MINT - Trail with Bolivian pupils in Görlitz

On December 3, a STEM Mobility Trail took place at the Görlitz campus with 30 visiting students from the German School in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and 16 German students (their host siblings). At the start, Dr.-Ing. Stefan Kühne introduced the students to the preparatory program and the degree programs at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences. The Bolivian students were very interested in learning about the admission requirements they must meet to study in Germany.

The MINT–Mobility–Trail was enriched at six different stations by the faculties of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Mechanical Engineering, Natural and Environmental Sciences, and Social Sciences. The stations were staffed by university staff and students, who provided the ninth- and tenth-grade students with a hands-on look at the course content. The students were divided into six groups and moved from station to station. During the event, the students participated in twenty-minute workshops where they examined water samples and microorganisms under a microscope, tested a 3D printer, took temperature measurements of Christmas candles, and engaged in hands-on activities exploring the Gordian Knot and communication psychology. In addition, the students were able to test how easy or difficult it is to crack their online passwords.

The students from Bolivia and their German host siblings participated with great enthusiasm in the MINT Mobility Trail workshops. And who knows—maybe we’ll soon be welcoming one or two freshmen from Bolivia. Many thanks to all the staff and students at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences who contributed to the success of the event.

The exchange students from the German School in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, are in Germany from September 15, 2016, through January 2, 2017, to improve their German language skills and experience life with a host family. During this time, they will attend a school in the town where their host family lives. The students and host families are supported by the nonprofit organization Amigos de la Cultura e.V., based in Görlitz. The next student exchange with Bolivian teenagers will take place from September 16, 2017, to January 2, 2018.

If you are interested in hosting a “temporary child,” please contact the association’s chairman, Franz-Josef Michel (see contact information below). Further information about the student exchange is available on Facebook and the website, among other places.