CIIC Anniversary Celebration
November 15, 2022
On the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the Certificate of International and Intercultural Competence at Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences (HKA), the first CIIC anniversary celebration took place in October, to which students, professors as well as participants in the project were invited. As the first speaker, Bettina Stengl - head of the Center of Competence, the unit organizing the CIIC - as well as certificate coordinator Rebeca Schröder Crespillo gave an overview on the history of the certificate and looked back on the numerous projects, events, and further offers for students that were carried out in the past year within the framework of the certificate program. Highlights include the International Christmas Event for international students - the first major event since the pandemic hampered HKA - the International Spring Event on campus, which was attended by about 200 people, and a variety of field trips, including one to a high ropes course in the Black Forest that brought CIIC participants together with exchange students.
The evening's presentations by participants revealed how students experience the certificate program: They shared insights from the course "Intercultural Competence" that continue to influence, to the present day, their view on intercultural issues, and described interaction with other students at events of the HKA community.
At the close, Niklas Schwab was the first graduate to receive his Certificate of International and Intercultural Competence. Both he and the second graduate, Philipp Kuhn, distinguished themselves by additional commitment that went beyond the minimum requirements of the certificate. Their dedication was also acknowledged by Vice-President Prof. Dr. Franz Quint during the awarding ceremony.
The course "Intercultural Competence" is planned to be taught in English so that exchange students at HKA will also have the opportunity to acquire the CIIC.
