The CEAT program is structured to support talented and engaged students with a particular focus on topics of accounting and taxation with their academic and professional profile. To offer interested people and groups a first insight into CEAT, we have asked current and former members four questions about the program. You can find the complete experience reports below. Please note that all experience reports were originally written and published in German and translated afterwards.

Experience Report by Niclas Consbruch

Hello, my name is Niclas, I am 25 years old. I am currently completing my Master's degree in Business Administration with a focus on Accounting at the University of Münster and am currently a working student in the Group Tax Department of CLAAS KGaA mbH. I have been a member of CEAT since April 2023.

• Find Niclas' Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  I opted for the CEAT program because I wanted to gain further practical insights into the world of tax in addition to completing internships. The exchange and networking with students who are also interested in tax also appealed to me.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most so far?

  It’s not an easy question to answer which CEAT event inspired me the most. In general, I find the mix between consulting and corporate, but also between DAX companies/Big Four and SMEs/local tax consulting firms very exciting. If I still had to choose, I would say that our excursion to Henkel in Düsseldorf in the summer semester 2024 was probably the most inspiring event. At the excursion, we were introduced to various tax topics that affect the company, ranging from Pillar II to the introduction of e-invoicing. We were also given an exciting tour of Henkel’s Inspirations Center Düsseldorf.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  I have benefited greatly from CEAT. On the one hand, I have had the opportunity to exchange ideas with people interested in tax from both the university and corporate side. On the other hand, I have been able to broaden my horizons through the exciting lectures and have learned a lot. This enables me to get to know different industries or subject areas that I have not yet had any contact with, in addition to everyday university life and internships/work-study activities.

   

  Would you recommend your fellow students to participate in the CEAT program?

  I can definitely recommend participation in CEAT to students who are interested in tax issues and would like to develop both professionally and personally. In addition, the exchange always takes place on a relaxed level, which always makes the CEAT events very enjoyable.

  _{This experience report was written in December 2024.}

Experience Report by Marie-Christine Gräfin von Merveldt

Hi, I am Marie-Christine, 23 years old and a member of CEAT since April 2022. I started my Master’s with major and minor in Accounting in October 2022, after having already completed my Bachelor’s at WWU.

• Find Marie-Christine's Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  After my interest in taxation sparked during my bachelor, I decided to write my bachelor thesis at the MIAT in cooperation with my working student position at Dr. von der Hardt & Partner. During my contact with the MIAT, I then became aware of the CEAT program and applied immediately.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most so far?

  In addition to events such as those with Henkel, Curacon and KPMG, I was most excited about the event at Dr. von der Hardt & Partner because there, in addition to my participation as a CEAT member, I was also able to participate in the design of the event myself through my job as a working student. We prepared a real and current case of the firm as a basis for the workshop and solved it together with the students. Afterwards, there was a get together with drinks and snacks, where we were able to exchange ideas with our colleagues from vdH and I was also able to answer some questions of the CEAT members.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  Since I have been a member of CEAT, I have met many new students who share my interest in tax and with whom I have been able to exchange ideas on a wide variety of topics. One benefits a lot from meeting the individual companies on a much more personal level and thus being able to network with the contact persons directly. The combination of such events with real-life case studies is particularly helpful in enriching the theory of my regular studies with current topics from the business world.

   

  Would you recommend your fellow students to participate in the CEAT program?

  Definitely! Besides gaining numerous impressions from a wide variety of companies, it also increases your own network and gives you opportunities to apply for certain internships or jobs. A significant advantage for me is that participation in the CEAT program ensures that you can get to know the companies without fear of contact, which is a decisive factor in how you can better plan your future career steps.

  _{This experience report was written in January 2023.}

Experience Report by Greta Koppe

Hello, I am Greta Koppe, 22 years old, and a member of the CEAT program since April 2023. After completing my bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Münster, I started my master’s in business administration in October 2024, specializing in accounting.

• Find Greta's Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  During my bachelor’s studies, I quickly realized that my main interests lie in the fields of Accounting and Taxation. I was particularly excited by the fact that the CEAT program offers students diverse practical insights, especially in the field of taxation. Additionally, I looked forward to meeting other students with similar interests, exchanging ideas, and learning more about their career paths.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most?

  There are two events that particularly impressed me because they introduced me to entirely new aspects of tax law. Firstly, during a visit to Curacon, we worked in groups on a case study that focused on nonprofit law. Since our curriculum does not typically cover the taxation of nonprofit entities like hospitals, I was able to learn many new things. Secondly, at an event with the Regional Finance Office (OFD) Münster, we explored the challenges faced by tax authorities in taxing influencers. It was fascinating to gain insights into the administrative perspective, as our studies usually focus on the consultancy or corporate viewpoints.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  The CEAT program has allowed me to explore the diverse career opportunities in the field of taxation, ranging from tax consultancies to tax departments in family-owned businesses. This exposure is a significant advantage for making informed career choices in the future. For example, a fantastic event with KPMG Münster also made it easier for me to secure my first tax-related internship during the period between my bachelor’s and master’s programs through the contacts I made there. To this day, I am part of the KPMG team as a working student.

   

  Would you recommend interested students to participate in the CEAT program?

  Absolutely! The CEAT program is an excellent opportunity to gain insights into exciting topics beyond regular university lectures and to see how theoretical knowledge is applied in practice. The events offer the chance to expand your network in a relaxed atmosphere, both with various companies and with fellow students. For anyone interested in accounting and taxation, the CEAT program is a fantastic way to enrich their studies.

  _{This experience report was written in December 2024.}

Experience Report by Marie Schaub

Hello, my name is Marie, and I am 23 years old. I completed my bachelor’s and master’s degree in business administration at the University of Münster. I was a member of the CEAT from April 2022 to September 2023. After my studies, I started working at PwC.

• Find Marie's Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  At the beginning of my master’s studies, I decided to focus on tax. The CEAT offers a great opportunity to gain practical experience, get to know different companies from a wide range of industries, and meet other interested students beside the predominantly theoretical coursework. Its constantly changing program with different practical cases is characteristic for the CEAT.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most?

  In summer 2023, we visited August Storck KG in Halle (Westphalia). We were given a tour through the production facilities and were able to see, for example, how the well-known "Dickmann’s" and "Mambas" are made. Moreover, we were able to examine the quality of the products ourselves by tasting them straight from the production line. It was very impressive to experience such a large production facility up close.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  The presentations and case studies I was able to witness have given me important insights into various companies. This and the practical cases presented during many events have given me a great perspective on the diversity of tax law. In addition, I still benefit from the contacts I made with my fellow students at the various events.

   

  Would you recommend interested students to participate in the CEAT program?

  Definitely! The CEAT allows you to meet lots of great new people, expand your networking, and gain deep and interesting insights into a wide range of companies in a variety of industries. The excursions to the local companies also give you the opportunity to get a taste of “real world” apart from the campus life and allows you to get to know the companies in an informal atmosphere.

  _{This experience report was written in December 2023.}

Experience Report by Anna Schweizer

Hello, my name is Anna. I am 22 years old and I am currently finishing my bachelor's degree with a focus on taxation and accounting at WWU. At the moment, I am doing a three-month internship at KPMG in Dusseldorf. I have been a member of CEAT since October 2020.

• Find Anna's Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  After the tax lectures in the fourth semester aroused my interest in the subject, I decided to major in taxation and accounting. In order to add practical insights to the theoretical content of the lectures, I decided to apply to the CEAT program.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most so far?

  I enjoyed the event with KPMG the most. We worked together on an interesting case study and the team gave us a lot of insights into their daily tasks and the work in a large consulting firm. The presentation by ExpressSteuer founder Dennis Konrad was also super interesting and opened up a whole new perspective on the tax world for me.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  The team from KPMG convinced me so much in their presentation that I contacted one of the speakers afterwards to find out about internship opportunities. She helped me directly, forwarded my documents and, following an interview, I was accepted for the internship I am currently working in. Without CEAT and the direct contact to the team, this would definitely not have been possible so quickly and easily.

   

  Would you recommend your fellow students to participate in the CEAT program?

  Definitely. The program offers exciting insights into the work at large and small companies and thus a refreshing balance to your studies. In addition, the events offer great networking potential and the exchange with other interested students is very enriching.

  _{This experience report was written in January 2022.}

Experience Report by Tobias Twelenkamp

Hi, I'm Tobias and I did my master's degree in business administration with a major in accounting at the University of Münster from 2021 to 2023. I attended many courses at the Institute of Accounting and Taxation and most recently wrote my master's thesis at the Institute in cooperation with the tax department of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA. I was a member of CEAT for the entire duration of my master's program.

• Find Tobias' Experience Report Here

  Why did you decide to join CEAT?

  I became a member to gain practical insights and make new contacts both in the companies and with other students. I have always been interested in seeing how theory taught can be put into practice. I also hoped to gain a better overview of career opportunities with a tax specialization by taking part.

   

  Which CEAT event has fascinated you the most so far?

  The best event for me was the visit to the local tax consultancy Dr. von der Hardt und Partner, where we students worked on very interesting and real cases from the firm in a workshop format. We were able to learn many things as well as have fun and engage in dialogue.

  The excursion to Storck was also very exciting. There was a guided tour of the production facility, during which we were able to test plenty of their products. The subsequent presentation of the company was very interesting because you were given rare insights into the tax issues of a family business in the legal form of a partnership.

   

  How have you been able to benefit from CEAT so far?

  There are so many different opportunities to work in tax accounting that it is difficult to get to know everything through internships. By joining CEAT, I was able to gain brief but intensive insights into different companies and tax consultancy firms, learn something professionally, and gain a good overall impression of how diverse and varied the tax professions can be. I also used the events to exchange ideas with other students and members of the department, which certainly helped me in my studies.

   

  Would you recommend your fellow students to participate in the CEAT program?

  Yes, I would recommend it to anyone interested in tax and accounting. CEAT events help to gain new contacts with other students, company representatives, and employees of the Institute. The exciting practical examples from the companies can often help students to better understand the theory they have learnt and to recognize the links between different subject areas. In addition, the events usually offer the opportunity to talk to practice partners in a relaxed atmosphere about their day-to-day work and possible internships or career entry opportunities.

  _{This experience report was written in November 2023.}