This year five incoming guest students and 15 fulltime students are in the Junior Program  Among the incoming guest students, four are traveling to Europe for the first time. Many of the fulltime DHBW Heilbronn students are from other countries as well, because they work at companies that educate their employees for international markets. All in all, it is a very international group. The students in the Junior Program 2018 come from Austria, Chile, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Rumania and Singapore.

Besides Business Administration, the program focuses on intercultural learning and social skills as well. During the introduction week the main topics were Intercultural Competence and teambuilding. Over the first few weeks students gain a deeper understanding of Intercultural Competence and develop a stronger sense of group cohesion through a combination of theoretical exercises, team challenges, and social activities, such as rock climbing and a guided wine tour. Gerlinde Kern, this year’s administrative coordinator for the Junior Program, organized the introduction week and is satisfied with the result: “I could really see the group growing together and it was great to observe their reflection e.g. on prejudice”.

All students look forward to the week-long Berlin study trip scheduled for November. The Junior Program is organized every year from September to December. With this program students from partner universities worldwide have the opportunity to spend one semester at DHBW Heilbronn. Furthermore, DHBW fulltime students can choose to study entirely in English for one semester on their own campus. After the Junior Program, incoming guest students will return to their home universities abroad to continue their studies. The full time students will pursue degrees in Heilbronn. However, many plan to go abroad for an exchange semester after the Junior Program. The semester in English spent together with guest students serves as excellent preparation for a semester abroad or a summer school in the months to come.