A successful comeback, or when IMC Krems alumni become part-time lecturers: Merima Crnica demonstrates the value of involving graduates with practical expertise in teaching.
Story
Sustainability in practice and strategic thinking from corporate experience
Merima is a graduate of the Master's programme in Umwelt und Nachhaltigkeitsmanagement at IMC Krems – and today she is Head of ESG Consulting (ESG stands for Environmental, Social & Governance) at the Austrian Raiffeisen Association. As a part-time lecturer, Merima Crnica brings a perspective to the lecture hall that students particularly appreciate: sustainability in practice and strategic thinking from corporate practice.
Sustainability and quality – in-depth knowledge
After completing her master's degree at IMC Krems in 2019, Merima Crnica's path led her via EY denkstatt to the Austrian Raiffeisen Association, where she now heads ESG consulting. Her professional career has been shaped by the development of sustainable strategies, audits and transformation processes in companies. This knowledge flows directly into her course on quality and risk management. In it, she teaches how organisations can systematically combine quality and sustainability, identify risks and exploit opportunities for sustainable development.
Alumni as a bridge between science and business
For Merima Crnica, teaching is more than just imparting knowledge – she sees it as a dialogue between theory and application. As an alumna, she knows how crucial practical relevance is in studies, and IMC students benefit from an authentic insight into professional practice. In addition, her experience in ESG consulting allows her to bring current developments, real-life case studies and implementation strategies directly into the lecture hall.
We asked Merima Crnica how she structures her lessons and how it feels to go from being a student to a teacher.
You teach the subject ‘Quality and Risk Management’. What can students expect in your course – and what do you place particular emphasis on?
Above all, students expect a practical focus – i.e. how companies implement the requirements of, for example, the rather ‘dry’ ISO standards in their everyday business life. Through case studies and real-life examples from my professional field and interactive group exercises, I try to share my experiences with the students and translate theory into concrete implementation steps. In addition to the content of the course, open dialogue with students and exchange on an equal footing are particularly important to me.
What does it mean to you personally to return to IMC Krems as an alumna – this time in the role of a lecturer?
I was very happy to return to the IMC Krems campus. I have very positive memories of my time as a student and it fills me with pride to now be able to give something back as a lecturer. I enjoy teaching and interacting with the students – and of course the beautiful campus and Krems as a location are also plus points.
How do your students experience the high practical relevance of your courses?
Students often shy away from theory at first (e.g. ISO standards or risk management requirements), but they quickly realise that the practical examples and group exercises based on real companies and projects make the topic easier to understand and help them to take independent implementation steps in the future. The practical relevance makes it easier to put the facts into context and to break down the requirements from the theoretical information into concrete terms for companies and apply them.
Successful comeback: alumni as teachers
IMC Krems is delighted not only that IMC graduates start their professional careers very successfully after graduation and often remain closely connected to their alma mater, for example as brand ambassadors, but also that they return to Krems as teachers. This closes a circle that shows one thing above all else: how successfully IMC Krems and its alumni work together and how valuable synergies between teaching, business and research can be created here.