Mobility in Teacher Education - A Mission Impossible?

The Staff Training Week 2019 of the University of Vechta will focus on “Student Mobility in Teacher Education – A Mission Impossible?” The aim of this Staff Training Week is on the one hand to identify some of the challenges, which help to explain the low percentage of internationally orientated teacher education students and suggest how to overcome them. On the other hand, major benefits of international mobility in teacher education are presented in the form of competences that can be acquired through studying and teaching abroad. The participants will outline problems, challenges and advantages, as well as present best practice examples on the international mobility of teachers. The Staff Week aims to contribute to the promotion of international student teacher mobility and to give suggestions on how to implement and optimize such programmes.

Discussion topics

a. Incentives for student mobility.  The German statistics of student mobility in teaching degrees show very low numbers in outgoing mobility in comparison to other degrees. One main reason is the lacking motivation to go abroad. What can International Offices do to increase student mobility? Through discussions and experience exchange, we hope to find viable solutions for increasing student mobility numbers in teaching degrees.

b. Cooperation with teachers as key multiplicators. Teachers who have already been abroad can motivate their students to spend a period abroad. How can we better cooperate with teachers?

c. Structural dimensions of the curriculum. One of the main reasons identified for the low student mobility in teacher education is the rigid curriculum. What structural dimensions can be implemented (e.g. mobility windows)? How can ERASMUS+ program contribute to the internationalization of Curriculum for Teacher Education?

We are looking forward to discussing these kinds of questions together with you and invite you to submit a short (300 words) abstract to one of the discussion topics mentioned above. Inspiring experts will hold presentations, followed by workshops within specific themes. Please note that due to a limited amount of places not every applicant will be able to present the best practice example in the workshop.

In addition, visits to local schools are included. You will also have the opportunity to meet representatives from the faculties, representatives of the Teacher Training Centre (Zentrum für Lehrerbildung) at the University of Vechta as well as representatives from other ERASMUS-universities.

The preliminary programme is available in the download area below.

To register please use the application form which is available in the download area.