Continuing education and international affairs
Welcome to the website of the TeachersPLUS Siegen qualification program!
LehrkräftePLUS Siegen is a qualification program for new immigrants with and without a refugee background from non-European countries who have already worked as a teacher in their home country and would like to continue their work in Germany. As part of the one-year program, the participants' linguistic, pedagogical-didactic, subject-didactic and intercultural knowledge and skills are addressed and expanded with a view to working in schools in Germany. Successful completion of the course enables graduates to take part in a qualification program run by the Arnsberg district government, which opens up further prospects for working as a teacher in North Rhine-Westphalia.
On the following pages you will find more detailed information
- about the program,
- the requirements for participation,
- how to apply
- the cooperation partners
- and your contact persons
for the program.
You can find the current information flyer for the 2026 application phase here.
Answers to frequently asked questions about the program(FAQ) can be found here.
A TV report about our former participant Rukiye, who now works as a mathematics teacher at a secondary school, and a short interview with our program coordinator can be found here.
Latest news
Puzzling, tinkering, calculating, estimating - LehrkräftePLUS participants at the Day of Mathematics
To mark International Pi Day (14 March), some of our program participants immersed themselves in the world of mathematics in a special way at the University of Siegen. For example, Lisa and Sinem, who are both preparing to return to work as math teachers, created bizarre mathematical phenomena with paper and glue sticks during a workshop (see photo). All TeachersPLUS participants agreed that the "Day of Mathematics" with its diverse workshops and presentations was very informative and a great experience for them.
Sinem (on the right in the photo) sums up her impressions:
"Having the opportunity to compare the Pi Day activities with those in my home country, Turkey, was particularly interesting for me. The "Hands-on Mathematics" event, organized by Prof. Dr. Tommy Hoffmann and Stefan Lippert, was especially helpful for teachers from abroad - like us. I gained a lot of ideas for activities there that I can use or develop further in my own lessons later on. I also learned very interesting perspectives from the other presentations I attended. I have been in Germany for about 2.5 years and have wanted to attend such events in my field for a long time. Today I was finally able to tick off another item on my personal "to-do list". It was a very enriching day for me, both intellectually and emotionally."
The university report on the Day of Mathematics with further information and photos can be found here:
https://www.uni-siegen.de/news/zahlen-raetsel-aha-momente
"That's why I'm constantly learning German and have set myself the goal of working as a teacher in Germany." - How Ukrainian teachers succeed in returning to work with the help of LehrkräftePLUS
Harnessing the potential of Ukrainian and other immigrant teachers for the North Rhine-Westphalian school system - that is one of the goals of the LehrkräftePLUS program at the University of Siegen. As part of the program, which is carried out at the university's Centre for Teacher Training and Educational Research, the participating teachers spend a year preparing intensively for their return to teaching.
Inna Kotliar and Maryna Pohribna, who both fled Ukraine, talk about their experiences with LehrkräftePLUS Siegen and their return to work in interviews with Deutschlandfunk (Dlf). In two Dlf broadcasts, the contribution that LehrkräftePLUS makes to the successful professional integration of migrant teachers is then examined from different perspectives and different actors have their say.
The reports are available as follows:
Dlf-Magazin (12.02.26): https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/ukrainische-lehrkraefte-hilfe-beim-jobeinstieg-in-nordrhein-westfalen-100.html
Campus & Karriere (24.02.26): https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/ukrainische-lehrkraefte-in-deutschland-hilfe-gegen-den-fachkraeftemangel-100.html
After two years of starting a career as a teacher and accompanying qualification at the ZfsL...
... we would like to congratulate the former participants of our third round of the LehrkräftePLUS program on their successful completion of the follow-up program "Internationale Lehrkräfte Fördern (ILF)"
of the Arnsberg district government!
The ILF graduates' farewell ceremony took place on 23.01.26 at the Center for Practical Teacher Training (ZfsL) in Siegen (the photo on the left shows part of the group with their graduation certificates).
As part of ILF, the participants worked part-time for two years as teachers at a school in the Arnsberg administrative district. They are now well prepared for their future careers by taking on responsibility for their own lessons and other teaching duties, as well as gaining further qualifications at the ZfsL.
We wish them all the best and continued success!
Inna Kotliar only chooses the word "home" when she talks about school
Inna Kotliar, a computer science and physics teacher from Ukraine and graduate of our 2024/25 program, talks about her first experiences in the German school system as part of LehrkräftePLUS Siegen. Find out more about Inna's story and what she learned during her practical phase here.
LehrkräftePLUS is one of the winners of the "Growing Together - Good Ideas for Integration in the Labor Market 2025" competition
With this competition, the Germany - Land of Ideas initiative, the Bertelsmann Stiftung, the BDI - Federation of German Industries and the Stiftung Mercator GmbH are honoring innovative approaches to the integration of international specialists and workers in Germany. A high-caliber jury from science, business and civil society selected LehrkräftePLUS as one of the 50 winning projects from over 250 submissions.
Further information can be found in the press article from the University of Siegen:
https://www.uni-siegen.de/news/preis-fuer-lehrkraefteplus
Welcome to LehrkräftePLUS Siegen!
At the beginning of the winter semester 2025/26, 31 participants of the sixth program cycle (2025/26) have started their further qualification. Among other things, they have professional experience as a teacher in their country of origin in one or more of the following subjects: Biology, Chemistry, English, Art, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Music, Physics or Physical Education. Over the course of the following year, the participants will prepare themselves in theory and practice for a job as a teacher at lower secondary level, at an elementary school or at a vocational college. In the first half of the year, the focus will be on developing German language skills in the areas of general and technical language as well as acquiring basic knowledge of the German school system.
"It is impossible to pay enough tribute to what you have achieved to be here."
With these words, Prof. Dr. Daniel Scholl, Director of the Centre for Teacher Training and Educational Research and Program Director of LehrkräftePLUS Siegen, congratulated the participants of the 2024/25 program on the successful completion of their further qualification. After an intensive and experience-rich year of courses at the university and internships at schools in the region, the graduates received their certificates and many congratulations from those present at the graduation ceremony on October 2, 2025. The University of Siegen's press report on the graduation ceremony can be found here.
The LehrkräftePLUS Siegen program is managed by the Center for Teacher Training and Educational Research at the University of Siegen and is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MKW) as a lighthouse project ("NRWege ins Studium" program, funding phase 2023-2027). In the period 2020-2022, funding was provided as part of the "NRWege Leuchttürme" program of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the MKW.
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"More than just a school" - LehrkräftePLUS participant Olena reports on her school internshipAs part of LehrkräftePLUS Siegen, all participants complete a practical phase lasting several months in the second half of the program in order to get to know the German school system and the everyday life of a teacher in Germany in practice. Participants observe other teachers in class, take part in team teaching and conduct their first lessons in a system that is new to them. They also take part in extracurricular activities such as conferences, excursions, projects, break supervision and parent-teacher conferences. Our participant Olena, who is a math and IT teacher and came to Germany from the Ukraine, is currently doing an internship at the Hanseschule Attendorn. She has written a vivid report about her diverse experiences at the school, which you can find here |
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The application phase for the new round of the LehrkräftePLUS Siegen program (2025/26) has endedNumerous applications have been received for the new program round starting in October 2025 and the selection process is currently underway. Applications are therefore no longer possible at this time. If you are interested in participating in our next but one program cycle (2026/27), which will start in October 2026, you can find the new call for applications on our homepage from January 2026. If you have any questions about the program or need advice, please do not hesitate to contact us in the meantime. |
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A great success for our former LehrkräftePLUS participants!After two years as a teacher in the teaching profession and a parallel further qualification, the former participants of our second LehrkräftePLUS cycle successfully completed the follow-up program "ILF - Internationale Lehrkräfte Fördern" of the Arnsberg district government at the end of January 2025. Find out more... During a graduation ceremony at the Center for Practical Teacher Training (ZfsL) in Siegen, the ILF graduates received their certificates of participation from Christiane Kampelmann-Springer from the Arnsberg district government and Achim Leonhardt, head of the ZfsL. The teachers also received further congratulations on their great success on their way back into the teaching profession from the moderators of the ILF seminars, the head teachers and their school mentors who accompanied them during their ILF time. We would also like to congratulate all the graduates! What's next for the graduates? The vast majority have taken up a position at a school as of February and will complete the pedagogical introduction, the completion of which opens the door to a permanent position in the North Rhine-Westphalian teaching profession. Others will initially work as a substitute teacher before also aiming for lateral entry. |
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How can I stay healthy and resilient in my day-to-day work as a teacher?The participants in the current round of the LehrkräftePLUS Siegen program addressed this question in a three-hour workshop shortly before Christmas. The speaker, Judith Kaiser-Rübsamen, who herself worked in the teaching profession for a long time and is a certified yoga teacher, gave the participants a clear explanation of how they can establish a healthy morning routine, for example, in order to start the day on a positive note. In addition, the participants not only learned about the mutual interaction of posture, breathing and emotions, but also found out which mindfulness and movement games with pupils ensure balance and calm in the classroom. They tried out how to deal with challenging situations in everyday teaching and experienced for themselves how signals from body language and movement can be interpreted in the classroom. The workshop provided the teachers with useful tools and easy-to-implement tips and tricks for their future professional life, and they had a lot of fun playing role-plays together and trying out yoga exercises. |
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The LehrkräftePLUS NRW network met for joint further training at the University of SiegenOn November 21, 2024, a meeting of the LehrkräftePLUS NRW network took place at the University of Siegen, attended by program coordinators and staff from all five LehrkräftePLUS locations (Universities of Bielefeld, Bochum, Duisburg-Essen, Cologne and Siegen). Find out more... The participants took part in a workshop on "Culturally sensitive communication" (IKUD seminars, speaker: Claudia Grothoff), reflecting on their experiences in their day-to-day work and developing new approaches to their practical advisory work. In addition to regular exchange meetings in digital form, a LehrkräftePLUS network meeting including face-to-face training has been held every year since 2023, with the host rotating between the five participating university locations. These meetings are funded by the Ministry of Science and Culture NRW as part of the "NRWege ins Studium" funding program. |
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Start of the fifth round of the LehrkräftePLUS Siegen programNineteen participants started the program at the beginning of October. The participants originally came to Germany from Ukraine, Turkey, Iran or Afghanistan, initially had to find their feet in a new life situation and took part in German and integration courses. By successfully participating in the multi-stage selection process of LehrkräftePLUS Siegen, they have overcome the first hurdle on their way back into their profession as a teacher. They will now spend a year preparing intensively to become a teacher of chemistry, English, computer science, art, mathematics, physics or sport in the German school system. The new participants were welcomed to the University of Siegen by the LehrkräftePLUS program team as part of an information and introductory event. Two campus tours and a tour of the university library also helped them to find their way around the university and settle in well |
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Congratulations!The participants of the 2023/24 program have successfully completed their qualification. Find out more... The 20 graduates received their certificates for completing LehrkräftePLUS Siegen at a graduation ceremony on September 20, 2024. In addition to Dr. Barbara Müller-Naendrup, Prorector for Teacher Training, Further Education and Sustainability, the program team, their families and other guests, Christiane Kampelmann-Springer, Head of Department 44 of the Arnsberg District Government, also congratulated the graduates. There has been close cooperation with the district government since the start of the program, including with regard to advising participants on their career options. Those present were particularly pleased to receive a personal video greeting from Ina Brandes, Minister for Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia (MKW), who emphasized that the graduates can be very proud of what they have achieved. The MKW has been supporting LehrkräftePLUS Siegen since 2020 as a so-called lighthouse project as part of the "NRWege ins Studium" funding program. We wish all graduates all the best, much joy and success for their future careers as teachers! You can find the university press office's report on the ceremony here. |
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Alumni conference of the LehrkräftePLUS NRW networkOn September 14, 2024, the second alumni conference of the LehrkräftePLUS NRW network took place at Bielefeld University. Find out more... Alumni from all five network locations and program staff met to discuss various aspects and experiences relating to school and teaching. After a creative warm-up on the topic of the teacher's role, two barcamp sessions took place in which groups discussed topics such as dealing with racism, communication within the teaching staff, disruptions in lessons and motivating pupils. A final exchange walk rounded off the event. The event offered the alumni, most of whom work as teachers in schools, the opportunity to network with colleagues and gain further qualifications. The LehrkräftePLUS locations Bielefeld, Bochum, Duisburg-Essen, Cologne and Siegen take turns hosting an alumni conference each year; in 2026, the conference will be held at the University of Siegen. |
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The selection for participation in the 2024/25 program cycle has been completed.The selection process for the next program cycle starting in October 2024 has been completed. Applications are no longer possible. Interested parties can find out from the beginning of 2025 on our homepage when it will be possible to apply for the next but one program cycle 2025/26 starting in October 2025. |
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Start of the 2023/24 program cycleAt the beginning of the winter semester, 23 international teachers started the new program cycle. Teachers of music and sport are taking part for the first time; the subjects of biology, chemistry, English, mechanical engineering, mathematics and physics are also represented. The majority of participants are gaining further qualifications for subsequent employment at lower secondary level; some teachers are aiming to teach at a vocational college or elementary school. |
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Congratulations to the participants of the third program round on completing their qualification!After an intensive and experience-rich year of LehrkräftePLUS Siegen, 20 participants successfully completed the program at the end of September. We wish them every success and all the best for the future! The press report on the graduation ceremony can be found here: |
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Publication of the Lehrkräfte Plus NRW networkFurther information on the design and implementation of the Teachers Plus qualification programs can be found in the joint publication of the five network locations Bielefeld, Bochum, Duisburg-Essen, Cologne and Siegen. You can find the publication as a PDF here: |
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The application and selection procedure for the 2023/24 program cycle has been completed.The application and selection procedure for the next program cycle, which will start in October 2023, has been completed. Applications for the 2024/25 cycle are expected to be possible from February 2024. The application deadline and the current participation requirements will be announced on our website in good time. |
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Transition to the follow-up program "International Teachers Support" (ILF)On 01.02.2023, 15 graduates of our second LehrkräftePLUS round will start the two-year follow-up program ILF of the Arnsberg district government. As part of this program, they will work as teachers in schools in the region and also gain further qualifications at the Center for Practical Teacher Training (ZfsL) in Siegen. We wish them all the best and every success for their future careers! |
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A warm welcome! The third round of LehrkräftePLUS Siegen started at the beginning of October 2022.Since the beginning of October, 22 participants have been taking part in the third round of the program. After a program kick-off event, at which information about the program and the courses in the first half of the year was provided and everyone was able to get to know each other, the focus for the next six months will now be on language training. The participants will also spend the first half of the year learning the basics of the German school system. Teachers of the following subjects are taking part in this round for secondary level I: English, art, chemistry, mathematics, physics, computer science and technology. For the first time, teachers are also being further qualified to work at a vocational college (subjects: English, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and computer engineering). |
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Congratulations to the graduates of our second program round!The 25 participants in the 2021/22 round of the LehrkräftePLUS Siegen program successfully completed their further qualification at the end of September 2022. They received their certificates and numerous congratulations at a graduation ceremony at the University of Siegen. The majority of the graduates will now take part in the in-depth program of LehrkräftePLUS Siegen before starting the follow-up program "Internationale Lehrkräfte Fördern - ILF" of the Arnsberg district government in February next year. We wish them all the best and every success! You can find the press report on the end of the program here. |
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Summer school for international teachers in GermanyOn 15 and 16 July 2022, a summer school for international teachers in Germany took place at the University of Siegen on the topic of "Professionalization of school skills". The event was organized by the nationwide network for qualification programs for international teachers and was aimed at participants and alumni of the various programs. Six former participants of our LehrkräftePLUS Siegen program were also present and took advantage of the opportunity to continue their education and to network and exchange ideas with other teachers. The press report on the Summer School can be found here. |
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The application and selection process for the 2022/23 program cycle has been completed.The application and selection process for the next round of the program, which starts in October 2022, has been completed. Applications for the 2023/24 cycle are expected to be possible from mid-March 2023. The application deadline and the current participation requirements will be announced on our website in good time. |
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Congratulations to our first graduates on starting the ILF follow-up program!On 24.01.22, the first graduates of LehrkräftePLUS Siegen signed their employment contracts for the two-year follow-up program "ILF - Internationale Lehrkräfte Fördern" of the Arnsberg district government. They will begin their work at the schools in the new school semester, accompanied by in-depth further training in seminars at the Center for Practical Teacher Training (ZfsL) in Siegen and Dortmund. |
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DAAD-Pageflow report on LehrkräftePLUSIn the DAAD multimedia report on LehrkräftePLUS, Media, a participant in our first program in Siegen, reports on her experiences during the practical phase at school. The report can be viewed at the following link: DAAD Reportage LehrkräftePLUS |
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Article about LehrkräftePLUS in "Querschnitt"In the current issue (3/2021) of the university magazine "Querschnitt" several reports about the project LehrkräftePLUS Siegen have been published. The articles can be viewed here: Article Querschnitt LehrkräftePLUS |
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Integration through sportIn cooperation with the Siegen-Wittgenstein District Sports Association, the participants of LehrkräftePLUS Siegen were able to acquire an exercise instructor license. A report on this was published on the DOSB website: DOSB - Integration through Sport |
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Workshop on intercultural educationAs part of the in-depth modules in the TeachersPLUS qualification program, a workshop on "Cultural Differences" took place on 21 October 2021.
The authors of the successful book "Kommt ein Syrer nach Rotenburg (Wümme)", Gerd Hachmöller and Samer Tannous, could be won over for a full-day event. The team of authors quickly impressed the audience with their lively presentation of real-life examples of cultural differences. In addition to the theoretical input, there was plenty of room for the participants' impressions and experiences, which led to a lively exchange. Both the speakers and the participants praised the open atmosphere and were pleased to gain new insights into the particularities of German, Turkish, Arabic, Persian and Albanian culture. |
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Kick-off of the 2021/22 program cycleOn October 1, 2021, the kick-off event for the second cohort of the LehrkräftePLUS qualification program took place in a festive setting in the Audimax. This year, 28 participants from Turkey, Ukraine and Algeria were accepted into the program. The selection of subjects is based on the shortage of subjects. This time, three new subjects were offered instead of biology: Engineering, Computer Science and Art. |
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Interview on Deutschlandfunk about LehrkräftePLUSProf. Dr. Nils Goldschmidt, Director of the Centre for Teacher Training and Educational Research and project manager of LehrkräftePLUS Siegen, was recently interviewed on Deutschlandfunk about the LehrkräftePLUS program. The interview can be accessed as an audio stream at Audiostream Deutschlandfunk |
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Current press article on the LehrkräftePLUS programOn April 29, the Siegener Zeitung published an article about LehrkräftePLUS Siegen and also interviewed two participants from the program. The article can be viewed here: Press article Siegener Zeitung |
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Joint online portal of the LehrkräftePLUS programs launchedThe online portal of the LehrkräftePLUS locations in NRW can now be found at www.lehrkraefteplus-nrw.de
On April 14, the joint online portal of the LehrkräftePLUS locations in NRW was published to support internationally trained teachers who are aiming to return to work as teachers in NRW. The universities of Siegen, Bielefeld, Bochum, Duisburg-Essen and Cologne, where the LehrkräftePLUS qualification program is offered, are involved in the online portal. The portal is a first point of contact for interested parties throughout Germany and provides general information on the qualification as well as an overview of all participating locations. The online portal can be found at www.lehrkraefteplus-nrw.de |
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