Academy and Studying in Germany

Many students in Germany come from immigrant families, but grew up and went to school in their “new homeland”. Their familiarity with two cultures is now to be used in their studies and for the international labor market. In an interview with goethe.de, the Rector of the University of Regensburg explains how that could work.

Mr. Strothotte, because of its geographical location on the Danube, the University of Regensburg is a pivot of international exchange. As a native Canadian, you represent yourself this cosmopolitan spirit. What is the internationalization of your university primarily aiming at?

Internationalization at the University of Regensburg traditionally has a strong orientation to Eastern and Southeastern Europe, including numerous collaborations and academic institutions such as the Europaeum. At the same time, the University is expanding its international relations to the West – for example, by setting up bi-national courses of study and developing a new concept for Anglophone countries. A current project in this connection, one that I particularly support, is the legal faculty’s Summer School 2010 on “Anglo-Saxon Law”.

Need for multiple cultures

Recently, you’ve been promoting so-called “secondos”, students whose parents or grandparents immigrated to Germany and who have usually completed a German high school diploma. Why?

With the Secondos Program we want to make the culture of origin fruitful for the Bachelor’s degree. In particular, an export-oriented economy has a high demand for such bi-culturally trained graduates.

How are secondos being specially promoted?

Our exchange program offers them the opportunity of studying in their major for two semesters at a partner university in their family’s country of origin. Many secondos speak the language of their parents’ country of origin, but have never learned to write or read it. We therefore offer preliminary special courses for learning non-German languages of the country of origin.

Our goal is that secondos should have the qualifications required to take a BA at the partner university.

With as little loss of time as possible

Doesn’t the stay abroad lead to a loss of time in the course of study?

Not in the ideal case. We want to make possible that the students receive one hundred per cent credit for their work at the partner university. Naturally, this depends on the specific curriculum of the students, which has to be individually coordinated.

How do the students finance their stay in the partner country?

Often the cost of living in the partner countries is lower than here in Germany. To cover any additional costs, there are within the Erasmus Program EU scholarships of € 200 per month. Students who have to work to pay for their studies in Germany receive the support of our partner universities in seeking jobs in the partner country.

How popular has the program been so far?

We’re currently in the pilot phase, and at present a dozen secondos are looking forward to going in autumn for the first time to our partner universities. In a few years there should be about 250 students annually that take part in the program, which will include all Bachelor courses in all subjects.

Also a program for “primeros”

Starting this winter semester, there will also be an additional program for “primeros”. Who can and should apply for it?

The Primeros Program is aimed at academics with immigrant backgrounds that have obtained their academic training completely abroad and now want to establish themselves on the academic labor market in Germany. We want to offer primeros an additional one-year integration program, through which they can obtain a German university degree. In autumn our Primero Program starts in mathematics and physics.