The German dimension of Campus GATE - DAAD conference in Bonn

At the annual conference, representatives of various DAAD-funded transnational education projects (TNE projects) exchanged experiences, successes and challenges within their projects and discussed future developments together. The meeting also served to initiate and consolidate networks between TNE projects.

Prof Dr Ralf Roßkopf presented Campus GATE under the heading of the German connection, which comes into play above all through the learning of the German language parallel to the subject-related courses. Furthermore, the German degree from the two hosted programmes creates a strong link to Germany and enables graduates to enter the German labour market directly. The conference participants were impressed by the well-thought-out concept of Campus GATE and its innovative framework for transnational education between the Würzburg-Schweinfurt University of Applied Sciences (THWS) and the German Jordanian University (GJU).

Following the presentation, Dr Monica Heitz and Carolin Gläser moderated a discussion in which all participants were able to contribute their own experiences with international university projects. The intercultural space at colleges and universities, in which students need to be supported holistically, emerged as a central point. Support for international students should not only focus on purely academic aspects, but also create intercultural sensitivity and appreciation. Support is also urgently needed for entering the German labour market in the form of application training and the provision of contacts to potential employers.

The conference participants emphasised the innovative concept of the hosted programmes: the Pre-Year opens the door to the German university system for students and, with the intensive German courses alongside the specialist courses, ensures that students are optimally prepared for the German labour market. Some panellists made the important suggestion: take the hurdles faced by international students in Germany seriously and offer a continuous support service.

Overall, the Campus GATE team was able to gather fruitful impulses, insights and suggestions from other projects. In addition, the exchange and discussion contributed to further considerations about the next steps for the project and the expansion of the hosted programmes.