lectures. As a result, a lot more remains in our heads, for example from the leadership and communication module. There, we analysed our own personality more closely with the help of tests and learned a lot about ourselves.

Even though it was exhausting, we were able to take away something productive from every workshop.

There are always phases in life when things aren't going so well in your private life and you have to put your studies on the back burner. However, I tried to complete all the modules in the time allowed. Even though there are many opportunities at C3L to extend or skip a semester, I didn't want to let my studies slide. The intensive dialogue with other students and lecturers was a great help. This made it possible to solve many problems.

I also developed a lot personally during my time at university. I now realise which direction I want to go in and which not. The individual modules have shown me which areas suit me and which don't. After my Bachelor's degree, I would like to do a Master's in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship at C3L. The innovative modules in particular have captivated me and I can imagine working in this field.

For the future, I hope to maintain the attitude I had during my studies and not lose sight of new things. I want to have arrived at my job, but still always be open to change."