Seminars and events

Info pre-session for this course: Wednesday, 10.12.2025 14:00-16:00 (GD 04)

Intercultural Competence is considered a key competence and future skill. However, its idea remains fuzzy. There is a variety of definitions as well as critique. Intercultural learning and cultural awareness are becoming more and more relevant, e.g. in the sustainability discourse, as challenges require collaboration and consideration from an interconnected and global perspective. In this interactive and practice-oriented seminar concepts of intercultural learning will be introduced based on theoretical approaches. At the same time, we will critically discuss and challenge those concepts and explore their limitations. Through small hands-on exercises and by looking at practical examples from various perspectives, including our own, we will raise our cultural awareness and train our ability to deal with ambiguity and uncertainty. Regular reflective practice and peer feedback will allow participants to deepen the learning experience and constantly train their communication skills. The course will benefit from Viadrina's membership in the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA): A close collaboration with students from other European Universities is foreseen. Students therefore not only gain an insight on Viadrina's international network activities; they are also offered an opportunity to practically engage in international collaboration, to practice their English language skills and to meet students from abroad. Active participation, readings and written assignments will be a central part of the learning process. Within the Viadrina Peer-Tutoring Training, this seminar is equivalent to Module 1 in Intercultural Learning. Note: In case you have any concerns regarding your participation in terms of accessibility, please do not hesitate to get in touch via email (kasis@europa-uni.de) or phone (+49 335 5534 2345).

Dates: Block 16.02.2026 - 20.02.2026

Time: 10 am - 5 pm

Room: GD 03

(Module 1 PT training)

Lecturer: Niki Kasis

Please register via Moodle

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Like riding a bike, academic writing is not learnt overnight, but only through regular practice, practice, practice - this means: you can only learn to write by writing! The aim of this seminar is to develop the skills relevant to academic writing by going through the writing process step by step in the seminar.

Dates: weekly from 16 October 2025

Time: 2 pm - 4 pm

Location: HG 162

Lecturer: Lene Albrecht

(Module 1 PT training)

Please register via Moodle

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In the future workshop, we work in an open exchange and openly in the result on an understanding of ChatGPT and other text-generated AIs for our writing, learning and thinking processes. Here you will learn how to use ChatGPT for your specialised texts and how to critically reflect on its use. In the seminar, we ask ourselves what influence AI tools have and will have on our scientific work practices and how we can use them sensibly, responsibly and critically. Based on think tanks, we develop questions and guiding ideas for dealing with AI tools in university teaching based on various practical and theoretical impulses, which we publish within the university and thus enter into discourse with lecturers and those responsible at Viadrina.

Dates: weekly from 14 October 2025

Time: 1 pm - 4 pm

Location: GD 06

Lecturer: Dr Romeo Kolegbe

Please register via Moodle

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Team competence is expected of university graduates and is an essential requirement in most professions. Scientific findings suggest that team competence cannot be learnt purely theoretically and that team processes cannot be completely controlled from the outside. For this reason, this seminar follows a theoretical introduction with an intensive team experience and subsequent reflection. During the seminar, participants work in teams to acquire comprehensive knowledge about group processes and project management, realise their own project idea and present it at the end. They deal intensively with concepts such as group dynamics, project management methods and topic-centred interaction - collaborative learning, critical questioning and reflecting on these concepts in relation to their own group and project experiences. The seminar leader accompanies and coaches them throughout the entire process. The seminar is divided into an initial phase in which the foundations are laid, a subsequent autonomous group work phase in which the teams work independently and develop their projects, and a final presentation day on which the project results are presented and the teams' experiences are analysed. Within this framework, the students engage intensively with team and project work and develop innovative projects on current topics that are particularly relevant to the university. These projects are designed to strengthen and promote student engagement at the university. By dealing with such practical topics, students not only acquire specialist knowledge, but also learn to work effectively in teams and improve their collaboration.

Dates: weekly from 14 October 2025

Time: 09 - 12 am

Location: GD 05

(Module 1 PT training)

Lecturer: Dr Roméo Kolegbe

This seminar is aimed at students who already support others in writing or would like to do so in the future, e.g. as a Writing Fellow or Writing Consultant at the Writing Centre. It consists of two parts: In the initial phase, you will repeat steps for writing an academic text, academic working techniques and accompanying didactic writing methods. You will learn non-directive counselling methods and practise text feedback methods in order to be able to specifically identify and name the strengths and weaknesses of texts. You will also acquire basic knowledge of writing science. The aim is for you to be able to provide other students with useful assistance when writing an academic text. After actively participating in the kick-off phase, you will gain practical experience at the writing centre in the winter semester and reflect on and consolidate this in an e-portfolio.

Dates: fortnightly from 09 January 2026

Time: 10 am - 4.30 pm

Location: GD 03

Lecturer: Lene Albrecht

(Module 2 PT training)

Please register via Moodle

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Discover how you can create deeper connections and more harmonious relationships through empathetic listening and clear, respectful expression. Our hands-on workshop will show you how to resolve conflicts and avoid misunderstandings by better understanding and expressing your needs and the needs of those around you. If you are interested in the workshop, please contact us by e-mail at zll@europa-uni.de.

Facilitate access to your documents with accessible PDFs. In our hands-on workshop, you will learn how to design PDF files so that they are accessible to everyone - including people with disabilities. Learn which tools and techniques you can use to make text, images and graphics accessible. Optimise your PDFs for screen readers and improve usability for a diverse readership. If you are interested in a workshop, please contact us by email at zll@europa-uni.de.

Master your studies/work and everyday life with new serenity and inner strength! Discover the superpower of resilience in our workshop "More serene and stronger through your studies and everyday life". Learn effective strategies for coping with stress, overcoming challenges and strengthening your mental resilience. Learn how to deal with setbacks and find your inner balance. The workshop is open to Viadrina students and staff. If you are interested in a workshop, please contact us by email at zll@europa-uni.de.

As part of the Writing Didactics certificate programme at the university, teachers expand and consolidate their repertoire of writing didactics methods, receive practical materials and develop concrete implementation strategies for their own writing-intensive teaching.

Further information

In this seminar, participants will learn essential principles of active and writing-intensive teaching and will try out ideas and approaches that they can immediately implement in their own teaching. The seminar is aimed at experienced university teachers who want to revitalise their approach, new university teachers who are interested in the latest research findings, students who want to teach in their communities or work as academic supervisors at the university, and anyone else who is curious about teaching and learning.

As a university lecturer or third-space employee, are you interested in working more openly and collaboratively, regularly exchanging ideas on professional challenges and integrating open educational resources (OER) into your teaching or work practice? Then the Co-WOERK meetings ("Community for Knowledge Transfer OER: Network of Educational Stakeholders") offer an ideal opportunity for further training and networking.

Further information

The PROKODIL programme offers Viadrina lecturers the opportunity to test the concept of Faculty Learning Communities and establish them sustainably in their faculties. In the winter semester 2024/25, participants will work in interdisciplinary groups on the theory and practice of this collegial exchange in order to moderate their own communities in the summer semester 2025 and further advance teaching at the Viadrina.

Use this opportunity to network and further develop your teaching! Further information

Thursday, 18 April 2024 - 13:30 - GD 03 without registration

How effectively do I read academic texts? In this lunchtime lesson, we will reflect together on our reading strategies and collect helpful tips and tricks to deepen our reading process together. Come along and join us!

Thursday, 05.05.2024 - 13:30 - GD 03 without registration

Do you have little time but still have a pile of texts on your desk? No problem!
We'll show you a few helpful tricks on how to speed up your reading speed permanently. We look forward to seeing you!

Thursday, 16 May 2024 - 13:30 - GD 03 without registration

What is the motivation behind it? How to get started? In this lunchtime lesson, you will find out what you can do when you have a lot to do, deadlines are pressing and you don't know where to start.