MGM Field Trip to Frankfurt: A Visit to the ECB and Deutsche Börse

A Travelogue by Student Kabir Raj Manthan

Day 1 – May 11: Arrival in Frankfurt 

The group departed from Bremen and arrived in Frankfurt am Main, one of Europe's leading financial capitals. After settling in, the evening gave students a chance to take in Frankfurt's distinctive skyline, where glass towers rise alongside centuries-old architecture, a fitting metaphor for the balance between tradition and transformation that defines modern finance. 

Day 2 – May 12: The ECB and Deutsche Börse

The second day was the heart of the trip, an intensive and deeply rewarding immersion into two of Europe's most consequential financial institutions, all within a single remarkable day. The group began at the European Central Bank (ECB), whose striking twin-tower headquarters in the Ostend district signals immediately that this is a place where history and the future are in constant conversation. The visit centered on in-depth discussions around monetary policy, the ECB's mandate of price stability, and the tools the bank uses to navigate inflation, interest rate decisions, and macroeconomic uncertainty. For students who had studied these concepts in lectures and case studies, hearing them discussed from within the institution itself gave the material an entirely different weight. Prof. Dr. Mechthild Schrooten, whose expertise in international economics made her an ideal guide through these discussions, helped the group contextualize what they were hearing within broader global economic debates. It was precisely the kind of learning that only happens when theory meets lived institutional reality. 

A full day in finance 

From the ECB, the group made its way to Deutsche Börse, one of the largest stock exchange organizations in the world. The highlight was a visit to the trading floor, a space that carries an almost mythological weight in the world of finance. Standing there and witnessing the infrastructure that underpins billions of euros in daily transactions left a strong impression on the entire group. Students gained insight into how modern exchanges operate, how technology has transformed trading, and what the role of a stock exchange truly means in the architecture of a global economy. Astrid Decker's background in business and management strategy helped students connect the operational realities of Deutsche Börse to the broader themes explored throughout the MBA program. By the end of the day, the group returned with full minds and a great deal to reflect on. 

Day 3 – May 13: The journey home 

On the morning of May 13, the group boarded the bus back to Bremen. The ride offered a natural moment of collective reflection, with conversations flowing easily about what the previous day had meant, what surprised them, and how the experience would shape their thinking going forward. Frankfurt receded in the rear window, but the lessons it offered were very much travelling home with everyone on board. 

Reflections 

Field trips of this nature are what distinguish a truly immersive MBA experience from one confined to lecture halls. Frankfurt offered our group a direct window into the real decision-making centers of European finance, and the conversations sparked during that single day at the ECB and Deutsche Börse continue to inform how we engage with monetary policy, capital markets, and global management. We are grateful to Astrid Decker and Prof. Dr. Mechthild Schrooten for organizing and accompanying us, and to both institutions for opening their doors to the next generation of global managers.