Vice President Prof. Dr. Martin von Schilling at the opening.

In order to deepen the relationship between Partner Universities, 26 participants from 14 universities met in Flensburg, (the most northern city of Germany) to discuss the challenges under the new ERASMUS programme initiated by the European Union (EU). The EU supports this exchange programme for students, lectures, common curricula and mutual recognition of degrees – not only financially.
The delegates from Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Turkey experienced from the beginning the culture differences in their area of the world and the challenges not to be able to use their mother tongue for communication. Flensburg was the right venue as it is right on the border which was disputed for centuries between Denmark and Germany. The healing of the past and the treatment of minorities can be seen as they now commemorate one of the biggest battles between the two countries together.
Folker Mittag (CIB Germany) used this environment to add his experience as an international businessman as well as one of the organisers of the CIB conferences in India. Private interactions were used to learn more about the different approach for tertiary education in different countries. Two professors from Flensburg had attended the last CIB conference at Panchgani, India in November 2013. During this week, it was a special pleasure for Folker to welcome the first three exchange students from Symbiosis Institute of International Business (SIIB) in Pune who will study there under the ERASMUS umbrella for one semester.
The next international week is planned for 2016 or 2017 to further deepen the co-operation between universities so as to provide a better understanding of different cultures and habits on a continent which grows together.
(Folker Mittag, photo’s copyright by Mr. Gatermann and Dr. Uwe Szyszka, Flensburg)