Cambridge Students Learn Operations Management at Europa-Park

Top engineering students from the University of Cambridge spent a day at Germany’s largest theme park and gained first-hand insights into the complex challenges of operations management. The 18 students from the Master’s program “Industrial Systems, Manufacture and Management” (ISMM) at the Institute for Manufacturing (IfM) of the University of Cambridge were part of a two-week excursion through France and Germany at the end of April and dedicated one day to Europa-Park. The internationally diverse group used the opportunity to connect theoretical knowledge from their studies with practical insights into a globally successful leisure company.

At Europa-Park, the focus was particularly on the demanding operational processes of park operations as well as the technical processes surrounding the blue fire Megacoaster and other attractions. The aspiring industrial engineers received exciting background information that illustrated how versatile and precise the management of a large theme park must be organized.

“The visit to Europa-Park was an exceptionally valuable experience for our students and me,” emphasizes Dr. Florian Urmetzer, Associate Teaching Professor and Executive Course Director at the University of Cambridge. “The openness with which we were granted insights into highly complex operational and technical processes impressively demonstrates how demanding excellent operations management is in practice. It quickly became clear that an exceptionally friendly interaction as well as highly professional and at the same time extremely efficient work are lived here. It is precisely this interplay that creates the foundation for that enthusiasm which ultimately expresses itself in the guests’ shouts of joy.”

In addition to Europa-Park, visits to Hansgrohe in Schiltach and Sick in Waldkirch were also on the excursion program. The day at the theme park drove home to the students that excellent operations management goes far beyond pure theory and ultimately forms the basis for unforgettable guest experiences.