Name of the University: Universidad Ponificia Comillas - ICADE
Names of the students: Elisabeth Falck-Ytter and Karin Leiva
Exchange semester: Fall, 2011
I GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
The school is located near downtown Madrid. The classrooms are modern, yet the school
building is slightly old. There are two campuses for business students, but they are in walking
distance from eachother.
II PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Information before you left
 When did you receive the information package from the University?
We received the matriculation papers and information from the University to our mail in
Norway in June. It was all quite clear, and we were asked to come to Madrid a few days
in advance of the beginning of classes. However, we did have some trouble to find the
courses offered by the university, but we got an updated list when we came to the school.
Visa Procedure and travel experiences
 What problems, if any did you encounter?
There are non or very few problem you can encounter when you choose your exchange
semester within European countries, since there are agreements that facilitate all
bureaucratic issues for all Europeans.
You do not need a Visa for exchange in Spain.
There is no need for Visa for the exchange in Spain since they have special agreements
within Europe.
 How did you order your ticket – any problems?
There are no direct flights between Oslo and Madrid any longer. The only way you can
travel to Madrid is with companies, as SAS, Lufthansa and Spanair, but you will be forced
to do a stop over in another European city. There is also the possibility to fly directly to
Alicante, Barcelona or Valencia and take a speed train or an internal flight to Madrid. This
option can also be cheaper.
Academic Calendar
 Arrival date – introductory week
We had to arrive no later than 4th of September because all exchange students had to
take a test of their Spanish level Monday the 5th of September., You will be placed in the
Spanish class according to your score.
 First day of the semester?
The first day of the semester after the intensive Spanish course was Monday 12 th of
September
 Last day of classes?
The last day of classes was 22nd of December.
 Examination period?
In ICADE the examination period is in January. However, all the exams of the courses
that are taught in English are in December before the ending of classes. It is also possible
to make some arrangements with the school so that all exams can be taken before you
go home for Christmas.
 Any special events?
The school didn’t have anything like an introduction week for the students. Spain has
several holidays in the fall semester, and many people do parties these days.
Reception
 How was the reception at the school?


The first day was only the Spanish test, and then we started the intensive course of
Spanish the next day until the normal classes started. The same week we also had an
information meeting and a welcoming from the school in the school aula.
Was the administration and faculty well prepared for your arrival?
They were well prepared for our arrival.
Did the school’s students participate in the reception of the exchange students?
The school students did not participate as they still had summer vacations. However, if
you want it is possible to get a buddy, but it might take a while.
Housing
 Did you have housing at your disposal or did you have to find your own housing?
We had to find our own housing.
 What support did you receive from the school in locating housing?
The school did not support in finding housing at all. However they did give information
about the different options of housing in the city.
 Any special issues or good ideas for prospective students?
It can be difficult to find housing, so going to Madrid a few days in advance is a good
idea. And be prepared to live with other students in shared apartments, because the
prices are quite high.
Costs
 Describe the most important expenses such as rent, books, food, etc.
The rent of a shared apartment depends a lot on the area, but the prices are around 500
euro a month including electricity and internet, this is when you choose living close to the
school. Not all classes have books, so the book expenses are really low compared to BI.
Food is approximately half the price of Norway.
The International Office
 Is there an international office?
There is an international office, and beside this office you can get a lot of information from
each of the academic departments, it depends on what you are studying in your own
country.

Who is responsible for incoming exchange students?
There is as mention earlier an international office, additionally each academic department
is responsible for the different programs each student belong to, and they keep you
inform with the information you need during your stay.

How does the international office function?
You can contact them whenever you require, and they send you information through email during the semester.

Do you receive all relevant information?
We had some problems in finding the classes offered for our semester to fill out the
learning agreement before leaving. But after sending an e-mail we received it. However,
when the school year started it had been some changes in the schedule, and we had to
rearrange some courses. In this case the (decanato), the academic department were
willing to help us with all the arrangements.
Exchange promotion
 What kind of activity did you take part in to promote exchange to Norway at your
exchange university?
We talked about Norway in front of our classmates, and we were introduced to student
buddies that arrange meetings between the exchange students, were we shared
information about our countries with each other.
Social Activities
 How is your relationship with other students?
As we mention earlier we were given each a student buddy, that offer to guide us and
arrange meeting to help us socialize with other students. However we chose to also
socialize with people outside school to learn more about the Spanish culture.

How is the relationship among the exchange students?
The relationship is good, but many exchange students knew students from their own
school and seemed to stick with them. There were also a lot of students that were from
countries that didn’t speak English very well, so our level of Spanish had to be quite good.

Is there a student organization, and if so, are the exchange students’ parts of it?
There are many student organizations, and the exchange students are being encouraged
to join in the activities. All the information was sent through e-mail.

Are there any special activities and gatherings for exchange students?
No, but there are many Erasmus groups in Madrid that arrange different excursions.

How do you like it at the school?
The school was nice, but quite formal.
Culture and Language
 Do you have any language problems with the faculty or other students?
Not all people of the faculty speaks English, but most of the time they will understand you.
I have the impression that most of the students speak English.
 How are the possibilities to experience the country and the culture?
There is very high possibility to experience the country. Be open to people and try to
make Spanish friends. A good way to do that is to live with Spanish people, get a buddy
and join the activities of the school.
Cultural and Social Effects from the Exchange Experience
 How do you think the exchange experience will affect you from a cultural and social point
of view?
I have learned a lot about Spanish culture, and about other ways of living than what are
normal in Norway.
 How do you think the exchange experience influences your future career possibilities?
They are probably better because I speak more Spanish, as well as I have managed my
self in a foreign country for a longer period.
III ACADEMIC INFORMATION
The Teaching situation
 In which language are the courses taught?
You can choose classes in both Spanish and English.
 How would you evaluate the level of study in relationship to the level at BI?
The Spanish classes are quite tough, but the English classes are more flexible as the
teachers know that Erasmus students also like to travel/party etc.
 Is the teaching primarily practical or theoretical?
Primarily theoretical like in BI.
 Are the professors using cases, group work or lectures (or a mix)?
A mix is being used.
 How is the workload compared to that at BI?
The English classes have a much lower workload than in BI.
 How is the relationship between faculty and students?
The relationship between the faculty and students are good.
 What is the relationship between the students in the classroom?
This is good too.
Required Literature
 Is the literature in English?
If the class is in English, so is the literature.

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
How do you estimate the level of the literature?
In some classes we didn’t need to read much, in others we had to read one chapter
before each class.
Is the literature used for detailed knowledge or a broad overview?
It’s used for both.
Is exam based on the literature or on the lectures?
That depends on the class and on the lecturer. If the class has books, the exam is based
on that.
Exams
 What types of evaluation?
Essays, participation, group work, presentations, multiple-choice exams, written exams.
This depends on the course and the choice of the teachers; usually they mix two or three
of these evaluation techniques.
 What knowledge level was required to pass the exams?
Pretty much the same as in BI.
Other
 Do students have easy access to the library and it’s resources?
Yes, however the library is very limited.
 How is the access to the computers?
Good. But the printing is different from BI. You need to take your own papers and print
from a school computer.
 How is IT used in the teaching or as a distributor of information?
 Some professors send e-mails to the students. There is also a portal; similar to It’s
learning where everything is posted. During class the professors use power point.
Description of Courses
Course name:
Prereq.
Exam
Major at BI
Approved as
(Common/elective/extra)
Financial Markets
None
Written
Elective
International Business None
Multiple choice and additional work
Elective
Economy of the EU
None
Multiple choice and additional work
Elective
Business Negotiation None
Essay, negotiations in class
Elective
Español
None
Written
Extra
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Any other experiences:
It might be useful to know that the 4,5 points of ICADE is counted as 6 ECTS in BI.
Names and e-mails:
Elisabeth Falck-Ytter Elisabeth.falckytter@gmail.com
Description of Courses
Please list all the courses you are taking in the form below:
 Name and code of the course
 Prerequisites, if any
 Exam form
 Comments: Relevance, Difficult/easy, Practical/theoretical, Enrolment problems
:
Course name:
Prereq.
Exam
Major at BI
Approved as
(Common/elective/extra)
Logistics
None
Written
Distribution
Management
None
presentation/investigation
Competitive advantage None
group work
Marketing research
None
Research work
…………………………………………………………………………………………..
Please fill in all the courses you have taken
Elective
Elective
Elective
Elective
Any other experiences:
It might be useful to know that the 4,5 points of ICADE is counted as 6 ECTS in BI.
Names and e-mails:
Karin Leiva; karinleiva@hotmail.com