What relevance does internationalization hold in teacher education? What advantages does intercultural exchange with other students offer you? Why is it worth integrating this “extra” into your studies?

International exchange programs, such as semesters abroad, internships abroad, summer schools, or our digital tandem project MOTIVATE!, offer us students the opportunity to learn with peers from all over the world across national borders, to teach what we’ve learned in educational institutions, and to challenge ourselves in unfamiliar cultures. This international exchange is particularly valuable in teacher education, as we will interact daily with students from diverse cultural backgrounds. This requires teachers to not only demonstrate cultural sensitivity and understanding but also to develop and implement inclusive educational strategies. Your intercultural understanding is enhanced, and you also gain the opportunity to critically question and reflect on educational approaches and values. By participating in international exchange programs, different education systems meet, and from this diversity of strategies, new approaches to inclusive teaching emerge.

The importance of internationalization is also emphasized by the OECD, which argues that education systems benefit from international collaboration and exchange, as they help spread best practices and improve education worldwide (OECD, 2018, p. 2018).

Personally, during my two semesters abroad in Norway and my school internship in Gambia, I was particularly enriched by the practical experiences shared by my fellow students, which significantly influenced and shaped my teaching style. I learned new teaching methods and styles, some of which I have incorporated into my teaching repertoire. On the other hand, I also came to appreciate established educational structures in Berlin, such as free access to schools and learning materials or the diverse range of study programs with corresponding specialized staff. Additionally, the problems and challenges faced by other teachers have provided me with a variety of solutions and better prepared me for my professional future. I feel more confident and prepared to start my career and to adapt my teaching inclusively to a heterogeneous student body.

References

OECD. (2018). Education at a Glance 2018: OECD Indicators. OECD Publishing. [https://doi.org/10.1787/eag-2018-en](https://doi.org/10.1787/eag-2018-en )