From July 8^th to 12^th, the 27 interns explored the cities of Mannheim and Heidelberg together with the AKI project managers and visited various companies and museums. 

After the arrival on Tuesday, the program started right away on Wednesday with a visit of the Nußloch Goat Cheese Farm. There, the two farm managers explained the special aspects of working with goats and their farming practices. The visit was rounded off with a tasting of the farm’s own delicious cheese. After the visit, there was the opportunity to visit the city of Heidelberg and its sights.

On Thursday, the group visited John Deere. The Ukrainian interns toured the entire plant, observing all steps of tractor production—from the delivery of the cabins to the final brake test. A highlight was, of course, the opportunity to climb into some of the tractors themselves after the tour. 

On Friday, right after breakfast, the group headed to the Technoseum in Mannheim. With fascinating exhibits, numerous interactive stations, and live demonstrations, the group learned a great deal about industrialization and the development of technology in Germany. 

Afterward, the final part of the excursion took them to BASF in Ludwigshafen. Following a brief introduction to BASF’s research projects, the interns gained in-depth insights into current research work during a guided tour – everything from robot-controlled laboratories to greenhouses was included.

Besides the official program, ample time was available to explore Mannheim and Heidelberg individually — whether strolling along the riverbank, wandering through the old town, or visiting Heidelberg Castle. On Saturday it was already time to return to the farms — enriched with many new experiences and impressions. 

At AKI, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to John Deere, the Nußloch Goat Cheese Farm, and BASF for providing us with fascinating insights into their work. Thanks to their generous support, our interns were able to gain new knowledge, valuable hands-on experience, and grow together as a team.