Encounter Europe – Visit Germany

A DAAD Seminar for Students from Australia and New Zealand at the European Academy Otzenhausen

An introduction to the political, economic and environmental issues of European integration

 from 4 – 17 December 2011

 In co-operation with the ASKO Europa Stiftung (AES) and other renowned partners in Germany and Australia, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is once again offering scholarships for a two-week course dealing with a variety of issues regarding the European Union. Two weeks full of exciting opportunities for students – from the fields of law, politics, international relations, European studies or similar subjects – wanting to improve their understanding of contemporary European affairs and legislative regulations, organised by the European Academy Otzenhausen, the University of New England and the DAAD. 

The course is open to advanced undergraduates and graduates enrolled at an Australian or New Zealand university. They must either be Australian or New Zealand nationals or have been living / studying in Australia / New Zealand for the last 6 years. 

The course will be held in English. The programme consists of a course on European affairs as well as study trips to Trier, Luxembourg (European Court of Justice, city), Strasbourg (European Parliament, European Court of Human Rights, city with Christmas market), and Germany’s former capital, Bonn (visiting the DAAD).

 Further information and application documents can be downloaded here:
Encounter_Europe_Course_2011_Announcement
Encounter_Europe_Course_2011_Application

Like in the past two years, students from the University of Auckland’s Department of German and Slavonic Studies will be talking about their exchange experiences in Germany on the DAAD winter course or the University of Auckland study abroad programme during an information session organized by the Goethe Society Auckland in association with the DAAD New Zealand. This is an open event to be held on Wednesday, May 18th, at 7pm in Old Choral Hall, Lecture Theatre 1, 7 Symonds Street, Auckland. Further details are available here:
Goethe Soc meeting 18.05.11

Like in previous years, there will be DAAD information sessions on study and scholarship opportunities in Germany organized around the country this autumn.
Scheduled events so far are:

University of Otago, Wednesday, May 25^th, 11.00 in St. David seminar 6
Victoria University, Thursday, May 26^th, 12.00 in room 107, the Murphy Bldg (MY107)
Waikato University, Friday, May 27^th, 12.00 in room B.G.24 (B Block)
University of Auckland, Monday, May 30th, 12.00 in room 201 (70 Symonds Street, level 2)
AUT, Monday, May 30th, 2.00 in WE 304

 To find out more about these events email: DAAD@auckland.ac.nz

On the weekend of 27-28.11.2010 twelve DAAD alumni from different university centres across New Zealand met in Wellington in order to make a start on the establishment of a local alumni association.
 The meeting started with a presentation on Berlin’s Cultural landscape by Yannick Müllender held in the Te Papa museum. Afterwards, DAAD alumna Sue McRae provided a very special guided tour through the exhibition of European Masters from the Staedel Museum in Frankfurt currently at display in the Te Papa.  A dinner at the Matterhorn restaurant concluded the first day.
Hosted by the Goethe-Institut, the group discussed on Sunday the process of founding a national association and setting up local branches in the different regions. Follow up meetings with DAAD alumni in the different regions are  planned within the next few months. If you are a DAAD alumni and interested in actively participating in DAAD alumni activities in New Zealand, do not hesitate to get in touch with Judith Geare (judith.geare@wellington.goethe.org) or myself (y.muellender@auckland.ac.nz).

Yannick Müllender

Prof. Sven Groß recently gave a paper about toursim and transport in New Zealand at the DAAD alumni-meeting in Bonn on 24-25.9.2010 which can be downloaded for free form the webpage of  the journal “Verkehrszeichen”:
http://www.verkehrszeichen-online.de/vz.htm

Since 1 July 2010, the DAAD has a new president: Prof. Dr. Dr. Sabine Kunst. For the first time in DAAD history, a woman was elected to head the world’s biggest organization for academic exchange.

232 member universities und 123 member student organizations overwhelmingly voted the 55-year old scientist to become the successor of Prof. Dr. Stefan Hormuth, who passed away in February.

 Prof. Dr. Dr. Sabine Kunst studied biology and political science (1972-1979) as well as hydraulic engineering (1979-1982) at Hannover University. During her academic career, she acquired two doctor’s degrees, in environmental biotechnology (1982) and political science (1990), before she was promoted to professor at Hannover University in 1990. She conducted her research in a number of countries, including China, South Africa, Mexico and Brazil.

After two years as a vice president – with her responsibilities including teaching methods, curricula, further studies and international issues – at Hannover University, she was elected president of Potsdam University in January 2007. One year later, she became a board member of the DAAD. She is also a member of numerous national and international committees. (Photo by Sören Stache)