A programme established by the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony (MWK) fosters international collaborations in higher education focusing on transnational exchange in research and teaching. Three collaborations of Leibniz University Hannover (LUH) have been awarded funding within the scope of the programme. In this round, the ministry provides funding for 18 collaborations between international partners and higher education institutions in Lower Saxony.
A project focusing on internationalisation in teacher training in collaboration with Saint Petersburg State University and Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia has been awarded 25,000 euros of funding. Within the scope of the project, the Institute of Special Education at LUH works with researchers from Russia including colleagues from Herzen State Pedagogical University, a new collaboration partner.
The researchers intend to analyse the impact of cultural-historical psychology on special needs education. The concept of cultural-historical psychology has been established by researchers in Russian speaking countries. Through visits and regular contact, the partners intend to combine course content, such as for developing curricula or an introductory seminar on school systems in Russia and Germany. The project is part of an initiative promoting internationalisation within the three teacher training courses taught at LUH (Teacher Training Course for Grammar Schools, Teacher Training Course for Technical Education and Special Needs Education for Schools) and aims to increase student mobility while facilitating transfers.
In addition, two projects in in collaboration with universities in the United States and China have been awarded MWK funding. A partnership of LUH and Pennsylvania State University (USA) has been awarded funding amounting to approximately 18,600 euros. Initially, the partners will explore various opportunities for collaboration in order to establish an "intensive partnership" ideally leading to a strategic partnership.
Approximately 11,400 euros of funding will be provided to establish an intensive partnership between Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (China) and Leibniz University Hannover. Shenzen offers considerable potential for collaboration. Based on successful projects of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Stephan Köster in the field of sanitary engineering and waste management, the existing collaboration with Tsinghua University will be expanded in order to establish a strategic partnership.
By providing funding for international collaborations, the Ministry of Science and Culture of Lower Saxony supports internationalisation activities of higher education institutions in Lower Saxony, including joint research projects, programmes for junior researchers, exchange between researchers and students, as well as joint programmes and degrees.
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