From 2021, Equal Opportunity and Diversity will provide financial and advisory support for the program MitSprache. The program will be, in the course of this enhancement, extended to all faculties of the university and can be chosen as an export module from SoSe 2021. The University of Bonn is thus promoting educational equity, widening access and inclusion.
MitSprache is a program of the University of Bonn, which is carried out by the Department for Intercultural Communication and Multilingualism in cooperation with the Caritas Association Bonn. The very beginning of the cross-institute initiative which is embedded in the curriculum goes back to Autumn 2015 when the first module Engaged for Refugees was designed.
The concept sees language as the key to the integration of new immigrants, which enables educational opportunities and societal "co-speak" (Mit-Sprache), i.e. participation. The focus of the program is on integration and inclusion of young people of international origin who have recently moved to Germany and are interested in studying or in vocational training.
A further aim of MitSprache is to qualify students as language coaches who support and accompany newcomers on their way to university. In the seminar students acquire knowledge of language didactics, as well as methodological and socio-cultural skills.