Student portrait: Sk Ahmed Alvee – “Every day brings a new experience”

2021-01-07 The 24-year-old student founded a small business in Bangladesh, had a scholarship in the USA, and is now studying International Business Administration and Entrepreneurship at Leuphana College. He wants to lay a scientific foundation for his work. On 5 February 2021, prospective international students can find out about studying at Leuphana at the Online Open Day.

Sk Ahmed Alvee has read on the internet everything he could find about the Leuphana. "A friend in the USA recommended the university to me. She also studied here. I am glad that I got a place here. Every day is a new experience." He just finished his second semester at Leuphana. "I am an entrepreneur, but I lack the scientific and statistical knowledge. That is why I decided to study here", explains Sk Ahmed Alvee. In Bangladesh, he built up a business, manufacturing and selling wallets, purses, and backpacks made of jute. Sustainability is not only important to him when it comes to materials. Sk Ahmed Alvee taught mathematics and languages on a voluntary basis in a non-profit school in Bangladesh. In the morning, children came to school and the adults in the evening.

At Leuphana he is involved in the student initiative Enactus. "In Project Poculum, we campaigned for women in Bangladesh. Menstruation is still taboo there. Drugstores are mostly run by men. Instead of buying there, many women often use old newspapers or rags when they have their period; also because they only cannot afford this. It is unhygienic and they risk infectious diseases. In cooperation with NGOs in Bangladesh, Enactus organizes reusable menstrual cups and educates women about their use."

When Sk Ahmed Alvee finishes his studies, he wants to start up again: "A good company can change a community for the better. It creates jobs and social justice." In the US, he has already graduated with an associate degree in International Business and Entrepreneurship from a community college. The graduate had to leave America. However, his very good grade point average opened up many opportunities for him. "I chose Leuphana because of its interdisciplinary approach. The course of study begins with the Leuphana semester. All freshman students work together. I learned a lot about sustainability. For my country, this thinking is very important. If the sea level continues to rise due to climate change, large parts of my home country could be flooded. Eight million climate refugees would be the result", explains Sk Ahmed Alvee.

He doesn't speak fluently German yet. Still, all the courses in his degree program are offered in English. But he wants to learn German. "I met many wonderful people in Lüneburg. From the university employees to my friends, they all supported me in different ways. At first, I lived in a student dormitory where we often cooked together and invited people to international evenings. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, my friends made this place a home for me", Sk Ahmed Alvee reports. The encounters are important to him: "We not only study together, we also learn from each other."

At the Online Open Day on 5 February 2021, prospective international students can find out about English-language majors and the everyday study life of internationals at Leuphana from 3-6 pm. In addition, they will receive tips and information about the application process and the requirements for studying at Leuphana College.