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."

Is my talent enough to compete at the very top? Will I stay injury-free and be in the right team at the right time? There are many uncertainties when it comes to a career in sport. That is why, whilst still at his first club, EWE Baskets in Oldenburg, the professional basketball player decided to pursue a second string to his bow and complete a degree.

“After my Abitur, a career in sport was on the cards. But it was hard to predict just how successful I’d be as a professional. That’s why I looked into educational pathways alongside sport. I’d already heard about the C3L and the part-time Bachelor’s degree at a school event. When two friends then spoke very highly of the course, I enrolled as well.

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I made a conscious decision not to do a purely online degree. There are only a few on-site workshops, but they’re extremely intensive and enriching. I get to meet interesting people, network and engage in discussions. You’re more likely to pluck up the courage to ask questions and strike up a conversation in a way that isn’t possible online. The face-to-face sessions really give me a lot. The catering was brilliant too!

The exciting and practical module content helps me satisfy my thirst for knowledge. I gain an insight into a wide variety of companies and get out of my professional sport bubble. That wouldn’t have been possible without the degree programme. I always find the group work brilliant. I particularly enjoyed the business simulation in the Accounting and Controlling module. Together, we simulated running companies and competed against the other groups.

A highlight: in the ‘Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods’ module, I conducted a survey on basketball on German television together with a fellow student. We’d called for participation via forums and Facebook and received more than 1,000 responses. Neither we nor the lecturers had expected that.

My motivation was very high at the start. However, due to changes of club and sporting challenges, I had to take a break from my studies. Now in my early 30s, with the end of my sporting career in sight, my ambition has been rekindled: I want to have that academic qualification under my belt! The biggest challenge still lies ahead of me in the form of my final dissertation. I have great respect for this task, but I feel a bit more confident and well prepared thanks to the ‘Academic Writing’ module.

Thanks to the flexible timetable and few on-campus sessions, I can easily combine my studies with my sporting career. Although the C3L programme provides a great structure, time management remains a challenge – especially when I’m particularly busy with sport at certain times. I definitely need the deadlines, as they spur me on to periods of intensive study.

My tip for other students: keep track of dates and meet deadlines – that way, you won’t miss anything and won’t fall behind. Consistency and self-discipline are absolutely essential. If you stay on top of things and work through the material continuously, you’ll get through the module much more easily and reach your goal faster. Open communication is also hugely important – whether with lecturers or fellow students. For example, if you’ve failed a module, you shouldn’t just disappear. It really helps to discuss the reasons for this with your lecturers.

After my career as a professional sportsman, my Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration will open a few doors for me that I wouldn’t otherwise be able to get through, or at least not so easily. As well as my subject-specific skills, my communication skills have improved significantly as a result of my studies, for example when giving presentations. Juggling both my studies and my sporting career has also taught me to be more disciplined.”

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."

Ever since she finished the Abitur, Julia had been certain she wanted to go to university – but the lectures she attended on a trial basis were too theoretical and too boring for her. So she decided to train as a retail assistant and went on to work as a personnel coordinator. However, the desire to continue her education was always there.

“I chose the part-time Business Administration degree programme at the University of Oldenburg because it offers plenty of flexibility in selecting modules that suit my current job. I also have flexibility when it comes to the selection of my examination modules. The lecturers help me find suitable topics, but also give me plenty of scope to shape the project myself. That makes the work even more enjoyable.

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What motivates me most of all is keeping up with the times. Through group work with other students, you gain insights into different organisational structures. Improvements developed collaboratively can be implemented in your own company. In the Entrepreneurship module, my group and I developed a business concept that, in theory, would have been ready for the market. The lecturers would even have supported us in putting it into practice – which shows just how committed they are.

Shaping the business concept by drawing on the diverse expertise of us students made me realise what is possible through in-depth engagement, interest and hard work. If you have the right people around you, you can achieve much more than you think – that’s something I noticed time and again during my studies. You’re actually studying for yourself, but you also support one another and benefit from each other.

What I feared most were the seminar papers. I’m not someone who’s good at summarising information or finding the right words. I spent many hours working on this particular seminar paper as carefully as possible to ensure I got a good grade in the end. What helped me was writing my first written assignment together with a fellow student from a higher year. She was able to give me tips and help me overcome my anxiety.

I enjoyed the face-to-face workshops the most. They bring together people from different regions and companies to share their experiences and stories. It’s always exciting to gain new insights. The work is mostly practical, with very few theoretical lectures. This means much more sticks in your mind – for example, from the Leadership and Communication module. There, we examined our own personalities in more detail using tests and learnt a lot about ourselves.

Even though it was demanding, there was something productive to take away from every workshop.

There are always phases in life when things might not be going so well personally and you have to put your studies on hold. However, I tried to complete all the modules within the allotted time. Even though there are plenty of options at C3L to extend your studies or take a semester off, I didn’t want to let my studies slide. The close interaction with other students and lecturers was a great help. This helped to sort out many problems.

I’ve also grown a great deal personally during my time at university. I now have a clear idea of which direction I want to go in and which I don’t. The individual modules have shown me which areas suit me and which don’t. After my Bachelor’s, I’d like to do a Master’s in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship at C3L. It was the innovative modules in particular that really captivated me, and I can see myself working in this field.

Looking ahead, I hope to retain the mindset I’ve developed through my studies and not lose my eye for new ideas. I want to feel settled in my job, but still remain open to change.”