Language Centre
Future Skills: Connecting Classrooms Across Continents, Intercultural Communication in Action
Throughout the semester, students worked in mixed international groups, discussing topics such as cultural identity, communication styles, stereotypes, teamwork, and the opportunities and challenges of intercultural collaboration. Rather than simply learning about intercultural communication in theory, they experienced it first-hand through regular interaction with classmates from different cultural and educational backgrounds.
The diversity of perspectives enriched classroom discussions and encouraged students to reflect not only on other cultures but also on their own assumptions and communication styles. By collaborating across borders, participants developed greater cultural awareness, improved their intercultural communication skills, and gained practical experience of working in international teams, an increasingly important competence in today's global workplace.
The course also strengthened the partnership between Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg and Shenzhen Technology University, demonstrating how virtual international collaboration can create meaningful opportunities for exchange regardless of geographical distance. The inclusion of Russian students studying in China added another valuable dimension to the discussions, further broadening the range of perspectives represented in the classroom.
Student Reflections
The international nature of the course left a lasting impression on many participants. Here are some of their reflections:
„This course wasn't just about learning theories of intercultural communication—we experienced them every week through our teamwork and conversations.”
„I hope we can continue projects like this because they give us the opportunity to meet people we would never normally encounter and learn from their perspectives.”
„Before this course, I thought intercultural communication was simply about learning how to speak with people from different nationalities or cultural backgrounds, mostly within a business context. Now, I understand it is truly about seeing the individual person you are speaking with. It is about actively recognizing cultural differences and working together to bridge them, without anyone having to give up their own identity.”
„Be open, question your own habits, and remember that intercultural competence isn't about changing who you are; it’s about finally seeing the glasses you’ve been wearing your whole life.”
„This course actually taught me a lot about myself and my own German culture. It made me reflect on many things that I already knew but had never really thought about before.”
Initiatives such as this reflect H-BRS's commitment to internationalisation and to providing students with authentic, collaborative learning experiences that prepare them for an interconnected world. The success of this semester's course highlights the potential of virtual exchange as an effective and engaging way to foster intercultural competence and build lasting international connections.
Contact
Eileen Küpper
M.Sc., Lecturer in English and Intercultural Communication, Coordinator of the English programme (Department of Management Sciences)
Location
Rheinbach
Room
A 156
Address
von-Liebig-Straße 20
53359 Rheinbach
Contact hours
wednesdays, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (only during the lecture, by phone): by appointment (to be arranged by email or phone)
Telephone
+49 2241 865 765