International certificate - Intercultural competence for administration
The "International Certificate - Intercultural Competence for Administration" has recently been introduced for employees in technology and administration. It was launched by Prof. Dr. Petra M. Vogel, Vice-Rector for International Affairs and Lifelong Learning. Personnel Development, the Language Center and the International Office are involved in the structure and content of the certificate.
Participation not only enables employees to become more aware of the concerns and problems of international guests at the university, but also to broaden their personal horizons and gain new ideas for their work. Participants therefore do not necessarily have to manage international contacts on a regular basis.
The certificate consists of three modules, which can be attended independently of each other in terms of content and time. Module 1 is offered by the Language Center and consists of a (free) language course in a foreign language, which can be chosen freely from the general offer or the offer for employees. Module 2 includes participation in intercultural training. In consultation with the line manager, an external seminar (e.g. as part of the international DAAD Academy (iDA)) or an in-house offer from HR Development can be used. Employees receive the third building block by participating in a staff mobility program funded by Erasmus+. This involves a two to five-day stay at a foreign university, either in the form of a themed staff week or a visit to a similar area of work at another university. Advice and applications are handled by the International Office.
After completing all three modules, employees are awarded the Certificate of Intercultural Competence by the Chancellor at a KiS event.
"The certificate is intended to motivate and recognize employees who are prepared to face sometimes very new "foreign experiences"," says Prof. Vogel. "This not only strengthens the internationalization of the university, but also enriches each individual employee with valuable experience."