RUBensinternational - Ruhr

RUBens
international
SUPPLEMENT: CAMPUS WITHOUT BORDERS
"my flag!"
Dozens of small flags in the map mark the countries and places around the world
where visiting scientists at the Ruhr-Uni are from. Carlos Villela stands in front of this
colourful map in the International Lounge, showing the yellow flag marking Honduras.
The graduate student is the only person at RUB who comes from the Central American country. In Rubens International (page 3) he speaks about his home country, Bochum, and the Research School of RUB, among other topics.
In this new edition of RUBENS International, you will find a report on an extraordinary internship programme for
future medical doctors leading our students to opposite sides of the Pacific
Ocean, providing equally positive and enrichening experiences far east in Japan
and far west in Chile. RUB is also continuing to expand the number of Master courses in English. Several faculties
have recently moved to teaching all their
Master courses in English by default,
such as Chemistry and Biochemistry as
well as Geosciences. In addition, several
new courses will
be available as
of autumn 2011,
for example „Lasers and Photonics“, „Molecular
and Development
Stem Cell Biology“, and „Molecular Science and
Simulation“, all
covering hot and
interdisciplinary
topics in Natural and Life Sciences.
We hope that
these courses
will attract ambitious students
from overseas as
well as from Germany. A recent
survey on international student
satisfaction provided some interesting
results. On the bright side, the Ruhr area
is considered a safe and welcoming area
of Germany, with relatively low cost of
living. RUB in particular was praised for
its rapid and efficient handling of international applications, which is due as much
to the services offered by the International Office as to the flat hierarchies and
Photo: Steffen
Dear Reader,
I find it hard to concentrate on everyday business in the University in the light
of the terrible news about the earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan. This is even more so because I, like
probably many colleagues, but also students and coworkers on campus, have
several close personal contacts to Japanese colleagues. Moreover, as an international institution Ruhr-Universität
Bochum maintains numerous institutional contacts with Japanese Universities, including student exchange programmes and joint
research projects.
We count among
our partner institutions universities in Tokyo,
Osaka, Nagoya
or Kyoto, but as
well institutions
which are situated very closely to
areas struck by
the catastrophes
like Sendai or Fukushima. I am relieved to hear that
most of our personal contacts are
well, and that all
members of RUB
who were in Japan at the time
of the earthquake
are either back in
Germany by now
or sound and safe in Japan. On behalf of
all members of the University, the RUB
Rectorate offers support and solidarity
to the Japanese people. As a first measure, allocation of funds in all Japan-related programmes will be more flexible
because it may not be feasible to adhere
to the planned schedule in the light of
this dramatic situation.
hands-on approach of our administration. While international students value
the competence of lecturers at RUB and
the quality of our tuition in general, they
clearly need more guidance through the
many opportunities and choices.
On the other side, we can certainly improve our international marketing,
and raise awareness of the strengths
of our university. Internally, the hints
from this i-graduate survey are well
taken, and will lead to appropriate actions. Along the same lines, we also
rely on all members of the University
to spread the word about the qualities
of RUB. For example, the high quality
of Research@RUB has just been reconfirmed by the recent very positive
results from the nation-wide „Exzellenzinitiative“, which aims to foster excellent research and strengthen the institutions that provide it.
As a kind of “warming-up” the RUB
Rectorate has launched the new funding line “RUB international” with the intention to invite RUB’s researchers to
come up with innovative project ideas.
All projects should combine research
and teaching with aspects of internationalization – a great opportunity to receive funding for unusual ideas.
Beyond the actual quality of teaching and research, we need not be shy
about the quality of everyday life in Bochum. Looking out from the campus into the natural resort of the Ruhr valley,
which is in walking distance from the
university and my way home on the bicycle, I am already looking forward to
spring in Bochum to enjoy the beautiful lands around our city. That, also, is
good news about RUB that deserves to
be spread.
Thanks for reading,
Nils Metzler-Nolte, Vice Rector for
Early Career Researchers and International Affairs
RUB on the Move
Growing interest in study abroad
Students at the Ruhr-Universität are more
internationally mobile than the average.
These were the results of the “Graduate
Study” conducted by social scientists with
students graduating from bachelor’s programmes in 2008. According to the results, every third RUB student spends part
of their studies abroad. This is contrast to
the average result for a nationwide project
with more than 40 collaborating universities: only one in four. In general, the time
to graduation was not extended by having
spent time abroad.
The International Office at the RuhrUniversität has seen a growing interest
in study abroad for some time now. “The
number of those who went abroad with
an Erasmus scholarship was still below
200 in 2002/03—now it is around 400,”
said Jutta Schmid, Deputy Director of the
International Office. Also, the number of
students “sent” abroad through key international university partnerships has more
than doubled since 2002, from roughly 15
to 40 students this academic year.
“This shows that our efforts to increase international mobility are bearing
fruit and further distinguishes us as a truly cosmopolitan university,” says Professor Uta Wilkens, Vice Rector for Teaching, Continuing Education, and Media at
RUB. Activities such as the student fair
“Without Borders” and info events with
various faculties and departments have
helped awaken interest in study abroad.
Student fees have enabled the International Office to hire an additional staff
member, which, in turn, doubled the
number of weekly office hours for advisory services on study abroad. In recent
years, RUB has increased the number of
available places for students at partner
universities all over the world. There are
also new funding programmes for study
abroad such as the Erasmus Placement
internship programme and the PROMOS
program from the DAAD to increase student mobility. The expansion of the International Office website has also attracted
more students considering a stay abroad.
“Plus, the opportunities to get academic
credit for study abroad has significantly
improved,” said Jutta Schmid.
Meike Drießen
Photo: Jonathan Martz
Editorial: sympathy for the japanese people
The University of Strasbourg, one of RUB’s international partners (pictured: Le Palais
Universitaire)
2 rubens international
april 2011
From the Four Corners of the Globe
The International Team at the Chair for International Politics
“More international than our Chair of International
Politics is impossible,” wrote Aukje van Loon, Ph.D.
candidate at the Chair for International Politics of
the Faculty of Social Sciences. She was writing in response to the first edition of Rubens International
and suggested we feature the Chair in a future edition. “We have students and researchers from the
Netherlands, the US, Taiwan, Peru, China, and the
Czech Republic and Germany of course. Our Chair,
Prof. Dr. Stefan Schirm, is currently a senior research
fellow in the US.” This was an opportunity Rubens
could not pass up!
Aukje van Loon (34) from the Netherlands, in Bochum since September 2001.
Major: Communication Studies (BA in Communication with Modern Languages – French
& German – in Scotland) and Political Science (MA in European Culture and Economy,
RUB)
What do you do here in Bochum?
I am a Ph.D. student in political science and work as a researcher and lecturer at the
Chair for International Politics.
What do you miss the most here?
My family (four siblings and my parents), the Dutch light-heartedness, and the Scottish landscape (the Highlands)
What would you most like to take home with you?
Bochum is my home now. I’m married and have two daughters. I feel very at home
and happy here.
What brought you to the RUB?
I came as an Erasmus student and was supposed to go back to Scotland. I decided to
stay because of the international Master’s program in European Culture and Economy,
which sounded so interesting. When Prof. Schirm took over the Chair for International
Politics, he began to offer more seminars in English. Since I also found his research
quite interesting, I decided to write my MA-thesis with him. Currently I’m working on
my dissertation about the diverging trade strategies of the EU in Latin America.
Yuan-Juhn Chiao (32) from Taiwan, in Bochum since Winter 2000
Major: Political Science (Bachelor of Science, UC-Berkeley; MA in European Culture and
Economy, RUB)
What do you do here in Bochum?
Research on global governance with respect to international finance, specifically, how
states respond to financial crises and how to negotiate new rules and standards.
What do you miss the most here?
Family initially, but now my younger brother is also pursuing his Ph.D in Germany.
Otherwise sunny weather, but very little else.
What would you most like to take home with you?
The friends that I’ve made over the years, my colleagues, my neighborhood (BochumEhrenfeld), and the wonderful public transport system.
What brought you to the RUB?
Initially I came here because of an international graduate studies program, European
Culture and Economy (ECUE). I decided to stay following the completion of my MA
due to the arrival of my current Ph.D advisor, whose research on global economic governance focus interested me.
Katerina Smejkalova (24) from the Czech Republic, in Bochum since
Fall 2005
Major: Political Science and German Studies (B.A., RUB), Social Sciences: Globalization,
Transnationalization and Governance (GTG, soon-to-be M.A., RUB)
Laura Carsten (28) from the USA, in Bochum since October 2007
Major: Political Science (B.A., Louisiana State University; M.A. in International Affairs,
Florida State University)
What do you do here in Bochum?
Writing my Ph.D on the strategic trade policy decisions of Brazil and India, teaching
various courses about global governance and international political economy
What do you miss the most here?
Peanut butter? No, definitely my family. (Though this is a cheesy answer, it is nonetheless true.)
What would you most like to take home with you?
I like how life is organized in Germany, the weekly markets, the tight groups of friends,
the terrific public transportation systems. The health insurance system is also a gigantic improvement over anything available in the US (despite Obama’s health care
reform).
What brought you to the RUB?
I came originally because I wanted to work with my Ph.D advisor, Stefan Schirm, and
because he offered me a job sufficient to support my life without going into debt for
my Ph.D. Having a German boyfriend didn’t hurt either.
What do you do here in Bochum?
I have been pursuing my M.A. and working as a tutor and research assistant at the
Chair for International Politics.
What do you miss the most here?
Being able to spontaneously make plans with my best friend, who lives in Prague, and
the long summer break, during which my friends from the Czech Republic can plan
long trips without any worries about their responsibilities at the university. Thanks to
the Internet and my relatively frequent trips home, I don’t miss much else: I remain
in contact with my friends, follow the events in the Czech Republic, and smuggle
oodles of my favorite Czech products back with me every trip.
What would you most like to take home with you?
As a political scientist, what I always notice in Germany, is the distinguished political
culture which doesn’t exist in the Czech Republic.
What brought you to the RUB?
The Central Allocation Agency (ZVS), which at that time was responsible for placing
law students at certain universities. (I studied law for one semester.) After I switched
majors, I simply stayed at the RUB.
Contact: www.sowi.rub.de/lsip/
Photos: Marion Nelle
Prof. Dr. Stefan Schirm, currently in
Washington, D.C.
What are the main research topics on which you
and your researchers at the Chair work?
Our research focuses on reforming global economic governance, on globalization in industrialized countries (such as Germany and the US), and on
emerging powers’ international
relations (such as
Brazil, China, and
India). In analyzing these topics we look at societal ideas and
interest groups
in order to explain the policies
of governments.
I have been working especially on
the question of
why national reactions to the
global financial
crisis have differed so much (comparing Germany
and the UK). Domestic interests and societal ideas
have been at the center of explanations for the considerable divergence in national preferences towards
a reform of global economic governance, particularly
towards the International Monetary Fund. Currently,
I am researching the ad hoc coalitions of countries
in the G20 as a potential new steering committee for
the world economy.
At the moment you are in the US. How do you
manage to do so many things at once, especially in an
international context? How does one organize it?
Work and travel a lot, and get addicted to Skype!
I find it actually quite demanding to simultaneously
participate in an international project here in Washington, attend conferences in several countries,
stay connected to my life in Germany, continue advising dissertations as well as deal with faculty matters at RUB. While it is interesting and also necessary to spend a lot of time researching abroad when
one works on international relations, I do look forward to returning home in summer in order to resume a normal professional and private life again.
How do you communicate with one another at you
Chair? (All of the interviewees spoke very good German.)
At our Chair in Bochum we actually speak English
probably as often as German, since many members
of the team are not native German speakers and we
do have three native English speakers.
Did the international team at your Chair develop by accident, or do you intentionally try to hire diverse nationalities?
Yes, that was a coincidence – there is no quota for foreigners. On the other hand, since I teach
and publish often in English, it is probably attractive for internationally-minded researchers to apply
to my Chair.
What do you see as the most enriching aspect of
the international diversity of your team?
While we all strive for analytical excellence, I guess
our work is particularly enriched through our cultural and educational diversity, since several members of my team graduated abroad - for example, in
the US – and many grew up in very different parts
of the world.
How can RUB put its best face forward internationally?
RUB is one of the largest German universities
and can proudly offer many interesting possibilities for interdisciplinary cooperation In our field, for
example, collaboration between political science, economics, and law is a great opportunity in Bochum,
given the large departments with internationally
minded colleagues.
Jorge Malaver (33) from Peru, in Bochum since October 2009
Major: Political Science (MA in European Culture and Economy, RUB)
What do you do here in Bochum?
I am currently writing my Ph.D. in the field of International Politics My research focuses on the internationalization of Brazilian companies.
What brought you to the RUB?
The international orientation of the RUB, the good reputation of the research at the
Chair for International Politics, and the offer from Prof. Schirm to hold a seminar
about us
Editor: Press office of the Ruhr-Universität, Manager: Dr. Josef König (responsible in terms of press legislation); Editorial office: Arne Dessaul, ad, (CvD, picture editorials); Address of editorial office: Editorial Office of the
RUB, (UV 366) 44780 Bochum, Phone 0234/32-23999, -22830; Fax 0234/32-14136, Internet: www.rub.de/rubens,
Email: rubens@presse.rub.de; Layout and set: Stefan Weituschat, Printing office of the RUB; Advert administration
and production: vmm Wirtschaftsverlag GmbH & Co. KG, Maximilianstr. 9, 86150 Augsburg, Phone 0821/4405423. RUBENS International generally appears twice a year as a supplement to RUBENS, Newspaper of the Ruhr
Universität Bochum. Contributions mentioning the author do not necessarily represent the opinion of the editorial office. Edition: 13.200.
3 rubens international
Photos: Marion Nelle
Photo: Kruppa
april 2011
Anatomy Seminar at Hiroshima University Hospital
Two Sides of the Pacific
Exchange Programmes with Japan and Chile for Medical Students
PhD student Carlos Villela
On the map in the International Lounge,
there is a yellow flag stuck in Honduras.
“That’s mine,” says Carlos Villela. “I am
the only Honduran at RUB, maybe even
in Bochum.” Here in Bochum the doctoral candidate at the Research School is particularly enjoying the international contacts, the interesting work at the Institute
of Development Research and Development Policy (IEE), and riding his bike to
and from campus.
“Germany was my gateway to the
world,” says Carlos Villela, who came to
the Ruhr-Uni six years ago after graduating from a bilingual school in Honduras and completing a bachelor’s degree in
business administration. He always knew
that he wanted to continue his studies
abroad, so he applied for programmes in
America, Asia, and Europe. He eventually had to decide between an offer from a
university in the US and a DAAD scholarship for the master’s programme in Development Management at IEE. “I wanted
to see Europe, and I also wanted to learn
German,” says Carlos Villela, explaining
his choice. Smiling, he recalls some initial language problems: “The first email
I wrote I addressed to ‘Dear Ms. Frau
Bäcker’ because I thought that ‘Frau’ was
a first name.”
Learning First-Hand
Today, Carlos Villela speaks fluent German and does not regret his decision: “In
Latin America, many people believe that
the people here are machines and that the
country is grey. I was amazed at how green
Germany is – 40 percent or so are forests.
For me, Germany is freedom – the freedom to live my life the way I want. Every
morning, for example, I ride my bike to
the university. In Honduras, you cannot
do this. It’s too dangerous because of the
high crime rate. There you are living behind protecting walls.”
Not just in Germany, but also at RUB
Carlos Villela feels at home. He extremely
enjoyed the master’s programme mainly
because he made many new international contacts: “In Honduras, you hear a lot
about America and some about Europe,
but most Latin Americans rarely come into contact with Africa. You hear ‘Uganda’
and have to take a look at the map. During the master’s programme I have met
many Africans and learned first-hand
about their culture and history.”
The Honduran liked his time at the
IEE so much that he decided to stay for his
doctoral thesis. He now receives a fellowship of the Research School and studies
Mexican migrant organizations in North
America. The migrants provide financial
support to projects in their home country,
like building projects for schools or hospitals, and cooperate with the governor
of the Mexican federal state of Zacatecas.
For eight months Carlos Villela travelled
through North America and Mexico interviewing the former governor of Zacatecas
and talking to many Mexican migrants. “I
want to explore the real meaning of this
cooperation for the migrants and the governor,” said the Honduran.
Interpretative Sociology
For example, Carlos Villela is interested in how important the recognition
from the governor is to the migrants and
what type of political influence the migrants might have in their home country. Unlike in his master’s thesis, he is
not using structured questionnaires for
his doctoral research, but is focusing on
methods drawn from interpretive sociology: “I always felt that people wanted to
say more than what we wanted to know in
our questionnaires. Now I spend a lot of
time with the migrants and ask: What is
your life story? But analysing the results
is very hard work!”
Carlos Villela financed his research
trips with funds from the Research
School, where he has recently taken over
the role of deputy doctoral representative in Humanities and Social Sciences:
“That worked out well. I rarely needed
a hotel, I stayed with friends or the migrants. Mexicans really are the best hosts
in the world!”
In addition to the financial support,
the PhD student enjoys other aspects of
the Research School: “It’s not just international, it’s also interdisciplinary. That
means you meet totally different worlds
there.” What will come after the doctorate
for Carlos Villela is still an open question,
but he will almost certainly continue to explore the world. Julia Weiler
Carlos Villela: “I was amazed at how green
Germany is.”
The Medical Faculty at RUB has had student exchange programmes with two Japanese universities since 2010: Nara Medical
University in Kashihara and the Medical
Faculty at Hiroshima University. A similar programme with Aichi Medical University in Nagakute is currently being developed. With these programmes, medical
students from RUB have the opportunity
to complete a four-week clinical traineeship in internal medicine or surgery in Japan. A complete four-month long trimester of the Praktisches Jahr (final year) in
the fields of internal medicine or surgery
is also possible. In return, Bochum supervises Japanese students doing their clinical traineeships at the university clinics.
The language of the programmes is English. For several years there has also been
the option for final year medical students
to complete a trimester at the Medical Faculty of the Catholic University of the North
in Coquimbo and La Serena in Chile.
These students need to possess very good
knowledge of Spanish, since they are fully
engaged in the work with patients.
The exchanges with Chile and Japan offer RUB students a unique opportunity to
not only experience working in the health
care systems of both countries first hand,
but also to come into direct contact with
their students, people, and unique cultures. The international contacts that the
students make and the experiences that
ing their practical training are very helpful want to go?!’ And, yes, during my mere six
and the doctors also support you. The doc- week stay, I was supposed to learn about
tors really trust the trainees, so we feel re- how beautiful this city is, how rich and insponsible for our work. The surgeon who teresting the culture is, and how wonderis responsible for the students, Dr Marco ful and hospitable the residents are.
Part of the training as a medical stuRojas, takes his job very seriously. He even
takes the time to explain things to me in dent includes four months as a trainee
Spanish, when I did not understand some- that can be completed during semester
breaks in hospitals or clinics. I was lucky
thing in the Chilean dialect.
The hospital has a special room for enough to spend part of this time at the
the students. It is equipped with four Hiroshima University Hospital as part of
computers and you can easily access their exchange programme with RUB. I
the Internet via a wireless connection. lived with a family and was able to get a
There are also three seminar rooms where we can
study. There are seminars
two afternoons a week.
The students prepare presentations where they use
PowerPoint to present on
cases from their station.
Overall, our study conditions are really quite
ideal. And you can’t forget “la residencia”, the
place where students eat
Entrance to the Medical Faculty of the Catholic University
and sleep.
of the North in Coquimbo
In the daily work at
the hospital, the students
function as “mini-doctors”, so to speak, real glimpse into the traditions and cusworking with three to four patients and toms. One particularly special experience
prescribing tests and medications. So you was taking part in a traditional tea ceremoreally do learn a lot. After the consultation ny. This took place in a room where the
we are also allowed to assist in operations. floor was lined with traditional Japanese
You might be able straw ‘tatami’ mats—in the floor a kettle
to give someone was sitting on top of a little fire. After nearstitches or serve ly two hours—and filled with the green tea
as the second as- and light dishes that were prepared acsistant during a cording to specific rules and with gracecholecystectomy ful ritual movements—I felt completely
(gall bladder re- relaxed and very comfortable. It was just
moval). I start- the right way to spend the evening before
ed with TEVO, my first day in the hospital.
In the hospital I was officially welwhich stands for
“thorax, endocri- comed by the Dean in a welcome ceremonology, vascular, ny and was treated as a guest during the
‘otros’ (others)”. whole period of the internship. I felt reMarie Monier, an RUB student with one of her Chilean supervisors
After that I spent ally comfortable and truly welcome, and
two weeks in an- the Japanese students and doctors were
they have abroad while they are still un- aesthesia, where I was able to occasionally interested to learn about Germany from
dergoing their medical training can also
administer a local anaesthetic. Now I’m me. I was greeted often with “Guten Tag”,
help make a small contribution towards in the “digestivo” (abdominal surgery) as many medical students learn German
improving international understanding.
during their studies. I’ve also come across
section.
The following reports by RUB medical
Every sixth day we have to do a night many German words during my day-tostudents show what all of this really looks shift. We start at 9pm in the emergency day work at the hospital such as “Karte”
like “on the ground”:
room and work until the next day—there for the patient record or “Schaukasten”
is no day off! On every seventh day, there is for the X-ray screen. It is very exciting to
Independent in Chile
the so-called “turno de tarde”, a shift from watch the Japanese doctors at work—af5pm to 9pm. Sure, there is a lot to do in the ter all, Japan is known for its high life exMarie Monier is currently in Chile: “I hospital and you work long hours, but the pectancy.
am in my final year of medical training atmosphere is good, no one (neither docThe time after work was always very
and am now two months into a trimester tors nor patients) complains, and there’s nice, as the team from the hospital met
at San Pablo Hospital in Coquimbo. For always a bit of humour. Sometimes you frequently at night to get something to eat
me, this is a very important experience, don’t even notice that the day is over!”
or to go to the baseball stadium. The eveboth in terms of my medical training and
nings were very long and pleasant in Hipersonally. I am learning a lot and would Cultural I(..)rsion in Japan roshima, and German beer is very popuwholeheartedly recommend this exchange
lar there. I can only say that the journey to
Juliane Kruppa reports from Japan: a distant country with its unique culture
programme.
In the beginning it can be a bit hard “‘Hiroshima’ – the word triggered pic- was very worthwhile and has definitely into get used to the Chilean hospital sys- tures of a destroyed city and radiation for spired me!” Prof. Dr. med Josune Guzmán,
tem, but the other final year students do- my friends and family. ‘That’s where you Marie Monier, Juliane Kruppa
Photo: Monier
The Only Honduran
Photo: Monier
At RUB Carlos Villela feels at home
4 rubens international
april 2011
Perfect Papers
Target Group
The rules about who can come to the
two tutors are set by DAAD: “The offering
is aimed solely at international student enrolled in full-time degree programmes, of
which there are currently 2,352 at RUB,”
said Sarah-Amelie Stücken (RUBiss) after
looking at the latest statistics. The target
group is therefore quite large, yet thanks
to the funding from DAAD, the project,
which was initially started on a relatively
small scale, can now be expanded.
The types of written work that students
can bring to the Proofreading Office are
also clearly defined: master’s and bachelor’s theses, as well as and research papers for courses in all fields. “The master’s
and bachelor’s theses, of course, take precedence,” admits Elena Diaz. “As would
be expected, no content or subject-specific corrections are made. The proofreaders
only help with spelling, punctuation, and
grammar,” adds Sarah-Amelie Stücken.
That said, the team in the Proofreading
Office also includes students with expert
knowledge in specific subject areas. These
students are always consulted when the
language expert reaches their limitations
within a particular field, such as when
German Studies student André Deutscher
has to proofread master’s theses in the
natural sciences or engineering.
André Deutscher (left) helps Li Yuchen with his research paper
Deutscher has just completed his first
project: a 70-page master’s thesis. “There
was a preliminary meeting with the author
and then I took the work that had already
been done home and did the edits on my
computer. There were no significant issues with the document, just a few spelling errors as well as the occasional typo,”
he says. Deutscher gradually continued
to receive and review sections of the thesis. At the end, he stored the work in two
versions: one with comments about the
changes he had made and one as a fully
corrected “clean” version. He met again
with the author to discuss the commented version.
The German Studies student invested over 40 hours in his first proofreading project. “I assume, however, that the
next time will go much more quickly,” he
said with conviction. The future teacher
also sees the editing process and discussions with the authors as good experience
for his later career.
Helpful Feedback
One of the first international students
to use the service was Anastasia Aksenova. She is currently a fifth semester student in German Studies and Slavic Studies
and found out about the office through a
flyer in the GB. “My research project for
German Studies was almost finished, but
I just needed some feedback from another
person,” she says. Shortly thereafter, she
went to the Proofreading Office. “The registration process was not at all bureaucratic and I was given a detailed overview of
the process. Just one day later I received
an email from my proofreader Viviane
Lucia Fluck.” They quickly agreed on a
meeting date and Anastasia Aksenova
brought her paper to the appointment.
“I thought it was really nice that Viviane
took so much care with the project and
In winter semester
2010/11, Ruhr-Universität
took part in the world’s
largest (international) student survey, International
Student Barometer, for the
first time. 823 students from
BA to PhD level participated
and gave their feedback on
topics such as study satisfaction/teaching quality, social
factors, support at the university or living quality. Especially in questions regarding application procedure,
first contact and arrival,
RUB got attested outperforming qualities.
During the next weeks,
the International Office will
Alicia Vera
continue the evaluation. The
analysis will then show in
detail what international students value and where further improvements could lead
to even more satisfaction. From now on, RUB will participate in the survey every year.
The expected feedback on international student satisfaction and the internationalisation process will contribute to proceeding on the way to excellence.
Alicia Vera, RUB student from Mexico, is already more than satisfied: she won the
price of 1.000 Euro which was raffled among all participating international students
in Germany. Sarah-Amelie Stücken
reviewed my work so seriously,” says the
Russian student before summarizing the
primary benefits of the service for international students: “Apart from the fact that
the service is free, which is of course also
of great importance, I think it’s great that
you get feedback from students who are
in more advanced stages of their studies.
The proper use of language is particularly important for research theses. With the
corrections that the tutors make, any potential problems arising from purely linguistic issues are reduced or completely
eliminated.”
Photo: Egbert Trogemann, Dusseldorf
It’s no wonder that this idea received
DAAD funding. There are benefits on all
sides from the new Proofreading Office in
the International Office: international students at RUB can have their research papers – including master’s and bachelor’s
theses – corrected for free. The office
also benefits teacher training students
who gain practical experience while they
earn a bit of money. And, of course, securing the DAAD funding in itself is also
a great accomplishment for the International Office.
Above all this hovers a larger goal: a
DAAD programme to improve the integration of integration students called
PROFIN. The Proofreading Office for international students at RUB is an important part of this initiative. It was developed and launched by the RUBiss (RUB
International Student Services) team in
the International Office. “Now we just
provide the necessary infrastructure, but
the project itself is entirely in the hands
of the students themselves,” said Elena
Diaz (RUBiss). This is the reason why
two students have sat in the Proofreading Office (FNO 01/172) since the end of
2010 supervising the project as tutors:
Arlette Tcheho (Management & Economics) and Trang Tran (Civil Engineering). They process the registrations, carry out initial consultations with the international “authors”, and maintain contact
with the proofreaders, students who work
on the writing projects of their international counterparts. The proofreaders are
usually teacher training students completing a Master of Education.
Photos: Nelle
Proofreading Office for International Students
Photo: International Office
Int. Student Barometer
Facebook
Proofreaders come from the Institute for German Studies and various departments selected with RUBiss. “As native speakers, the proofreaders possess
excellent knowledge of German and are
able to successfully support the international students,” said Sarah Stücken. André Deutscher was approached about the
position by one of his teacher after he
had brought her his (well-written) term
paper.
RUBiss let international students—the
potential “clients”—know about the Proofreading Office in various ways: flyers,
emails, newsletters, etc. “Facebook and
the RUBiss group there was the best way
to reach people. We also get the best response for our other offerings there,” says
Sarah Stücken. One example of RUBiss’
other services include the project “Praktikumsvorbereitung für ausländische Studierende” that helps international students
prepare for internships. This project is
also funded as part of DAAD’s PROFIN
programme. ad
More Information: Proofreading Office
in the International Office (FNO 01/172)
open daily: http://international.rub.de/
rubiss/angebote/Korrektur.html.de
The first step: Li Yuchen (right) registers
with the Proofreading Office, Arlette TcheTrang Tran, Arlette Tcheho, Andre German, Elena Diaz, Sarah-Amelie Stücken (from left) ho (left) advises him on the service
NEW POTT extended!
100 photographs of people’s faces who come from all over the world but have some
connection to the Ruhr-Universität – that’s the basic concept behind the exhibition “Mischa Kuball: NEW POTT. 100 Lichter/100 Gesichter” on display in RUB’s campus art
collection. We reported on this exhibition in detail in the last issue of RUBENS International. Due to the great success of the exhibition and the continued interest of museum visitors, the exhibition has now been extended until July 10, 2011. A new online
offering to expand the outreach and explore various aspects of the exhibition will also
be developed during the Summer Semester. As soon as it is finished, it will be posted
on the website of RUB’s art collection: http://kusa-rub-moderne.de/m492. The picture
shows NEW POTT-participant Einar Bangsund from Norway in his living room. ad
PhDGermany
PhDGermany, the platform for doctoral positions and research opportunities in
Germany, is the latest service offered by the DAAD and is aimed at attracting international doctoral candidates. The PhDGermany platform (www.phdgermany.de) allows
German universities and research institutes to advertise their doctorates free of charge,
thus reaching an international audience. The platform is advertised around the world
on the DAAD network and is aimed at qualified foreign graduates interested in studying for a doctorate in Germany.
International candidates can now search the PhDGermany database for open doctorate positions in German universities and research organisations. Then they can apply directly online using the DAAD portal. The application process is controlled to ensure that the submitted applications are complete.
The background to the project was, on the one hand, the internationally expressed
requirement for a clearly laid out, English “doctorate database” – particularly for supervision offers that are not necessarily linked with financing.
On the other hand, PhDGermany is also a response to frequent complaints from universities that it is difficult to filter
the “right” PhD applicant from
a sometimes very large quantity of non-specific supervision queries received from abroad. PhDGermany now meets
the requirements of both sides, whilst also simplifying the process of making contact
between international PhD applicants and German universities. ad
Contact: Karin Heistermann, phdgermany@daad.de, www.phdgermany.de