"Out there in the woods" was the title of this year's SynCat Retreat. Mid-November, 21 students, two lecturers, and a group coach climbed together the highest mountain in the Bavarian Forest - the Arber. The goal was the Zwieseler Hütte, which was set to be hostel, seminar venue and starting point for exciting group projects during the two-day interaction workshop.
In addition to the communication-strategic aspects of the workshop, the main aim was to highlight common points and to intensify the inter-semester exchange between the different "generations" of SynCat students. Thanks to group-dynamic games, interactive introductory rounds, cooking and making music together, this was achieved in no time at all.
Moreover, the students took advantage of the time spent together to explore the strengths and opportunities of the Elite Graduate Program "Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis" and to provide impulses for furthering the ambitious program. During fireside chats and beyond the academic hierarchy, the students had the opportunity to discuss the study program with the accompanying professors and to give feedback about their study experiences. Thus making a positive impact on the further quality increase of the study program.
Interactive formats combined with dynamic outdoor activities encouraged to reflect on which individual role one takes in groups and within communication streams: how do I impact others? What are the expectations of the group and what expectations does the group have of me? What do cultural differences really mean, and how do I deal with them?
A highlight of the workshop was the outdoor challenge: broken up into smaller groups, the students showed how well they were able to work in a team. By that, they realized that it makes sense to face challenges together. Equipped with a GPS device, the participants had to orient themselves in the terrain and find various "treasure boxes", each of which consisted of a tricky task that had to be solved together. Only by the correct answer could the coordinates of the next "treasure chest" be released, and the final goal could be achieved. Once, the students reached the main treasure box, a number lock separated the groups from the longed-for common "jackpot": lunch! The number combination necessary to undo the lock could only be deciphered in a common effort and with the help of the collected "treasures" along with the students’ scientific expertise. Since this challenge was mastered with flying colors, the group was not only invigorated by the lunch they scored, but also by the experiences of the past two days they had spent together.
The sentiments of the participants sent a clear message: this event must be repeated and expanded! This is why after subsequent thorough evaluation the decision was made to firmly anchor the retreat as a three-day event once a year in the course program.
Text: Elite Graduate Program "Advanced Synthesis and Catalysis"
