The internship in Germany was an eye-opener

All the documentation was in German, which I wasn't really prepared for.

Andreas Eriksson is running a research project within the Industrial Doctoral School that is about improving the production of biological drugs, together with the company Sartorius, which has locations around the world, including Umeå.

For two weeks in September 2024, Andreas worked at Sartorius' plant outside Bielefeld. The company manufactures cell medium, liquid mixtures of nutrients used to grow living cells for drug production, and the research lab works to analyze and characterize these complex biochemical processes.

From theory to state-of-the-art practice

Andreas, who is used to the research environment at the university, describes the contrast between academic labs and the high-tech production environment as striking.

“A research lab is usually smaller and designed around specific instruments that are used in a narrow area. At Sartorius' lab, the environment was much larger and the range of instruments was significantly broader than I had previously experienced,” he says.

The state-of-the-art equipment not only meant new opportunities, but also a steep learning curve because the instruments he had to work with in Germany were from a different manufacturer than those used in Sweden.

Andreas Eriksson is a doctoral student in the Department of Chemistry and the Industrial Doctoral School.

ImageHans Karlsson

“They also used a different principle to quantify chemical compounds. It was a challenge, but it feels like I've added a new tool to my toolbox,” says Andreas Eriksson.

Although many of his colleagues spoke good English, the language became an unexpected challenge for Andreas.

“All the documentation was in German, which I wasn't really prepared for. I often had to use translation tools and figure things out, even though German is close to Swedish. It gave me a new respect for the role of language in working life.”

He also reflects on how easy it is to take for granted that English works everywhere.

“In Sweden, we are so used to English working in most contexts, but this is not always the case in other countries. It was a useful insight.”

Cross-border knowledge exchange

In addition to the technical aspect of the internship, the informal conversations with German colleagues became an important part of the experience.

“I talked a lot with my colleagues about the differences and similarities between Germany and Sweden, both in terms of work and everyday life. It's conversations like that that make you really get to know other people's ways of thinking and living,” he says.

The cultural differences were also evident in small details, such as how work was organised and what expectations there were in the workplace.

“It was interesting to see how the precision and structure of their work processes differ from how we do things here at home. We exchanged many ideas on how to improve the workflow.”

Andreas Eriksson also visited the headquarters, Sartorius Campus, in Göttingen for a few days during his stay.

ImageMarco Bühl, Sartorius AG

Andreas also took the opportunity to explore Germany during his stay – and he wants to advise others who do internships abroad to do the same. For his part, the weekends were perfect opportunities to explore nearby towns and try out local restaurants.

“If you can, stay a few extra days and discover the country. It's easy to get stuck in work and miss out on all the other things that a stay abroad can bring. I tried to eat dinner in different places every night and learn as much as I could about the local culture,” he says.

So far, Andreas has used two of the three months offered by the Industrial Doctoral School's doctoral programme for internships. He has worked both on-site in Germany and remotely with data analysis for Sartorius.

“We plan to use the third month in the future as well. It will probably be an arrangement where I continue to assist with data analysis remotely. There may also be a shorter visit to Germany, but nothing long-term like last autumn.”

An experience to recommend

For Andreas, the internship has been a positive experience that has provided both professional and personal development. He hopes that more people will take the opportunity to do an internship abroad if the opportunity arises.

“I was able to broaden my knowledge and gain new perspectives. I would definitely recommend it to others. It's an experience that I will carry with me for a long time,” says Andreas Eriksson.

Read more about Andreas Erikssons research project