Posted 9:28 p.m. Friday, April 5, 2013
UW-L students will travel to Germany April 16-26 to learn about student affairs administration there.
UW-L graduate students will travel to three different German universities to meet with German students and administrators to explore varying approaches to student affairs in German higher education. Typically Germany universities are less involved in student affairs.
UW-L Student Affairs Professor Jorg Vianden and the students will travel to Germany from April 16-26 to visit Fachhochschule Frankfurt, Goethe Universität Frankfurt and Universität Bonn. The group will exchange ideas with German students and administrators and get insights into how student affairs is handled in German universities. By exchanging ideas, the group hopes to enhance programs already offered in the U.S.
Graduate student Kelsey Michels sees the trip as a great catalyst for new ideas. “We are going to get a first-hand account of what it’s like for students studying in Germany — what works, what doesn’t work and what’s changing,” says Michels.
Brett Schieve, an online Student Affairs Administration student, wants to have a career in international education. “This knowledge will help me better understand, relate to and advise German international students on campus. Because their needs may be different based on the student services offered in their home country, German international students may have different expectations than other international students,” says Schieve.