Dr. Monika Böning is a physicist and leads global sustainability reporting in HR at Bosch. Her daily work revolves around KPIs, international reporting standards and, just as passionately, student theses. “I see it as intergenerational collaboration. The students could all be my kids,”
she says, laughing. A joke, yes, but one with a serious undertone.
Why Monika Supervises Thesis Projects
“Honestly, I do it because I enjoy it,” Böning explains. As an expert in sustainability reporting, she regularly supervises theses – especially in human resources and social sustainability. But her motivation goes deeper: she sees it as an opportunity to share knowledge, jointly explore complex questions, and learn something new herself. “Students often ask questions I wouldn’t have thought of myself.”
She’s been working with universities for years, especially within the Cooperative State University of Baden-Württemberg. For her, supervision isn’t a favor – it’s a partnership.
“When I assign a topic, it’s because I want to learn something, too.”
She’s continuously inspired by the fresh perspective students bring: recent literature, new conceptual angles, and occasionally inconvenient truths. Students benefit in return – from applied topics, direct feedback, and a clearly defined audience for their research.
Based on these experiences, Böning shares four practical recommendations – for companies, universities, and students alike.
1. A Research Question That Adds Value on Both Sides
The choice of research question is central. “It needs to be something I’m genuinely curious about … A topic I wouldn’t have the resources to explore otherwise.”
She refers to these as “luxury topics”: not urgent in day-to-day business but rich in potential. A recent example: a Master’s thesis on the strategic positioning of social sustainability, co-supervised with ESB Reutlingen. “It’s about benchmarks, goal systems, KPIs — and how specific companies really get in comparison.” An empirical study with value for both Bosch and academia.
2. Alignment of the Trio from the Start
Böning emphasizes the importance of close collaboration between company, university, and student. “It has to be a real three-way dialogue. All parties should sit down at the beginning, align expectations, and – ideally – document them.”
In her view, supervision unfolds in phases: it starts with a thorough discussion of the research question, followed by an independent work phase. Check-ins typically occur every two to three weeks. “Students stay in the lead. We define the guardrails, but they have to walk the path themselves.”
3. Transparency About Expectations and Boundaries
Another key success factor: “Clear expectations.” Students should understand what’s feasible – whether it’s access to internal data or the realism of top management interviews. “Some students want to speak to the board – a nice idea, but rarely realistic.”
It’s also essential to differentiate between a thesis and working student roles: “A thesis is a full-time academic project. If someone also has a job on the side, that’s a different commitment and needs to be separated.” Ultimately, it's about fairness – also in comparison to other students.
4. Thesis Ownership
Academic work must be done independently. “We set the stakes – but the students walk the path.” Companies provide a framework, not coaching. And that’s where the opportunity lies: taking responsibility. For Böning, autonomy is both a requirement and a growth opportunity:
“Only when students co-steer the process do they make decisions, self-organize and grow in the process.” She summarizes: “That’s the only way to deliver a thesis that meets both the academic and practical standards.”
Connecting with HR: Nico Elsässer on Employer Branding
For Nico Elsässer, Candidate & Employee Journey expert at Bosch, thesis projects hold strategic value: “They’re a window in both directions. Students learn how we work and we learn how they think.”
In employer branding, he sees thesis collaboration as a tool to identify talent early “but only if it’s eye-level collaboration. The company can’t write the thesis for them.”
He also stresses the importance of the trio’s alignment: “The best projects start with a shared briefing. Anything else creates friction.”
Conclusion: Learning on Equal Footing
Böning sees great promise in platforms like Studyond: “For students, it’s a huge help to find orientation and connections. That makes matching easier – especially for those without a professional network.” And for companies, such platforms are exciting “as long as there’s a real dialogue and not just a topic dumping ground.”
Böning’s final takeaway is as pragmatic as it is inspiring: “If all three parties are satisfied – university, company, student – it was a success.” What matters most: openness, communication, and mutual respect.
And maybe a little calm perspective. Asked what future skills students really need, she simply replies: “Do what brings you joy. If you’re motivated, you’ll learn everything else along the way.”