Highlight in the pandemic
Internationalisation is an intensive form of relationship building – especially when transnational cooperation has to be established and maintained from scratch. 
The start of our DAAD project ‘Mobility in International Teacher Education’ in autumn 2019 involved establishing contacts with the Teachers College (TC) at Columbia University in New York,which thanks to the project led to a Memorandum of Understanding as the legal basis for common activities.
Our digital autumn school ‘Transculturality in Teacher Education’ in which master’s degree students, doctoral candidates and lecturers from the TC and other partner HEIs participated, was a highlight in the pandemic and a significant milestone in our relationship building.
For me, there is no question that the collaboration between Teachers College at Columbia University New York and the Heidelberg School of Education (HSE) at Heidelberg University is a real benefit for both partners. Our exchange contributes to broadening horizons across borders and developing structures and content of teacher education from a transatlantic perspective. In personal encounters, students from Heidelberg told me how much they had benefited from their stay at TC. Equally enriching for me were two guest lectureships that I was able to spend in Heidelberg. In addition to the professional exchange with colleagues and students, the opportunity to gain insights into German academic culture was particularly instructive.Dr Sarah Creider, research associate at Teachers College and guest lecturer in the ‘Mobility in International Teacher Education’ project at Heidelberg University in 2023 and 2024
Asymmetrical thinking
When developing the activities, we considered it important for the relationship to be designed as equal and reciprocal. A key finding proved to be the insight that international relations may need to be asymmetrically conceived and nurtured:
the scholarship programme drawn up with the TC provides for Heidelberg Master of Education (LA Gymnasium) students to spend a term studying as non-degree students at Teachers College. It also includes financial and administrative easements that were negotiated for our students as well as the opportunity to obtain insight into school practise at a TC practice partner. The project team’s delegation trips furthermore enriched our understanding of the American school and higher education system.
In return, the TC lecturers can teach as guests at Heidelberg University and thus in line with internationalisation@home, use various formats to offer intercultural learning opportunities to a wide range of students. This enables both students and staff to benefit among other things from lectures on topics such as diversity, racism, artificial intelligence or learning experience design. The accompanying development of an online module ‘Critical Media Literacy’ by teaching staff from Heidelberg and TC also gave a boost to on the ground collaboration.
I can already say that my time in the USA has deeply influenced me and advanced my professional and personal development. This experience was also totally enriching in terms of my English tuition. I feel a lot more certain when using the foreign language in lessons and can much more authentically present local knowledge, which is always important when conveying intercultural skills.Louisa Nachtwey, graduate Master of Education from Heidelberg University, scholarship holder at Teachers College in autumn 2023
Heidelberg teacher education delegation at Teachers College
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