Intercultural Competence Abroad - Workshop for Exchange Students at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg

On Wednesday, students gathered at the Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) for an inspiring intercultural workshop to prepare for their studies abroad. As part of the ERASMUS+ and STUDEXA exchange programs, more than 50 students have decided to spend a semester abroad this year in countries such as Norway, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Finland, Turkey, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Australia, Chile, Panama, China, Colombia, and Canada.

The workshop, designed by the International Relations Office, offered valuable insights into intercultural communication and cultural sensitivity. The future BTU outgoings learned how to recognize and handle cultural differences, especially in the academic context, and were provided with strategies to overcome potential culture shock. In lively group discussions, students had the opportunity to share their expectations, fears, and previous experiences.

The workshop was accompanied by former outgoing students from BTU who studied at Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira in Colombia, the University of Tsukuba in Japan, and Politecnico di Torino in Italy. They shared their valuable experiences and emphasized how our own cultural background influences our perception of others. Additionally, they offered helpful tips on how to adapt to unfamiliar "rules of the game" abroad and handle challenging situations constructively.

At the end of the workshop, all students received a certificate of participation from the International Relations Office.

The intercultural workshop at BTU was a great success and has optimally prepared the students for their exciting and educational semesters abroad. We wish all our outgoings an exciting and unforgettable stay!

For those who are still interested in a stay abroad at short notice, there are still some available spots for the summer semester 2025: https://www.b-tu.de/en/international/outgoing-exchange/students-going-abroad