The coming winter semester 2012/13 will see the start of a new language programme – Academic German Year – at the University of Passau. The programme is aimed at foreign students who are considering studying for a degree at the University of Passau or another German higher education institution, but who do not yet fulfil the language requirements to be admitted to a degree course. Experience has shown that even the brightest first-year students have difficulty coping with the double burden of learning German while studying full-time for an academic degree. The Academic German Year does away with this problem and helps international students get off to a good start in their degree studies.
For the University of Passau, this is another step forward in its strategy to expand its international and multicultural orientation and make its range of courses more accessible to foreign students. ”While the programme is primarily about teaching German, it is also an invitation for students from all over the world to come to Passau and experience German and Bavarian culture first-hand. Not least, it is an expression of the culture of hospitality at this university,” said Professor Wolfgang Hau, Vice-President for International Affairs at the University of Passau.
As Olena Kosobutska, a student from Ukraine who will be among the first to study in the Academic German Year programme, remarked while on a visit to Passau to prepare for the course: “I know that the University of Passau has an excellent reputation. It is a great honour for me to become a student at the University of Passau,” adding: “Passau is beautiful. I feel at home here and this is very important for successful studies.” After passing the German Language Test for the Admission to University (DSH) Ms Kosobutska intends to stay on and study for her Bachelor of Arts in European Studies.
Within as little as one year the course participants of the Academic German Year will acquire a command of the German language which enables them to pass the DSH examination and start studying in Germany linguistically well-prepared. The courses are taught by experienced lecturers according to the Common European Framework of References for Languages. But there’s more to life than studying; a wide range of extracurricular activities is planned, guided by tutors who are also available to help the course participants with any questions or problems they might encounter during their stay in Passau.
The closing deadline for applications for this year’s course is 15 July 2012. The course starts on 1 October. For more information about the course programme and the application procedure, please go to www.gcp.uni-passau.de.
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Please direct any enquiries to Dieter Müller, phone +49 851 509 1718 or Simone Unverricht, phone +49 851 509 1733.