Our Officer Team have been busy making student life unforgettable in one of Europe’s most historic cities.
De Montfort Students’ Union (DSU) has been busy making student life unforgettable in one of Europe’s most historic cities.
Dan Winney and Keira Rounsley – in one of their last actions as part of DSU’s Officer Team – jetted off to Berlin last week with more than 800 hundred students from De Montfort University (DMU) to lay on evening events that helped unearth even more of the city’s rich culture.
The pair organised trips to the historic Berlin Wall, the world-famous Holocaust Memorial and the original Urban Beach as well as some of the German capital’s best restaurants.
The Holocaust Memorial is made up of 2,711 concrete blocks in central Berlin.
Dan, President of DSU, said: “It was an absolutely superb week, where more than 800 students enjoyed the culture of a fantastic European city.
“We enabled students to meet new people, and the experiences that they will take from their trip will stand them in good stead for their course, any placements they may go on, and life after university.”
Dan had been joined by his fellow officers Augustus Mbanasor, Mike Mayes and Ahtesham Mahmood on the biggest #DMUglobal trip (so far) in New York earlier this year, and jumped at the opportunity to replicate the experience in Berlin.
Architecture students were also offered the opportunity to discover why the city is described as an 'open air museum'.
Keira, VP Welfare and Community at DSU, explained: “We took a lot of students out in the evenings, and it was a great way for students to meet one another, especially for those who had travelled by themselves and didn’t really know a lot of people on the trip.
“My personal highlight was getting to talk to so many students and finding out their views about the students’ union, and learning about what they are doing.
“Sometimes we can get really caught up in university meetings and projects that we don’t always have time to go out and talk to students, so it was a great way of actually chatting to them and finding out about what’s happening at DMU.
“I just think it is a great experience to head to a completely different country and learn things in addition to everything that students take away with their course.”
Almost 1,000 DMU students and staff descended on the world-famous Brandenburg Gate during the week for the trip's official group photo.
The activities sat alongside diverse course-related visits ranging from Einstein’s former observatory, a former SS villa in the city’s suburbs and even the first international Be the Change event at the British Embassy.
The university are now planning further mass #DMUglobal trips to New York once again plus an all-new visit to Hong Kong.
Dan continued: “I look forward to seeing further #DMUglobal trips, and it is a great example of the partnership between DMU and DSU to organise such activities.
“I’d like to thank Keira and our DMU colleagues for their commitment to this trip, especially the #DMUglobal team who work tirelessly to ensure that students get the most from their international experiences.”
DMU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dominic Shellard chose Berlin for the second mass #DMUglobal trip because the city represents 'tolerance, inclusion and diversity', principles at the heart of the university’s international strategy.
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