What motivated you to teach students voluntarily?

Teaching at the university is not a new activity for me. As a PhD in Electrical Engineering, I taught a similar course on electrical machines and drives at the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, a few years ago. The successful approval of two European funding projects from the Erasmus+ program for cooperation between Moldovan universities and DRÄXLMAIER offered a new opportunity: The state university “Bogdan Petriceicu Hasdeu” Cahul asked if I would like to take on a teaching assignment for the subject “Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering” for one semester per year to pass on my expertise to the students.

Can you share a particularly special experience during your volunteer work?

What fascinates me about the students is their openness to new things. I teach them online in their native language, but with my experience from Germany, the country with the highest technological level in Europe. This combination is extremely beneficial for the interaction between me as a lecturer and the students. Questions that keep coming up during the course concern electromobility. The students want to know more about the electric cars developed in Germany. Therefore, the last lesson will be specifically dedicated to this topic.

What positive changes have you observed in the students?

Over time, it becomes increasingly apparent that the students become more confident and discover the synergy between the course and their experiences from other courses, such as mechanics. They develop an increasing understanding of systems, which is particularly important in today’s industry.

How has this activity influenced you personally and professionally?

I have always strived for variety and progress throughout my life. The time I spend preparing the courses in my free time is valuable to me because I can delve into technical topics and refresh what I have learned. I am also very happy that I can help others, especially young people. This gives me a very fulfilling feeling. Additionally, it is very motivating for my daily work at DRÄXLMAIER to see how positively our cooperation projects with universities are received in practice.

What advice would you give to colleagues who want to volunteer?

Volunteering offers the chance to share your passion with others and enjoy their development. This increases your own satisfaction. Just give it a try!