New DAAD project “Get Ready for Global Teaching!” at the University of Education Karlsruhe (2025-2029)
Editor’s note: Ms Mirjam Hitzelberger, M.A., is our project coordinator for the DAAD project “Get Ready for Global Teaching!” at the International Office of the University of Education Karlsruhe (KUE). She took up office in September 2025, sketched out the project programme, and set up the first “Winter School” for December for KUE and its cooperation partners. Our cooperation universities in Ghana and Cameroon also sent visiting lecturers. As the place allocated to Lao P.D.R. was not filled, I suggested inviting my South-African cooperation partner instead as we wanted to prepare a university cooperation agreement anyway.
At the beginning of 2025, Karlsruhe University of Education (KUE) acquired funding for five years from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) for the internationalization of its teacher education programmes. Since 2019, the DAAD has been funding the further development of internationalization of teacher education with its “Lehramt.International” programme. Among the newly selected projects for the second funding round “Lehramt.International 2.0: Internationalisation of teacher education at German Universities, model projects at German Universities (Module A)” from 2025 to 2029 is the “Get Ready for Global Teaching!” project at the University of Education Karlsruhe.
This project aims to offer learning opportunities to future teachers to further develop their cultural and linguistic sensitivity and, through direct international exchange, to reflect on key issues and challenges from a global perspective, as called for in the concept of Global Citizenship Education. Thematically, all activities throughout the project are aligned with KUE’s three profile areas which are compatible with the concept of Global Citizenship Education: Educational Processes in the Digital World, Education in a Democratic Society, and STEM in a culture of sustainability.
The project’s first “Winter School” at KUE in December 2025 brought together staff and students from KUE and its partner universities. The topic was “Democracy, Language and Participation”.
The goal is to educate future teachers to design educational processes in linguistically and culturally diverse groups that are inclusive and sensitive to diversity and discrimination. Against the backdrop of schools in Germany being “much more international places of learning” (Wild et al., 2026, p. 9) than ever due to migration, and in light of global challenges, there is a pressing need in Germany to address these issues also in teacher education, to prepare future educators to be aware of the needs of their (international) students and to be able to contextualize global developments in their classrooms. International exchange and networking contribute to the further development of these skills through direct and personal experience (Allemann-Ghionda, 2017; DAAD, 2025; Dengler, Ye & Martin, 2025; Martin, 2026).
A strong focus is put on Internationalisation@Home, i.e. the integration of opportunities for international learning and exchange at our students’ home university without them having to go abroad themselves. This encourages international experiences in particular for students who cannot participate in study abroad programmes because of care-responsibilities for family members, for financial reasons, because of health issues or other obstacles to spending a longer time abroad. The programme therfore provides these students with low-threshold opportunities to engage in international encounters and potentially remove barriers for students to go abroad later. Through this focus, the project also ties in with the university’s internationalization strategy and aims to contribute to increasing the international mobility of student-teachers. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) and the DAAD with about 620.000 Euros over five years.
The project is implemented in cooperation with six international partner universities until December 2029. The partner universities are:
• University of Cape Coast, Ghana
• Kibbutzim College of Education, Technology and the Arts, Israel
• Université de Yaoundé I, Cameroon
• Savannakhet University, Lao P.D.R.
• Northeastern Illinois University, USA
• Queen’s University Belfast, Ireland
The exchange with our partners in the Global North focuses on reflecting the challenges post-migrant societies face with regard to school education and social participation.1 The exchange with our partners in the Global South is intended to open up a broader perspective: students are encouraged to engage with global inequality and critically question (neo-)colonial, Western-influenced hegemonic patterns of thought in everyday life, knowledge creation and transfer, and school contexts.
Overview of Project Activities
Over the course of the project, various activities are planned to promote direct international exchange between students and lecturers from KUE and the partner universities:
- Summer/Winter Schools
Over the course of the project, three International Summer/Winter Schools will take place at KUE. These one or two-week learning opportunities bring together students from Karlsruhe and our partner universities to jointly work on projects and participate in learning activities aligned to our three profile areas. Our first Winter School took place in December 2025 on the topic of “Democracy – Language – Participation” (cf. below). The next Summer School in 2026 will focus on “Education in a Digitalised World”, and in 2028, a Summer School on “Education for Sustainable Development” is planned. - Guest Lectureships
Each year, two 4-week guest lectureships at KUE are planned for lecturers from our partner universities. These guest lectureships are intended to contribute to the internationalization of our teacher education programmes by bringing in new perspectives and teaching approaches. Moreover, the guest lectureships provide an opportunity to network with lecturers at KUE and to work on the development of new (research) projects.2 - Scholarships for Study Abroad opportunities (incoming and outgoing)
In addition, the project provides scholarships for study abroad opportunities for students. This includes both scholarships for incoming students from our partner universities in the Global South and scholarships for students at KUE to study at one of our partner universities for one semester.
Call for Applications for KUE students to study abroad at University of Cape Coast - International Conference
An International Conference on “Global Teaching” planned for 2027 aims to bring together all partners to jointly reflect the project and its first results. Moreover, the conference also provides a platform for a broader exchange of project partners together with local and international stakeholders in teacher education and to support the dissemination of the project and its results. The conference will take place at the project’s half-term to develop impulses for the second phase from the discussions, but also to strengthen efforts in internationalization of teacher education beyond the scope of the project, by paving a way for new projects or follow-up initiatives. We also aim to publish results in an open-access publication to enhance the visibility of diverse efforts in the internationalisation of teacher education.
While a strong focus lies on fostering these opportunities for direct exchange, we also aim to structurally anchor internationalization in our teacher education programmes beyond the scope of this project. To this end, we aim to establish the ground for joint, digitally supported study programmes with our partner universities and to enhance opportunities for reciprocal recognition of participation and seminars in international learning opportunities. Currently, recognition processes for study abroad periods often still present a challenge for some of our partner universities’ students in pursuing such an opportunity (DAAD, 2025). Non-recognition by partner universities of study abroad periods and KUE seminars may result in students having to study longer or to repeat a semester, which is why we want to work on improving mutual recognition with our partners and develop good practices that could then be applied with partner universities outside of the project.
What has happened so far: A look back at 2025
Guest Lectureships
After it became apparent in September 2025 that there were still funds available in the project that needed spending by December, we were able to fund a total of four guest lectureships from Ghana, Cameroon, South Africa, and the USA through a short-term call for applications at our partner universities.
In particular, the visa application process, which was necessary for our colleagues from Ghana, Cameroon, and South Africa, presented challenges for everyone involved, and we could hardly believe our luck when all three guest lecturers were granted their visas in time and we were able to welcome Dr. Gifty Edna Anani (University of Cape Coast, Ghana), Ass.Prof. Sibusiso Clifford Ndlangamandla (University of South Africa), and Mr Donald Beteyeh Nchofua (Université de Yaoundé I, Cameroon) in Karlsruhe.
A full schedule awaited the guest lecturers upon their arrival: seminars, panel discussions, exchange formats with students and lecturers – in seminars, consultations, work groups, and team meetings with the English Department – and school visits are just a small glimpse into an exciting four-week programme. From the outset, however, it became clear that all our efforts had been worthwhile: in the seminars, the guest lecturers contributed their perspectives to the discussion with students and, for example, discussed the colonial legacies that shape English language teaching during a panel talk in one of Prof. Martin’s seminars on “Global Englishes”, or led sessions on short stories in her “Postcolonial Theories & Literatures” seminar. Getting used to other English varieties and teaching styles did not take the students long, and they mostly responded with great interest to the novel perspectives.3
At the same time, the Guest Lecturers also gained insights into the German school system and teaching approaches at school and in higher education and were able to participate in the Winter School. You can follow their experiences from their own perspectives in their blog articles Letter from Ghana, Letter from Cameroon, and Letter from South Africa; and more reflective articles will follow.
International Winter School: Democracy – Language – Participation
From 14 to 19 December 2025, KUE hosted its first International Winter School together with its partner universities in Israel and Northern Ireland. As the Winter School overlapped with the stay of our three guest lecturers from Ghana, Cameroon, and South Africa, they were also able to participate in the programme and share their perspectives in the various sessions and workshops, which contributed a lot to the overall goal of the Winter School to engage participants in a dialogue with diverse perspectives. The Winter School focused on topics like literature and identity, multilingualism, dealing with controversial issues and designing learning arrangements that are sensitive to discrimination and diversity. The programme included workshops and lectures, school visits, and an accompanying cultural programme with a visit at the ZKM Museum in Karlsruhe and the Karlsruhe Christkindlmarkt (Christmas Market).
Some of the highlights were:
- A Guest Lecture on “Contact, Connection and Collaboration – The role of Shared Education in a Society Transitioning from Conflict” by Prof. Joanne Hughes and Dr. Gavin Duffy from the Centre for Shared Education at Queen’s University Belfast introduced the concept of Shared Education as an approach to promote school partnerships and community cohesion in post-conflict Northern Ireland.
- Undoubtedly one of the highlights for our international participants was the school visit(s) that gave them firsthand insights into the school system in Baden-Württemberg,4 in this case into the special concept of the “Gemeinschaftsschule” (joint secondary school5) and into foreign language teaching in German primary schools.
- A workshop on “Stories that Move – Toolbox against Discrimination” with Ms Karen Polak from the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam gave the participating student-teachers a concrete didactic approach to dealing with difficult issues such as racism, discrimination, and diversity in their future classrooms.
The project team at the University of Education Karlsruhe
At KUE, the project is implemented under the responsibility of the Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Internationalization, Prof. Dorothee Kohl-Dietrich. The project is coordinated in the International Office by Ms Mirjam Hitzelberger. She holds a degree in Political Science and Sociology (B.A.) and in Peace Research and International Relations (M.A.). She has five years of experience working in a civil society organisation in the field of Global Education, coordinating partnerships between schools and NGOs and is currently finishing her PhD project on “Global Citizenship Education in Teacher Education” at the University of Education Weingarten.
Text by Mirjam Hitzelberger (KUE Project Coordinator)
Photos by Fabian Ludwig Hahl (KUE)
Notes
1 The concept of “post-migrant” societies is a relatively new concept that aims to describe the realities of societies that have been shaped by immigration. It does not mean that migration is over, but it rather points to a societal and political recognition of the fact that a country is a country of immigration. In Germany for example, “one out of three persons identifies a migration narrative as a familial reference point” (Foroutan, 2015). They often identify as Germans, but are often not accepted this way but rather still labeled as “migrants”, regardless of whether they themselves actually ever migrated to Germany. As a result, there are many challenges to representation and participation of post-migrants in German society. The concept of post-migrant societies therefore also refers to the on-going struggle of immigrants and their descendants to be recognised as “equal members of society [that] should participate in it like everyone else” (KNOE, 2025, p. 16) and to tackle the gaps in representation. The societal reality of being a diverse, post-migrant society means that this diversity is also reflected in schools and other educational contexts. Education is a key factor in social participation, yet particularly children with a family history of migration often face institutional barriers, discrimination, and racism. In order to ensure equal rights and inclusive participation for all students, teacher education needs to address these issues and strengthen future teachers’ competences to engage with the needs of students in diverse classroom settings (Akin-Sabuncu et al, 2024).
2 Editor’s note: I started a research group with two of the partners already in September 2024, before the DAAD project started. Our group “Researching De-/Coloniality in Diverse Geopolitical, Contexts” has 23 members by now and already presented at two international conferences (GAISC and CIES 2025). We meet monthly on a prepared topic, also to reciprocally support each others’ next academic goals, share new suggestions and ideas as well as tasks and responsibilities. When group members can now come to KUE on Visiting Lectureships under the DAAD project, this equally advances our research group. Cross-fertilization between projects clearly brings new developments, energy, and ideas to both sides.
3 Editor’s note: Some quotations from the (anonymous) course evaluations: “very interesting, would definitely keep this format”; “amazing”; “was nice to get introduced to, but did not really help me”; “I liked seeing how lecturers from other countries teach, it’s always good to see something new”; “refreshing”; “they provided thoughts and insights from a completely different perspective”; “I liked this the most, since they gave another important opinion/insights”; “good addition to the course!”
4 “The teaching apporach at a joint secondary school (Gemeinschaftsschule) is based on the diversity of the students. At joint secondary schools, the educational programmes are tailored to the individual’s various talents, abilities, and development. Students can learn at different levels and at the level that is best suited for hem in each subject: the basic level (GNiveau), leading to the general secondary school leaving certificate (Hauptschulabschluss), the intermediate level (M-Niveau), leading to the intermediate school-leaving certificate (Realschulabschluss), or the extended, advanced level (E-Niveau).” (Ministerium für Kultus, Jugend und Sport (2017). Educational Pathways in Baden-Württemberg. https://km.baden-wuerttemberg.de/fileadmin/redaktion/m-km/intern/PDF/Publikationen/Schulartuebergreifend/2017_Bildungswege_eng.pdf, p. 15).
5 Baden-Wuerttemberg is the federal state in the southwest of Germany in which KUE is located. As Germany is governed by a federal system, certain policy fields – such as education – fall within the realm of the federal states.
References
Allemann-Ghionda, Cristina (2017). “Interkulturalität, Internationalität, Diversität: Was kann Lehrer_innenbildung anbieten?” In: Allemann-Ghionda, Cristina, Gülbeyaz Kula & Laurent Mignon (eds.). Diversität in europäischen Bildungssystemen und in der Lehrer_innenbildung. 67-88. Lausanne/Berlin: Peter Lang GmbH Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften.
Akin-Sabuncu, Sibel, Seung Eun McDevitt, Crystal Chen Lee & A. Lin Goodwin (2024). “Reimagining teacher education for immigrant students in the context of global migration: Teacher educators’ perspectives”. Teaching and Teacher Education (143 (2024)) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104550
DAAD (2025). Mobilität im Lehramtsstudium. Motive, Hemmnisse und Alternativen. https://static.daad.de/media/daad_de/infos-services-fuer-hochschulen/weiterfuehrende-infos-zu-daad-foerderprogrammen/profile/li/daad_bintho_studie_mobilitaet_lehramt_barrierefrei.pdf
Dengler, Rebecca, Miaoxing Ye & Isabel Martin (2025). “Decolonial Praxis. Bridging Theory and English Teacher Preparation”. In: Decolonising Language Teacher Education. Voices from the Global North and Global South. Ed. Ehlers-Zavala, Fabiola, Back, Michele & Ortega, Yecid. Palgrave/Macmillian. 91-121. DOI (chapter): 10.1007/978-3-031-96161-8_4 DOI (book): 10.1007/978-3-031-96161-8
Martin, Isabel (2026) [forthcoming]. “‘Epistemic un-/re-learning for decolonial ELT’: angeregt durch bi-direktionale dekoloniale Nord-Süd-Praxisprojekte”. Panel “Wofür? Neue Zielvorstellungen” [Where to? New goals and pathways]. In: Konferenzband unterricht_kultur_theorie II. Kulturelles Lernen interdisziplinär weiterdenken: Fremdsprachenforschung, Kulturwissenschaften, Erziehungswissenschaften. Hg. König, Lotta, Schädlich, Birgit & Carola Surkamp. Berlin: Springer Nature.
Foroutan, Naika (2015). Post-Migrant Society. https://www.bpb.de/themen/migration-integration/kurzdossiers/205295/post-migrant-society/
Konzeptwerk Neue Ökonomie (KNOE) (2025). Words of Global Learning. With Head, Heart and Hand. https://konzeptwerk-neue-oekonomie.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Glossar_GlobalesLernen_Englisch_digital-1.pdf (post-migrant, p. 16)
Wild, Kathrin, Tina Grummel & Nina Dasouqi (2026). “Why should we internationalise teacher education. An introduction”. In ibid. (eds), Internationalising Teacher Education. Concepts, Approaches and Research (pp. – 9 – 16). Göttingen: V&R unipress.
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