The event organisers (from left): Prof. Dr. Katrin Sontag, Prof. Dr. Julika Baumann Montecinos, Prof. Dr. Katja Gutsche, Dr. Stefanie Scherr, Samantha Sernatinger and Yunuen Baron.
Workshop on the Schwenningen campus of Furtwangen University
Through its own initiative, Furtwangen University aims to advance the development of its Schwenningen campus into a “Transcultural Campus.” To this end, international students, business representatives, HFU staff and professors met to exchange ideas. “With this format, we want to understand the expectations of the regional business community and international students regarding a transcultural campus and work together to implement them,” explained Prof. Dr. Julika Baumann Montecinos, Professor of Transcultural Management, Academic Director of HFU International, and organiser of the event series.
First, Dr. Stefanie Scherr from HFU International presented the topics and initial measures from the April workshop to those in attendance. For example, an internal survey on the support situation for international students was conducted, an initiative for entry-level jobs at local companies was launched, and the “Internationals go Fastnacht” project focuses on local customs and shared activities outside campus life.
Afterwards, the participants discussed various issues in two groups, such as how to establish or expand a network that strengthens active connections with regional companies. “We already have many programmes for companies and international students, such as the University Contact Exchange, the ‘HFU Cares’ programme, and the new ‘Campus2Career’ mentoring programme,” reported Baumann Montecinos. “The discussion showed that we need to further raise awareness of these programmes both within and, above all, outside the university so that a fruitful exchange can take place.”
Prof. Dr. Katrin Sontag worked with a group to develop ideas on how the “Transcultural Spirit” can be lived out and further developed on the Schwenningen campus. “Transcultural Spirit describes the feeling of being welcome and the openness to learn from and with one another,” said Sontag. Initial ideas ranged from more joint events to an expansion of the buddy program and multilingual signage.
As part of the workshop, surveys were also conducted for an ERASMUS+ study aimed at identifying the criteria that international students associate with a sense of belonging.
The event was funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as part of the HFU Cares project. The event was sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as part of the HFU Cares project. “At Furtwangen University, we already have a strong tradition of cross-cultural exchange and many related initiatives. It’s great that these events offer the opportunity to talk with everyone involved — that is, students, companies, associations, staff and our neighbours at the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University — and to shape the future of our cross-cultural campus together,” says Baumann Montecinos.