Student exchange with the University of Hlukhiv in Ukraine.
As part of their project studies in the 2016 summer semester, three students on the curative education/inclusion studies course developed the "Students-for-Exchange" exchange project, which aims to establish an intentional collaboration with the Ukrainian University of Hlukhiv. The aim is to create a sustainable student exchange and thus consolidate future cooperation between the two locations. The key points are getting to know the content of studies, (student) life, mentalities and structures of social and curative education work in both countries. The project is funded by the "Eastern Partnerships" program of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), which aims to intensify university relations between so-called Eastern Bloc countries and German study locations.
The first visit by two Ukrainian students and a lecturer to Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences took place back in May 2016, giving the visitors theoretical and practical insights into the content and fields of work of the social studies courses.
This September, the planned return visit to Hlukhiv was realized. The students Donata Junghardt, Andrei Meyer, Mandy Schlage (Curative Education), Sarah Weißflog (Social Work), Mariya Hakh (Business and Tourism), accompanied by deputy professor Dr. Susanne Römer (Curative Education (Inclusion Studies)), embarked on their Ukrainian adventure on September 18.
The travel group had a structured and varied program for a week. Among other things, it consisted of subject-specific conferences and discussions with the rector and lecturers of Hlukhiv University and a conference call with other Ukrainian universities. In terms of content, the focus was on the topic of inclusion (e.g. in schools) and the existing framework conditions in Ukraine and Germany. The German visitors were given the opportunity to present the content of their degree program and their project to students as part of a lecture. The students also learned more about how the content of the social work/social pedagogy course is taught in Ukraine. Theoretical and practical methods of art therapy were presented. The program also included visits to practical facilities, such as a day care center for the elderly and a rehabilitation center for children and adolescents. These two practical visits allowed a comprehensive insight into the respective fields of work and an intensive exchange with clients and staff. Excursions to castles and fortresses relevant to the history of Ukraine, city tours, a cultural program and a visit to a disco were met with great interest.
Over the course of the week, contact between the students was intensified. The barriers to speaking in English increasingly disappeared. With the help of Ms. Hakh, who did most of the translation into Russian/Ukrainian, effective discussions about the continuation of the project were also held with lecturers from the Department of Social Work/Social Pedagogy.
For everyone involved, it was an eventful trip with many impressions and some surprising moments. Particularly noteworthy is the diversity of mentalities, which should not be seen as a barrier, but rather as a process of getting to know, understand and appreciate each other.
Within a week, the students and lecturers have grown closer together and are willing to develop the project further. Some organizational structures have already been developed, such as media platforms to stay in contact and to facilitate organization in the future. The next return visit by Ukrainian students is already planned for May 2017. Interested parties from all HSZG degree courses should contact Prof. Dr. Ingolf Prosetzky.