The SIK offers further training

Intercultural competence is decisive when you are dealing with students and the employees who work in higher education. Therefore the Service Point offers intercultural training courses and seminars for employees of the Studierendenwerke and higher education institutions.

Continuous education for employees of the Studierendenwerke and higher education institutions

Intercultural competence is becoming an increasingly important core competence for employees of the Studierendenwerke and higher education institutions.

The Service Point makes them aware of pitfalls that may exist during intercultural communication. The focus of the seminars, training courses and workshops lies in promoting intercultural competence. The SIK also offers subject-specific seminars on the quality development of the counselling and advisory service for international students.

For example, the SIK seminars also cover topics such as legal expertise, country-specific know how or how to conduct intercultural training. 

  • Seminars in 2024
    • "Coordinating tutors (residence hall assistants)", Prof. Dr. Dr. Claude-Hélène Mayer, 3.-4. July 2024 in Würzburg
  • Seminars in 2023
    • “Regional Competence: India”, Jyotika Dalal, 10 & 12 October 2023 online
    • “Regional Competence: Iran”, Dr Fatemeh Hippler, 15-16 March 2023 in Hannover
    • “Residency and social security law for international students”,
      Prof. Dr jur. Dorothee Frings ret., 18-19 January 2023 in Koblenz
  • Seminars in 2022
    • “Counselling that is sensitive to racism”, Eben Louw, 18-19 October 2022 in Berlin
    • “Intercultural Competence: Arab countries”, Dr Gabi Kratochwil,
      24-25 March, online
  • Seminars in 2021
    • “Regional Competence: India” (repeat date), Mala Ullal,
      13 & 15 December 2021, online
    • “(Everyday) racism", ARIC NRW e.V., 5 and 7 October 2021, online
    • “Regional Competence: India”, Mala Ullal, 7 & 9 September 2021, online

SIK Webinar Series

The SIK has been offering a multi-day webinar series on the topic of how to support international students since 2021. The webinars are aimed at employees of the Studierendenwerke and higher education institutions. They take place online, include a short input section as well as time for questions and discussions, and are offered without participation restrictions.

  • 2023 webinar series
    • 8 December 2023: “Innovations regarding the skilled workers immigration act” Prof. Dr jur. Dorothee Frings
    • 2 November 2023: “Counselling and support for Ukrainian refugees”, Nationale Akademische Kontaktstelle Ukraine of the DAAD & Centre for Student Refugees of the Studierendenwerk Berlin
    • 20 June 2023: “Innovations in residency and social security law for international students” Prof. Dr jur. Dorothee Frings
    • 28 February 2023: “Regional Competence: China”, Bildungsbrücke China-Deutschland e.V.
  • 2022 webinar series
    • 15 November 2022: “Residency law and social benefits for students from Ukraine and Russia” (status: 16.11.2022), Prof. Dr jur. Dorothee Frings
    • 1 September 2022: “A racism-critical perspective on country evenings", ARIC NRW e.V.
    • 23 August 2022: “Intercultural Competence: Train-the-Trainer”, Prof. Dr Dr Claude Hélène Mayer
    • 9 May 2022: “Residency law and social benefits for students from Ukraine and Russia”, Prof. Dr. jur. Dorothee Frings
    • 9 May 2022: “Intercultural Competence: Arab countries”, Dr Gabi Kratochwil,
    • 15 March 2022: “Residency law and social benefits for students from Ukraine and Russia”, Prof. Dr. jur. Dorothee Frings
    • 15 March 2022: “Regional Competence: India”, Mala Ullal
    • 23 February 2022: "Good Practice from the Studierendenwerk Darmstadt", Louisa Frenzel and Gabriela Mayungu, Studierendenwerk Darmstadt
    • 27 January 2022: “Innovations in residency law and social security law for international students” Prof. Dr jur. Dorothee Frings
  • 2021 webinar series

    “Residency law and social security law for international students”, Prof. Dr jur. Dorothee Frings
    24.02.2021: “Employment law for international students”
    17.02.2021: “Residency and social security law for students who are asylum-seekers, have tolerated status (known as a “Duldung”) and students with other residency statuses (outside the purpose of higher education studies)”
    10.02.2021: “Residency and social security law for students from the EU/EEA/Switzerland”
    03.02.2021: “Social benefit entitlements for international students from third-party countries”
    27.01.2021: “Residence law for studies with a residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis/AE) for the purpose of higher education studies”

Professional training for student tutors

Student tutors (Residence hall student advisors) look after international students in the residence halls of the Studierendenwerke and help them to get their bearings, particularly when they first arrive in Germany. In many Studierendenwerke, the tutor programme is already an important element of the service for international students. The Service Point offers workshops for these tutors that cover the topics of intercultural communication, working together in an intercultural team and conflict management as well as supporting a dialogue of experience and information exchange.

  • Workshops 2024
    • "Conflict management in an intercultural context", Dr. Jana Schildt, 11-13 April 2024 in Berlin
  • Workshops 2023
    • “Basic Training in Intercultural Competence”, Dr Gabi Kratochwil,
      11-13 May 2023 in Bochum
  • Workshops 2022
    • “Conflict management in an intercultural context”, Dr Stefanie Kuschel,
      8-10 September 2022 in Dortmund
    • “Intercultural training for tutors”, Prof. Dr Dr Claude-Hélène Mayer, 7-8 April 2022, online
  • Workshops 2021
    • "Diversity of backgrounds", Dr Elizabeth Beloe,
      30 September –1 October 2021, online
    • “Combatting loneliness – what opportunities do I have to support students as a tutor?”, Dr Stefanie Kuschel, Dr Amina Özelsel, hanza resources, 27-28 Mai 2021, online

In addition, SIK regularly offers a multi-part online exchange forum for tutors and coordinators of the residential tutor program, where participants can discuss the design of the program.

The SIK offers a forum

The Service Point for Intercultural Competence (SIK) organises specialist seminars on current topics of intercultural work. Studierendenwerke and higher education institutions can draw inspiration from (inter)national comparisons here

The specialist conference International/Intercultural

Every two years, the Service Point for Intercultural Competence (SIK) invites experts from Studierendenwerke and higher education institutions to the campus to discuss intercultural issues. Topics include:

  • The situation of international students from the perspective of student tutors
  • Theories on successfully completing a course of studies
  • How to optimise integration
  • Creating a vibrant culture of welcome
  • Online communication with international students
  • Students with a migration background

Conference documentation

Following the input of the contributors in the plenum and the forums & workshops, the conference serves as a discussion platform for employees from the Studierendenwerke and academic relations offices/international offices.

The documentation on this page contains material and presentations from these events. The documents were made available to us by the event contributors. 

Service Point Intercultural Competence

Tel.: 030 29 77 27 -71/ -75

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SIK website

Other tasks of the SIK

SIK Publications

The Service Point for Intercultural Competence (SIK) supports and presents the intercultural work of the Studierendenwerke with regular publications.

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Concerns of international students

The Service Point for Intercultural Competence (SIK) informs the public and the world of politics about the potential that international students bring for campuses and Germany in general, and about the hurdles that they are faced with in everyday life.

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