Integration Projects

Dear international students in Nuertingen,

the International Office of NGU Nuertingen-Geislingen University offers you a range of new projects with the name "Nt-Great" to help you settle into your new environment and to get to know local people. No matter if you have just arrived or if you have already spent a couple of semesters in Germany - Feel welcome to join! We are always open for new participants. In our projects, you can meet Germans and other international students, experience Germany from a different perspective, get in touch with German families, language partners, companies, schools or social institutions - but most of all: make new friends and enjoy your time. Just read through this page and if you find a project you like don't hesitate to get in touch with us.

The voluntary work programme enables you to do social work in Nuertingen in order to meet local people and learn something new. Students usually join a social institution for the duration of one semester or they participate in town events. Activities range from working with children, with disabled people or with senior citizens to supporting social projects, working at a fair trade shop or organising cultural events.

By finding a project which you really like, this programme is a great opportunity to have fun while doing something useful. You can enhance your social skills, practice your German, get practical experience in a new work field and gain a unique insight into society and life in Germany.

Your voluntary work is combined with a lecture in social sciences (2 classroom hours per week), which is held in English and covers topics such as global inequality, intercultural communication, and corporate social responsibility. For the combination of the lecture and 40 hours of voluntary work you receive 8 ECTS credit points if you are an exchange student from one of our official partner universities.

If you are an independent student enrolled in a regular bachelor or master programme, it is still possible to do voluntary work without doing the lecture. In this case, you will not receive ECTS credits for your work. However, you will get a certificate and it is a great experience.

If you’d like to participate in the project or if you are generally interested in doing voluntary work in town, please contact andrea.heissler@no spamhfwu.de for more information.

Visiting a school is a good chance to learn more about the German education system and to interact with teachers, school children and teenagers.
In subjects such as foreign languages, social studies, ethics, religion, geography or history it can be very enriching for a class to have a foreigner give some insider information about your particular culture, language or country. For the pupils, it will be exciting to meet somebody from abroad and practise their foreign language skills with you.
You can also set up a project together. Your own ideas are very welcome! Come to the international office or send an e-mail to andrea.heissler@no spamhfwu.de if you want to know more.

Would you like to meet local people and be introduced into a German family? The host family programme enables you to share some of your free time with German families. You will not live with them but meet for certain activities, such as having tea together, going for walks or on short excursions, visiting cultural events, having a language exchange… whatever both of you like to do. A great way to meet new people!

If you want to join this programme, please fill out our registration form (see downloads below), sign it and send it back to andrea.heissler@no spamhfwu.de. Don’t forget to write a few words about yourself. You should also specify in which languages you can communicate. We will try to find a suitable host family for you as soon as possible.

Two important things: don’t expect your host family to pay for food or tickets if you go anywhere together – you are responsible to pay for yourself.

And the duration of the programme is open: it depends on you and your family how often you choose to meet. There are no long-term obligations. The idea of “Join a Family” is to foster friendship between people from different countries and an open intercultural exchange. Join in!

The tandem programme is extremely helpful if you want to practise your German. Your tandem partner is a German student or a citizen from Nuertingen who is interested in learning your mother tongue. That way, you can practise German with a native speaker and help your partner, at the same time, to learn your language.

The way you set up your tandem is open. You can sit down with books and study with your tandem partner, but you can also just go to a café and practise talking. The two of you decide this together. Of course, you can also just meet for free-time activities, watch movies together, give each other advice about travelling and sightseeing in your countries, and a lot more.

Although a tandem is usually based on a language exchange, it is also possible to arrange a one-way tandem. This happens when nobody can be found who wants to learn your language, or if you have no interest or need to learn German. Either way, the international office will try to find a suitable tandem partner for you as quickly as possible.

The tandem programme is open for everybody, no matter what age or social background. Young, middle-aged or old people are all invited to take part. This way, it is an ideal chance for you to get to know people from various groups within society and to find out more about the people living here.

If you want to participate, please fill out the registration form (as provided under "Downloads), print and sign it and send it back to andrea.heissler@no spamhfwu.de Don’t forget to specify your language skills. If you have any special wishes, please let us know.

The theme night programme gives you the opportunity to introduce your country to other people.

Once a month, the international office and the ecumenical student community organised a theme night together where international students talk about their home countries, cook typical local food, and answer questions. The audience usually consists of students from NGU Nuertingen-Geislingen University, but also people from town who have a special interest in your country. It is a fun night and we are always looking for internationals who are willing to contribute to this intercultural exchange! The last topic nights were on Mexico, Eastern Europe, Latin America and South Korea. Let it be your country next time!

PS: The talks can be held in English or in German, depending on your language skills.

Get in touch with andrea.heissler@no spamhfwu.de!

An internship is a good opportunity to learn more about the German working culture, to improve your professional skills and to make business contacts in Germany.

In order to go on an internship in Germany, however, you normally need at least conversation skills in German.

If you are interested in doing an internship, please pass by at the international office to talk to the internship coordinator Diana Lewinsky personally.