CCU (USA), Lahti (FI) - What next

In the year 2001 I gained my first collegiate international experience as a student in the Faculty of Social Work at our RheinMoselCampus during an ERASMUS semester abroad at the University Rennes II (France).

Nine years later, in 2010, meanwhile research assistant in the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences at RheinAhrCampus, I was very delighted when I was asked whether I could accompany the Summer School Program organised in cooperation with Coastal Carolina University (CCU), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA. I supported the preparations for the corresponding exchange visit of ten students and two faculty members of Coastal Carolina University in May; then, in August I accompanied a group of 19 German student to Myrtle Beach. I made use of this possibility to foster the international contacts of RheinAhrCampus Remagen and to arouse some interest for studying or teaching a semester abroad in Germany. In addition to supervising the German students, I also exploited this three week program to integrate me in several courses, e.g. of the graduate program Health Promotion and Psychology. In this context I could present and discuss the Health Care System in Germany, Higher education and graduate programs in Germany, Women’s Health Issues and Promotion of Women in Germany. I also exchanged experiences with the CCU counseling services and introduced them to the corresponding service offers provided by RheinAhrCampus.

Back to Germany, the next "mission abroad" was already waiting: In November 2010, I used the possibility of an ERASMUS Teaching Staff Mobility stay at Lahti University of Applied Sciences. As guest lecturer, I got immediately involved in the academic life of the university. I participated in courses of the graduate program of International Business; in this context, I presented and discussed topics like International Aspects of Social Marketing. Additionally, I took part in an Intercultural Communication workshop with topics like Critical Incidents as a Tool for Teaching Intercultural Communication, Assessing Intercultural Communication Skills and Teaching in International Classrooms. Each day, there were a lot of opportunities to maintain and strengthen the links between RheinAhrCampus and Lahti University of Applied Sciences. I met the students to promote study abroad opportunities at RheinAhrCampus and informed faculty members about their options for teaching in Germany.

Thank you very much, International Office, for your support! I appreciated every minute abroad and: The implementation of my plans for the next stay abroad has already started...

Edeltraud Botzum