PASCH-Alumni-Conference 2021
Strengthening the bond with Germany

A group of people pose in front of a wall with text.
15 PASCH alumni and staff from the Goethe-Institut Bangkok met to network and develop ideas from November 26-28, 2021. | Photo (detail): Goethe-Institut Thailand

PASCH is an initiative that accompanies many Thai students even after their school years. At the PASCH Alumni Conference, they jointly developed concepts for a strong network and for the next generation.

With the initiative "Schools: Partners for the Future (PASCH)", the Federal Foreign Office, with the support of the Goethe-Institut, has been committed since 2008 to building a worldwide network of partner schools that have a particularly intensive relationship with Germany and with learning German.

Today, around 200,000 students worldwide are learning German at the PASCH schools supported by the Goethe-Institut. The graduates take their experiences from German lessons, their experiences in international exchange projects and their worldwide contacts with other German learners with them on their further paths in life and education. A bond with Germany remains. The growing circle of PASCH alumni continues to be interested in German and Germany and is involved in the PASCH network and projects for the next generation after school.

Of the 670 PASCH schools managed by the Goethe-Institut, ten are located in Thailand. In order to intensify the exchange between PASCH alumni within the country and to use points of connection with Indonesia and Australia, the PASCH ALUMNI Conference was held in Bangkok from 26 to 28 November 2021.

  • Five people at a table talking Photo (detail): Goethe-Institut Thailand
    Impressions from the PASCH Alumni Conference 2021
  • Two people at a table talking Photo (detail): Goethe-Institut Thailand
    Impressions from the PASCH Alumni Conference 2021
  • Male person with microphone, posters with inscription behind. Photo (detail): Goethe-Institut Thailand
    Impressions from the PASCH Alumni Conference 2021
  • Two young women Photo (detail): Goethe-Institut Thailand
    Impressions from the PASCH Alumni Conference 2021
  • People in a hall following a lecture, screen presentation with text. Photo (detail): Goethe-Institut Thailand
    Impressions from the PASCH Alumni Conference 2021
 

Learning to network, accompanying the next generation

In addition to presentations on career opportunities with German, participants also learned how to build a strong network. They received important input on how to present their own careers within the network and how to inspire others to pursue similar careers.

Together, the groups developed ideas to further expand the alumni network as well as events for students that will continue to accompany the alumni later on. For example, the alumni will be involved in the implementation of larger Goethe-Institut projects in the future. Conversations in a relaxed atmosphere over dinner and a boat trip across the Chao Phraya helped to make a strong team out of the participants. The final event was the election of the PASCH alumni speakers of Thailand, Napakorn Saweddit (Baitong) and Jess Lowb (Jess). In the future, they will represent the country in the global PASCH alumni network and collaborate on supra-regional projects. Here they introduce themselves:
  • Smiling young woman with backpack on the street, behind her you can see half-timbered houses. Photo: private
    Napakorn Saweddit (Baitong)

    My name is Baitong and I am 22 years old. I study German language and literature at Kasetsart University. I am interested in books and at the moment I am reading "Into the Magic Shop". I am very happy to have met all the alumni and also spent a good time together. PASCH is the bridge for me to connect with new people. German means the door to a bigger world for me because I got to know so much thanks to the German language.
  • Smiling young woman next to a plant Photo: private
    Jiratha Lowboonraung (Jess)

    My name is Jiratha Lowboonraung or Jess. I am currently a 4th year student at Chulalongkorn University. My connection with PASCH started when I got a scholarship for a PASCH high school summer course in 2016. Since then, I have been highly motivated with German. I hope we could all grow up together with PASCH. In my opinion, PASCH is a place for PASCH students* and alumni from all over the world to work together. It offers many opportunities for learning, for careers and for building contacts. So for me, PASCH means support, opportunities and friendship. For me, German is not only a key to many doors, but also a companion in all phases of my life.