Jonathan Prokop

Jonathan Prokop shares insights into his time as a distance-learning student at FERNFH and explains how he applies the knowledge he gained to his professional practice.

Your Distance Learning Program

To start off, we’d like to give you the chance to tell us—in whatever way you’d like—what you’d share with a friend about your most memorable moment at FERNFH.
The most memorable moments during my distance learning program are the times spent with classmates and instructors in person, and the group dynamics that develop despite our infrequent in-person meetings. It was exciting to experience the first day on campus and meet so many new people, as well as to take in the various impressions of what the next two years of study would hold. Despite the many virtual group projects, we always celebrate our successes together at the university—right up to the final exam.

What led to the decision to start a part-time degree program?
The decision was based on the flexibility of distance learning, which makes it possible to effectively balance work and continuing education, as well as the opportunity to pursue further education in a field with a promising future while continuing to fulfill personal and professional obligations.

How did you find out about the Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH back then?
I came across the Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH after doing extensive research on a flexible and practice-oriented distance learning program in business informatics. I eventually read about the university in a print magazine and checked out its website right after that.

What was the deciding factor in your choice of degree program?
The deciding factors in my decision to pursue the Business Informatics degree program at Ferdinand Porsche FERNFH were the program’s practical focus and the many business insights it provided, which were extremely helpful to me during my time as a self-employed entrepreneur.

For many people, balancing work, daily life, family, free time, friends, and school sounds like a major challenge. What helped you manage it?
It’s certainly not easy. However, using digital learning platforms, communicating regularly with professors and fellow students, and developing an effective time-management strategy helped me a great deal.

We’ve all been there—during college, there are courses that always leave a lasting impression and really captivate you. Which ones were those for you, and why?
In my case, there were several. Some courses were very intensive—because of the wide range of topics, you sometimes have to familiarize yourself with entirely new areas—corporate analysis and the economics courses were quite demanding—which made the sense of accomplishment after the exams all the sweeter.

What changes did you notice in your job after graduating, or did you perhaps change jobs?
After graduating, numerous new opportunities automatically open up in the job market. I had already gained a foothold in IT project management while I was still a student, so that I could focus more on leadership and international management in the years that followed.

Which topics from your studies do you still apply in your day-to-day work?
Mainly the ability to summarize and present information concisely, as well as entrepreneurial thinking.

The world of work is changing. How are you experiencing this change in your industry or professional environment?
In my current day-to-day work, I spend most of my time in virtual meetings, workshops, and traveling abroad. The topics of digitalization, sustainability, and artificial intelligence are shaping not only our environment but also numerous industries these days. You have to constantly strive to be a driver of innovation in order to keep up with the times and incorporate these trends into business processes and products.

To what extent did your degree program prepare you for the changing world of work?
My degree program prepared me by not only providing me with a solid foundation in economics and computer science, but also by fostering important skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, communication, and adaptive learning. Furthermore, it has enabled me to quickly grasp and apply new technologies and trends, which is essential in a constantly evolving work environment. Something else that’s important to me—and was also true during my time as a student—is focusing on what matters most and making decisions (quickly).

Time Travel: Go back to the time before you started college. What would you have liked to know back then, and why?
I would have liked to know even before starting college how important it is to develop effective time management skills in order to find a balance between school, work, and personal commitments. It would also have been helpful to know how important it is to actively seek out opportunities to apply what you’ve learned in practice—for example, by actively involving the company.

Looking back on your studies, what was the most important lesson you learned personally?
The most important lesson I learned personally is that continuous learning and the ability to adapt to new technologies and developments are crucial to succeeding in the dynamic world of business informatics.

What advice would you like to give to first-year students and/or prospective students?
As Steve Jobs said in his famous speech at Stanford University: “Stay hungry, stay foolish”—stay curious and open to new ideas and technologies. The world of business informatics is dynamic and constantly changing, so it’s important to keep developing your skills.