How Khadija El Majidi found her way between languages, cultures and career goals
Whenever Khadija El Majidi returns to Paderborn from a trip to Dortmund or Düsseldorf, she realises once again: this is where she feels at home. Until 2025, she was studying the Master’s programme in Management at Paderborn University – and, on her journey from Morocco to East Westphalia-Lippe, found her second home in this small city.
A new plan after two years in the workforce
After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics in Morocco, Khadija initially worked as a primary school teacher for two years. However, she wanted to develop professionally and remembered the German language skills she had acquired during her Bachelor’s degree.
So she submitted applications to several universities in Germany and received a number of offers. She eventually chose Paderborn. “Paderborn is a small, quiet town. It reminded me of my home town in Morocco. I immediately felt: this is my town.” She initially attended German language courses and completed the compulsory modules for her Master’s degree, which finally began in the winter semester of 2022.
Challenges and the determination to carry on
The start of her studies wasn’t always easy. As well as the language, Khadija also had to get used to the German higher education system. Exam rules and the way the course was organised were unfamiliar at first; giving presentations in German took a great deal of effort. “At the beginning, I sometimes thought: ‘This is never going to work’,” she recalls.
Despite difficult periods, she carried on. “Going back without a degree was not an option for me,” she explains. Her family had placed great trust in Khadija – and that provided her with additional motivation. Group work and discussions with other students were also sometimes made more difficult by language barriers, but Khadija always persevered.
International life in Paderborn
She lived in student halls of residence for five years – a formative time. There she got to know students from many different countries: they cooked together, watched films or learnt German together. She particularly fondly remembers evenings spent together at PaderBowling, picnics in the Pader spring area, and visiting the Libori fair with a large international group.
She also remembers the little moments from her everyday student life – such as studying in the study centre in the I-Building or on the second floor of the university library. “I could concentrate really well there and could have stayed all day sometimes.”
A passion for the digital transformation of HR
During her Master’s degree, Khadija discovered her interest in Human Resources (HR) as well as in topics relating to technology and artificial intelligence – such as the interaction between humans and machines.
These interests are also reflected in her two-year role as a working student at C&A in the HR processes department. There, she supported teams in, amongst other things, streamlining and digitising HR processes. In doing so, she collaborated with international teams, for example in France and Switzerland. After graduating, she was able to stay on at C&A and now works as an Allocation Coordinator.
Challenging, educational and a journey of self-discovery
That’s how Khadija would describe her degree in three words. “My degree was challenging,” she recalls. “But I learnt an incredible amount and also discovered a lot about myself.”
Her advice to other students: start studying early and seek out opportunities to talk to others. “If you talk to lots of people, you’ll understand the system much quicker!” she encourages.
Fancy doing the same?
Discover the diversity of Business Administration and Economics in our Bachelor’s degree programmes. Each study programme usually lasts six semesters and prepares you for a career or a Master’s degree. Master’s study programmes usually last four semesters and prepare you for a career or a PhD.
More information
about the Master’s programme in Management
From the classroom in Morocco to a Master’s degree in Paderborn
