Digital bridge between Siegen and Atlanta
The University of Siegen and Georgia State University (GSU) in Atlanta/USA are further expanding their international cooperation. With the signing of a General Letter of Intent (LoI), both universities have heralded a new phase of their partnership - with a particular focus on virtual exchange formats that open up new forms of intercultural collaboration for students and teachers.
"With the new agreement, we are sending a strong signal for the future of international university cooperation - networked, digital and across borders," says University Rector Prof. Dr. Stefanie Reese. Dr. Ethan Trinh, Associate Director of the Atlanta Global Studies Center, signed the agreement on behalf of GSU.
At the heart of the cooperation is the idea that Virtual Exchange forms the bridge for international education: Students from both universities can meet via digital formats, implement projects together and build intercultural skills - regardless of location and financial hurdles. The project thus makes an important contribution to the internationalization of teaching and creates new perspectives, especially for student teachers.
"Virtual exchange lowers the threshold for gaining international experience and promotes intercultural learning - even before a possible stay abroad. This is then the next step," emphasized Prof. Dr. Daniel Stein from the Department of English Studies at the University of Siegen. "This creates sustainable learning partnerships and a sense of global connectedness that extends far beyond the digital space."
"We are delighted to have an innovative partner in the University of Siegen who, like us, is focusing on new ways of international education," explained Dr. Trinh. "Virtual collaborations like this extend the reach of academic cooperation and prepare students for an increasingly global professional world."
There are already successful joint teaching projects, such as a virtual co-teaching seminar on "Public Health and Development Policy" by Eva-Maria Willis (summer semester 2025) from the Department of Sociology of Health and Health Systems, which show how digital formats promote intercultural dialog and connect lecturers from both universities.
In the coming year, Prof. Stein and Khanh-Duc Kuttig from the English language practice, who initiated the cooperation, are planning to take part in a symposium on the internationalization of teaching in Atlanta. The next step in the cooperation will be the preparation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which envisages an expansion of the cooperation and new exchange programmes for BA and MA students as well as doctoral candidates.
