One of the first activities was a series of workshops. During these sessions, we worked with different types of scientific equipment and even assembled microscopes. This was particularly interesting because we were not just listening to theoretical explanations but also had the opportunity to work hands-on and explore how everything functioned.

We also had the opportunity to attend Master’s thesis defenses. This was a new experience for us, as we had never seen how such defenses are conducted in Germany. Later, we even witnessed a Master’s degree award ceremony. It was fascinating to observe the students and lecturers and see how diplomas were presented and how the completion of studies was celebrated.

During our trip, we also visited the Duchess Anna Amalia Library in Weimar. It was fascinating to see the library from the inside and learn more about its history. We also had the opportunity to explore the city and admire its architecture.

One day, a barbecue was organized for us. It was supposed to be a lot of fun, but we were in for a little disappointment — the sausages were vegan! For some people, this was probably great news, but personally, we were a little disappointed. However, this certainly did not stop us from having a wonderful evening. We danced with international students, chatted a lot, and simply enjoyed the atmosphere. This evening became one of the highlights of our trip, as even the language barrier did not prevent us from having a great time together.

After the Master’s degree award ceremony, we went to a café to celebrate. It was a great opportunity to socialize in a more informal setting. Afterwards, we headed up a hill. The climb was not the easiest, but the view from the top was definitely worth the effort.

The final major activity on the programme was a workshop, during which we once again engaged in hands-on work and completed various tasks.

Overall, our trip to Jena left us with many wonderful