Bridging Languages and Cultures

Studying and working abroad can broaden one’s horizons – both professionally and personally. This is why global exchange programmes and partnerships are strategically important for universities and their employees. With Erasmus+, the world’s largest higher education funding programme, University employees in all areas can apply for project funding, participate in two- to seven-day training courses or complete teaching assignments abroad. The University of Münster’s International Office advises and supports both academic and non-academic staff in all staff mobility matters. A distinction is made between stays in EU countries and worldwide partner countries such as Cuba, Israel, the USA or Uzbekistan. In the following, two employees report on their experiences abroad.

Event information:

The International Office is offering an information event on short stays in EU countries for non-academic staff (MTV) on 21 January and for academic staff on 26 January 2026. The next application deadlines for Erasmus+ funding for stays in Europe are 1 February and 1 October 2026.

Contact: staff.mobility@uni-muenster.de

 

Enriching encounters in Georgia

Please help us to ensure that our young people remain connected to and hopeful about Europe! These moving words from a Georgian colleague after the elections in 2024 gave rise to the idea of a ‘Spring School’ in May 2025 at the Universities of Batumi and Kutaisi. Embedded in the German-Georgian partnership of the German Studies Department and funded by Erasmus+, it brought together Georgian pupils, students and teaching staff from the three universities to promote democratic thinking through language, literature and mutual encounter.

As coordinator for international exchange, I was responsible for the programme’s organisation and content. I was supported by my institute colleagues, the International Office of the University of Münster, the partner universities and the German Academic Exchange Service's lectorate in Georgia.

The week was full of intense moments: creative workshops on language, poetry and art, a pub quiz in which Georgian students and instructors enthusiastically puzzled over German word games, and discussions on democratic design options for ideal learning spaces. It was particularly moving to meet with mothers and their children from the neighbouring villages, who came to the ‘Spring School’ to give them their first contact with guests from Germany. When they shared the Georgian cheese bread they had brought with them, we realised how kind and hospitable the Georgians were.

In Georgia, you quickly learn that flexibility is everything. When we were suddenly confronted with many more students than had registered, we had to quickly swap rooms and adapt our workshops. A caretaker came at short notice on a Sunday to help us with the preparations. I was impressed by everyone’s creative and uncomplicated cooperation and willingness to volunteer – it showed me what is possible when everyone pulls together.

International exchange can only succeed if it is organised openly and collaboratively. This experience has shaped how I advise my students: I am more sensitive to different perspectives, encourage them to spend time abroad and, together with my team, work to strengthen a counselling culture that regards encounters as enriching.

Albina Haas, coordinator for international exchange at the German Studies Department

 

English as a sign of appreciation

English is omnipresent at the University. I think it's important to feel confident in this language. It enables you to develop a better relationship with international academics and makes collaboration more successful. I find it just as important that those who come to the University of Münster from abroad can participate in academic life in an understandable language environment. For me, speaking English is a sign of my appreciation of these guests. My direct supervisor is supportive of employees continuing their education, and Erasmus+ provides an adequate financial cushion for this. For all these reasons, I enrolled in a one-week English course in Ireland, because languages are easier to learn where they are spoken in everyday life.

The 26-hour course at a language school in Dublin was aimed specifically at university staff. As I was travelling in the off-season, I unfortunately didn’t get to meet any other university employees. Nevertheless, the contact with language students from South America, Asia and European countries was enriching. At my language school, the course seemed to be the ‘most important secondary matter’. The most important thing for the teachers was to encourage socialising through joint excursions, visits and afternoon discussion sessions. It was therefore very easy to speak English from breakfast in the morning to pub visits in the evening.

Dublin is a very interesting city in a historically exciting country. It is a city of new arrivals and migration. It was easy and natural to move around as a foreigner and integrate into city life. During and after the course, I met people from very different backgrounds who I would have never met under normal circumstances. This has enriched my understanding of diversity and cultures and confirms the European idea of Erasmus – that although mobility is expensive, it builds bridges between cultures.

If you want to improve your language skills, I highly recommend an Erasmus+ stay. My teachers really enjoyed playing with words and communicating their love of English. When learning is fun, using the language is sure to follow.

Stefan Peters, head of Strategic Space Management and Project Development

 

Series: From university to the world

Always stewing in your own juice, blinders on during the learning marathon, researching without contact to the outside world? Not at the University of Münster! The university values internationality and a cosmopolitan atmosphere. Anyone who spends time researching or teaching abroad comes back with lots of stories to tell. We share some of them in this series.

This article is from the university newspaper wissen|leben No. 7, November 5, 2025.

Further information

• Stays in Europe with Erasmus+
• Erasmus+ with partner countries
• Strategic Partnership Münster-Georgia
• Information on funding on the intranet
• Funding for university partnerships via the DAAD
• The November issue of the university newspaper as a PDF (only in German)
• All issues of the university newspaper at a glance (only in German)