Strengths-based Career Orientation and Civic Engagement for Local and International Students

The module comprises three elements:

• A practical experience in collaboration with an organization in Freiburg,

• theoretical framing of the experience,

• and reflection of your individual learning process.

Practical experience

As part of an intercultural team, students volunteer a minimum of 30 hours with a local political, social or ecological organization in one of the following fields:

Interculturality & Migration, Environment & Sustainability, Democracy Building or Digitalization.

Students can choose their preferred community project based on their interests and the languages spoken in the organizations.

In the summer semester 2023, we cooperate with Eine Welt Forum e.V., Fairburg e.V., Foundersclub Freiburg, Freiburger Bürgerstiftung, Haus des Engagements, Radio Dreyeckland Our Voice, RESQSHIP, Südwind Freiburg e.V., Weitblick Freiburg,and Weltacker e.V.

Theoretical framing

In the Kick-off, students learn how to navigate through the module, meet the organizations, and explore theoretical approaches of civic engagement and socio-ecological change. In the Transcultural Awareness Training, they develop strategies to build meaningful relationships and successfully collaborate in an intercultural environment. In the Closing session, they participate in an exchange with activists from the Global South and identify regional and global commonalities and differences in the fight for a better world.

Reflection

With the help of an inspirational corner on ILIAS, students are inspired to reflect their experiences as well as their personal and professional development. The Peer Advising session provides a framework for dealing with challenging situations and questions regarding the volunteering projects. At the end of the semester, students round off their learning process by writing an individual final reflective paper.

By participating in SL.international, students…

• …experience how they can contribute to a better future in the local society.
• …reflect on their identity and the social and cultural imprints.
• …build meaningful relationships with other local and international students as well as with activists and staff of local NGOs.
• …gain intercultural experiences in the fields of project management and solution finding.
• …identify important steps in their individual learning process and evaluate their potential for future personal, academic, and professional objectives.
• …contextualize their experience with academic knowledge of political participation and socio-ecological change in Germany.
• …get a certificate of participation for future job applications.

For successful completion, Bachelor students can acquire 2 ECTS credits in the BOK area.

• SL.international is open for all students at the University of Freiburg. In 2023, this course is aimed at students with refugee experience. Remaining places can still be taken by all other students enrolled at the University of Freiburg.
• English is considered as the common language and is used in teaching. German language skills may help at times, but are not necessarily required.
• Personally, you should be committed to a better future, be open to new experiences and be interested in exchange with people that offer diverse perspectives.
• Active participation in all sessions, proof of at least 30 hours of practical volunteering, and submission of a project sketch, a mid-term briefing and a final reflective paper are necessary for a successful completion. The module is ungraded.

Summer semester 2023:

You can register for the module in HISinOne (via immediate admission with waiting list) from 20.03.2023:

HISinOne for 3193 SL.international

By registering, you will automatically be included in the ILIAS course for the module. As soon as you log in to ILIAS, the course "Service Learning.international – Engage. Connect. Reflect." will appear in your overview.