May 5, 2022

About 200 people attended the International Spring Event on the HKA campus and celebrated with world music and international snacks while relaxing in the warm spring evening. The Crossing Borders kick-off event marked the beginning of a series of events aimed at bringing HKA students together and creating an international community.

A successful International Christmas event last November was followed by the next event for regular HKA students and exchange students: On April 28, the International Spring Event took place on the HKA campus. The setting for this event was Crossing Borders, the international information fair organized by the Center of Competence and the International Office.

HKA students were able to meet and interact with other students in a casual atmosphere at the outdoor event on Thursday afternoon. Especially for HKA's international students this event has been one of the first opportunities on campus since the start of the pandemic to network with students from the region outside of classes. Various games and an entertainment program made it easy to connect with each other. The four DJs from COLA TAXI OKAY, who played world music during the event, kept everyone in a good mood. Over a cool drink and international finger food participants got to talk with other university members and enjoy the summer temperatures on the university's deck chairs.

At the information tables during the event, those who were interested learned more about HKA's international and intercultural offerings – such as the new  Bachelor International degree option – and had the opportunity to talk with students who volunteer their time in intercultural activities. Students can get more information in May at the Crossing BorderInternational Lunchtimes, which will be held online starting at 11:30 a.m. each day on the topics of studying in an international mode at HKA (May 04), studying abroad (May 11), and internships abroad (May 18).

Volunteer students, participants in the Certificate of International and Intercultural Competence as well as the AStA and the Fachschaft W participated in the planning and implementation of the International Spring Event. Following the event, the AStA organized an after-party, which went on until late into the evening.

The International Spring Event is the first event in a series of events that aims to create an international HKA community in which all students of Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, including exchange students, are welcome. At regular intervals, students will have the opportunity to participate in different event formats, make friends, form study groups and get to know Karlsruhe and its surroundings better.