HEURO goes to Germany!
Colleagues from HEURO member universities were in Bonn last week, on Thursday 1 and Friday 2 February, for the latest HEURO Overseas mission.
The first day was spent with colleagues from DAAD, the German National Agency, as well as guests from several German universities.
Following a welcome by Dr. Sven Werkmeister, Director Strategy Department, DAAD, colleagues were given an introduction to the German academic exchange service by Dr. Claudia Nospickel, Head of Section: Centre for International Academic Collaborations, DAAD.
Christian Strowa, Head of Division Knowledge Exchange and Network, DAAD and Ruth Krahe, Director, DAAD London Branch, then gave an overview of developments in the German Higher Education system and post-Brexit cooperation with the UK. Charley Robinson, Head of Global Mobility Policy at UUKI, followed with a comprehensive overview of the UK HE system.
There were also meetings with HRK, the German Rectors’ Conference; DFG, the German Research Foundation and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation [AvH].
In addition to lively round-table discussions and subsequent networking opportunities with colleagues from German universities, the afternoon also included sessions on the EQUiiP Project and designing inclusive international programmes, led by Thomas Peschken-Holt, Head of Division, Queen Margaret Business School, Queen Margaret University Edinburgh, and a session on sustainability and mobility and how they can co-exist, led by Dr. Ursula Paintner, Director, Communications, DAAD.
We were also delighted to welcome colleagues from Germany to the Overseas Mission evening reception and dinner at the lovely Dorint hotel, on the banks of the Rhine.
The second day was spent at the University of Bonn conference centre, with sessions including an update on PROFIC: Innovation and Creativity in Developing Intercultural Competence [ICC], led by Dr. Dane Lukic, Head of Research and Innovation, Glasgow Caledonian University, a lively session on International Hybrid Virtual Mobility led by Regina C. Brautlacht, Presidential Commissioner and Advisor for Global Digital Learning at Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences and a look at internationalisation strategy and activity at the University of Bonn, with Prof. Dr. Birgit Ulrike Münch, Vice Rector for International Affairs.
The purpose of the mission was for German and UK professionals mutually to gain an understanding of respective HE systems, developments, challenges and issues in international mobility, as well as to exchange good practice and provide an opportunity for universities to forge links and potentially partnerships.
Whilst the absence of external funding for staff mobility makes it more difficult for UK practitioners to take part in the HEURO Overseas Mission, the benefits of attending and opportunities that arise as a result are such that we hope the Overseas Mission will continue into the future.
The HEURO Committee would like to express sincere and heartfelt thanks to all the fantastic colleagues in Germany and in the UK that helped to ensure the success of this visit… and long may the collaborative activities continue!
