Around the world in 27 fellows: Prof. Dr. Mohammad Jafarinejad
![[Foto] Mann in dunklem Anzug mit weißem Hemd und lila Krawatte vor unscharfem Innenraum. (Image: privat)](/mam/bilder/hochschule/profil/fittosize_358_201_127_133_d34fec6018cf8f4753efe100f3cc0165_jarafinejad_foto_ii.jpg "[Foto] Mann in dunklem Anzug mit weißem Hemd und lila Krawatte vor unscharfem Innenraum. (Image: privat)")
From 2025 to 2027, 27 researchers from 19 countries will be conducting their research and teaching at TH Köln as International Fellows. One of them is Prof. Dr. Mohammad Jafarinejad. In this interview, he shares how he perceived the campus upon arrival and how his experience will shape his teaching back home.
Name: Prof. Dr. Mohammad Jafarinejad
Home university: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, USA
Host faculty: Faculty of Economics and Law
Fellowship title: International Perspectives on Financial Markets and Behavior
Duration of stay: May 25 – November 24, 2026
I was interested in the International Fellowship because...
it offered the opportunity to both teach a course and collaborate on research with faculty at TH Köln, and to experience day-to-day life in Germany over a sustained period.
Specifically, during the fellowship I wanted to...
learn more about academic culture in Germany, build a deeper understanding of European and German institutions, and strengthen collaboration between our institutions beyond my own field of finance.
During my time in Germany, I wanted to find out...
what daily life is like living in Germany and Europe more broadly: the culture, the pace of life, and work/life balance.
I think international exchange is...
essential to a well-rounded education; both students and faculty benefit from the experience.
Something that is different at my home university than at TH Köln is...
the campus: TH Köln's decentralized, city-integrated buildings have character and history, but take some getting used to when finding your way around.
What I take back to my home university is...
new course content I can incorporate into my own classes, along with a more practical, applied approach to teaching that I saw modeled at TH Köln.
What I like about TH Köln is that...
the campus sits right in the middle of a vibrant city, surrounded by cafés and restaurants, and is easily accessible by train. The building itself is old and full of character and history, and the faculty bring significant industry experience and an applied approach to their teaching.
What I really wanted to experience in Cologne is...
Kölsch culture specifically, from the beer to the language, which makes Cologne unique and different from the rest of Germany.
About PLan_CV
The International Fellows program is part of the project PLan_CV („Professur-Laufbahn an Hochschulen für angewandte Wissenschaften neu denken: Collaboration und Vernetzung“). Its goal: Finding excellent candidates for professorial careers at TH Köln and achieving greater permeability between the academic world and the business sector. The project’s budget of 11.7 million Euros is funded through the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space program “FH-Personal” (staff for universities of applied sciences).
October 2026
