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Events, Past Events

Building a Training Program

The Inclusive University Culture. From Ideas to Implementation.

Hosted by TU Graz, Austria: March 30 – April 1, 2022

Students, professors and administrators from universities across Europe gathered at the Graz University of Technology in Austria to discuss the following topics:

  • Communication with the new generation of students
  • Creating the inclusive community in the international classroom
  • Building an inclusive community – a community management training
  • Creating an inclusive community by supervising students in their PhD
  • Implementing action back at home universities

Together we aimed at building the inclusive university culture, starting with our ideas, to eventually drawing an implementation plan. This training programme was interactive, intense and inspiring!

Snapshots from the Event

Many thanks to: Photography © Nadia Hagen

Event Program

To read more details about how we set up and organized this event, please see our event program.

Added Tools and Workshop Outlines

Ice-Breaker: “Onion of Diversity”

Workshop 1 – “Communication With the New Generation of Master’s and PhD Students: A half-day workshop” Here you can check out our Welcome Presentation. For a brief overview of the workshop, please see our Workshop Outline.

Workshop 2 – “Teaching in the International Postgraduate Learning Environment: A one-day workshop” For a brief overview of the workshop, please see our Workshop Outline

Workshop 3 – “Creating an Inclusive Community by Supervising Students in their PhD: A one-day workshop” For a brief overview of the workshop, please see our Workshop Outline. For additional materials please see our PhD Supervisor Canvas

Workshop 4 -“Building an Inclusive Community: A Community Management Training” For a brief overview of the workshop, please see our Workshop Outline.

Guest Speakers

Sarah Schantin-Williams

Picture of Sarah Schantin-Williams

Sarah Schantin-Williams is a business communications specialist and lecturer in intercultural social competence at the Technical University in Graz.

Sarah has both an academic and corporate career. Her business experience was gained whilst working over twelve years in organisational change and communication management in the international media industry.  For over a decade, Sarah has taught university students and now lecturers in creating inclusive international cultures and corporate communication. Her Masters degree is in Anthropology and Cultural Politics from Goldsmiths, University of London.

Verena Schwaegerl-Melchior

Picture of Verena Schwaegerl-Melchior

Verena is an expert in higher education didactics with a disciplinary background in romance linguistics and Foreign Language Teaching and additional qualification in systemic coaching.

Since 2019, she has been responsible for the TU Graz Teaching Academy, i.e the in-house didactical training programme. Verena has taught linguistics courses at several universities and is currently working as a trainer and coach for the teaching staff at TU Graz. After earning her master’s degree in French, Italian and German as a foreign language in Germany and Italy, Verena gained her PhD in Romance Linguistics at the University of Munich.

Erik de Jong

InComm project member Erik de Jong

Erik de Jong M.Sc. is the Community Manager at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e).

The main task of the Community Manager at TU/e is to make all students and staff feel welcome at the university and, more specifically, to make international students and guests part of the TU/e community. Working through the whole organization, the community manager is supported by a steering group and has an annual budget to support the activities. His work includes developing policies, improving procedures, organizing community events, providing support to activities and events, improving communication channels and connecting people.

As Community Manager, Erik de Jong is TU/e’s coordinator for the InComm project. He is able to collect knowledge and experience from the whole organization and then directly implement knowledge in the university’s infrastructure.

Barbara Boettger

InComm project member Barbara Boettger

Barbara Boettger started her professional career as an advisor for student mobility at the University of Graz. This was when she began designing intercultural workshops for University of Graz exchange students to study with a colleague. Over the last 10 years, Barbara Boettger has designed and held many intercultural trainings for students and university staff at various institutions. Currently, she is working at Graz University of Technology where she is in charge of intercultural awareness trainings for both incoming and outgoing students, as well as specialized seminars for buddies. In 2015 she became a certified trainer for intercultural trainings. Aside from these intercultural trainings, Barbara Boettger is also responsible for the strategic partnerships the TU Graz holds with different international partners. She serves as the contact person for the Liaison Office in Shanghai.