January 08th 2024

Study Tour Silicon Valley

A look behind the scenes of the world's most successful IT companies

As part of the ninth edition of our annual study tour to Silicon Valley, our Management, Communication & IT master's students had the privilege of gaining unique insights into the dynamic world of IT giants. From April 1 to 10, 2023, our fourth-semester students experienced an intensive 10-day trip to the San Francisco Bay Area in California, led by our Head of Department & Studies Mr. Peter Mirski. During this time, they experienced a packed program of 71 hours of workshops, keynotes and company visits.

Shortly before graduation, we asked our master's student, Mario Filipović, to step up to the microphone. In our interview, he talks about the inspiring moments during the trip to America, his reasons for choosing the Management, Communication & IT master's program and why the study tour is an indispensable part of the study experience.

What was your study tour highlight?

In my eyes, it was the visit to Facebook, Meta, the look behind the scenes, and to see how the people behind work. You know the social network Facebook and its founder Mark Zuckerberg. They were the first real social network right from the start and have been the largest open office in the world ever since. You might think of a data attack or something similar. But the atmosphere there was incredibly familiar. A real start-up vibe, no flipcharts, they just wrote on the walls. It was totally authentic.

Was the study tour a reason for you to apply for the Management, Communication & IT master's program?

It was not the primary reason. Studying for two years just to be somewhere for 1.5 weeks would have been wrong. I knew the MCI from my bachelor's degree. Looking back, the Study Tour was definitely the cherry on top.

Why should students take part in the study tour?

This trip allows you to visit places you would otherwise never get to. Seeing how and what actually happens there, the contact with people from the IT industry who work at the cutting edge, that's incredibly enriching.

We would like to thank Mario Filipović for his time. The interview shows once again how valuable our US study tour and the associated experiences are for the personal and professional development of our students.

Contact
Prof. Dr. Peter J. Mirski | Head of Department & Studies Bachelor's program Management, Communication & IT
Prof. Dr. Peter J. Mirski Head of Department & Studies +43 512 2070 - 3500