Students from the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics take part in the Three Minute Thesis Competition
The "International Business Studies Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT)" took place at the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics at Paderborn University in the summer semester of 2024. The competition was part of the English course in the sixth semester of the Bachelor's degree programme in International Business Studies. The challenge for the students was to creatively present their own research work in a video in just three minutes. The topics presented were suitable for a Bachelor's thesis. In addition to the three-minute video, the students wrote an academic exposé and took part in discussion rounds with other students and academic staff.
The students conducted research on topics in the fields of artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, finance and taxation, international business, management, marketing and sustainability, among others. Some research projects involved detailed literature analyses, while others involved collecting their own data. The 3MT Competition helped students to focus on their research specialism and encouraged them to make complex topics accessible and understandable to a broad audience.
Through the course content and participation in the 3MT Competition, students were able to deepen their English language skills for both professional and academic settings and develop their critical thinking and research skills. Many students reported that they felt better prepared for their Bachelor's thesis.
The winners of the competition were selected by a jury consisting of the Dean Prof. Dr Burkhard Hehenkamp, the Dean of Studies Prof. Dr Oliver Müller and Junior Prof. Dr Sylvia Hubner-Benz. The winning entries and further information on the 3MT Competition can be found on the competition website: go.upb.de/3mt
Background
The Bachelor's degree programme in International Business Studies is characterised, among other things, by the teaching of communication skills in order to prepare students for the international working world. At the end of the programme, students should be able to confidently present, discuss and write about business topics in English. These skills are brought together in the 3MT Competition. In the summer semester 2024, the 3MT Competition was led by Bridgette DeCot, Rachel Lindner and Amy Ziemniak as part of the English VI module.
