A new project initiated by the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), HRK EXPERTISE Internationalisation, will support the systematic strengthening of internationalisation at German universities. The project, which is planned to run through to 2020, is being funded by Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
“Internationality and open-mindedness are of crucial importance for the successful future development of the German research and higher education system and its global competitiveness. The project will develop activities and resources for different target groups at universities, so that as many staff members and students as possible can actively embrace internationalisation. I am very grateful that the BMBF is supporting this project,” says HRK President Prof. Dr. Horst Hippler.
The range of support to be provided through HRK EXPERTISE Internationalisation includes customised advice for universities from selected experts within the framework of various topic-related and process-related workshop formats. As a general service, specialist publications will compile and present examples of good practice. Networking meetings, specialist events, round tables and peer-to-peer consultancy activities will support the exchange of knowledge and experience as well as networking and co-operation.
HRK President Hippler: “The internationalisation of German universities has made very encouraging progress in recent years. Now it is a question of further developing the structures that have been established to respond to particular needs and giving internationalisation even more prominence at universities. This is the starting point for the HRK EXPERTISE Internationalisation project.” The main focus of current efforts for the German universities is on the integration of international and intercultural components in study programmes, the further internationalisation of university staff, the expansion of structured forms of cooperation with overseas partners, including the use of digital teaching and learning forms, and the development of an international profile.
The lead-in to the HRK EXPERTISE Internationalisation project will be provided by an expert conference on the topic “Who owns internationalisation? Promoting broad-based, quality-driven internationalisation” on 22 May 2017 in the Langenbeck-Virchow House in Berlin. The event is open to the press.
Further information on the project is available here.
