Continuing Education Program Perspective Integration
This page contains everything you need to know about our continuing education program, Perspective Integration — Language in Professional Environments, such as general information about the progra1m1, input from our graduates2, excerpts from press and media releases3, answers to frequently asked questions4 and our contact information5.
News:
The application deadline for the next study group is 31 January 2025.
Welcome!
In order to help newly immigrated students and professionals integrate into our ever-diversifying society, it is imperative that we raise awareness about the importance of and challenges facing communication and language in academic and professional environments. To accomplish this goal, the University of Bonn launched the practice-oriented continuing education program “Perspective Integration — Language in Professional Environments (PIB)”. Designed for corporate trainers, as well as teachers in vocational training, and thus also for non-academic professionals, the program provides language-sensitive training for immigrants and promotes the use of German as a second language in professional environments.
In order to ensure that language barriers do not stand in the way of successful training, the program uses a variety of practice-oriented methods and strategies. These strategies are designed to
- support language teaching and training in professional environments,
- prepare students for exams in a language-sensitive manner,
- link technical and linguistic contents,
- and convey how to be an interculturally competent actor.
The continuing education program consists of six modules designed for the aforementioned target group, and is scheduled on a part-time basis to support participants with full-time jobs (i.e. twice a month on Saturdays). In addition to in-person classes, the program incorporates eLearning tasks which bolster the content and give participants the chance to test the content practically. Moreover, participants can complete optional modules if they want to study the material more in-depth.
The continuing education program PIB is designed for teachers and professionals in the areas of vocational training and continuing education, i.e.
- Teachers at vocational schools (Berufskollegs) and teachers at other types of schools with a vocational focus,
- Students in the Master’s program “Teaching Degree for Vocational Colleges” that are in the middle of, or have finished their practical semester including practical experience,
- Training supervisors,
- Practical instructors,
- Experts and lecturers from corporate training centers, continuing education centers, and organizations for professional development and consultations,
- Supervisors from corporate training- and professional environments,
- Educational support staff,
- Lecturers from job-specific German courses
Module 1: Language and communication in professional environments
Module 2: Language overview: instruction in professional and vocational training
Module 3: Job-specific language training: observing, advising, supporting
Module 4: Mastering typical communication situations at work: the scenario method
Module 5: Interculturally competent behavior in training and work
Module 6: Preparing and conducting exams in a language-sensitive manner
Optional additional offers:
- Digital learning in professional environments
- Language coaching / language mentoring in the workplace
General information session for interested candidates (online)
Introductory event (online)
- Thursday, September 19th, 2024: 5.30 – 8.30 p.m.
In-person classes (Saturdays from 9.30 a.m. until 5.15 p.m.)
- Saturday, September 28th
- Saturday, October 12th
- Saturday, November 11th
- Saturday, November 23rd
- Saturday, December 7th
- Saturday, January 1st, 2025
- Alternative date (only in case one of the speakers cancels due to sickness, Saturday 18.01.2025)
Optional offers
- Monday, October 28th, 2024: 4.30 – 8.00 p.m.: Language coaching / Language mentoring at work
- Monday, November 25th, 2024: 4.30 – 8.00 p.m.: Digital learning in professional environments
Application Deadline: Wednesday, January 31st, 2025
Application Documents:
- Application for Admission 6
- Proof of relevant vocational training or university degree
- Proof of current employment
- Tabular resume, and, if applicable, proof of relevant professional development
- Cover letter
- If possible: letter of recommendation from your employer
Please note: To be eligible for admission, participants must either conduct a telephone consultation, or attend a general information session. To arrange an appointment, please contact us by email.
To participate, applicants must possess a language proficiency of at least a B2 level.
Participants who successfully complete the program will receive a continuing education certificate (6 ECTS, ungraded) from the University of Bonn.
To find out more information about the program, please contact Veronika Vössing (PIB coordinator)
Applications are currently being accepted. Please send your documents in a single PDF-file to pib.daz@uni-bonn.de
Or send your application to:
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
Institut für Sprach-, Medien- und Musikwissenschaft der Universität Bonn
Abteilung für Interkulturelle Kommunikation und Mehrsprachigkeitsforschung mit Sprachlernzentrum
Hear from our Graduates
“Our helpful discussions, and the practically applicable content made the program a complete success.”
“I especially enjoyed the many useful examples and theoretical materials the instructor provided us with, as well as the opportunities we, as participants, were given to practice what we learned.”
“The program was great all around — the lecturers were competent and supportive, the material was interesting and the methods were varied.”
“I have become much more attuned to language-sensitive communication.”
“The program served as an excellent springboard for exchanging ideas with colleagues from different professional backgrounds.”
“For me, the experience of analyzing language and reflecting on its specific uses was new and incredibly rewarding.”
“I was especially impressed by the diversity of the program’s topics as well as the solutions it suggested for overcoming digital barriers.”
“The instructors adapted perfectly to the new situation posed by Covid 19, when classes could no longer take place in person.”
“The program is masterfully designed. Between independent study sessions for preparation, zoom classes, follow up work and practice exercises — the program has it all.”
“I learned many new methods for designing classes.”
“The PIB is a very well designed continuing education program. 10 points out of 10 :)”
While training refugees or newly immigrated people, instructors are often faced with overcoming language barriers. The continuing education program PIB prepares participants to overcome the linguistic-communicative barriers they may encounter in their professional fields and to give their students targeted language support. Good German language skills not only ensure quality standards in schools and industries, but they can also lead to better success in vocational training and fewer vocational training dropouts. Moreover, the atmosphere in the workplace or in school improves when misunderstandings and communication errors are avoided.
How can we achieve this? Through in person classes, as well as the accompanying eLearning exercises, participants will work through a series of materials and methods which they will be able to apply directly to their professional practice. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to meet and network with a wide range of actors involved in vocational training, all of whom work with a similar target group.
Participation is currently free of charge.
Yes. Our classes are designed to be practical and cooperative. Participants can only successfully achieve the learning objectives if they participate in the group work and attend in person classes. Therefore, regular attendance is a prerequisite for the certificate. If participants miss more than 20% of classes, they will not receive credit for regular attendance — this corresponds to missing a maximum of 10 of the 48 total teaching units.
No. When you register for the program, you will be assigned a specific group and must complete all the modules with that group.
The classes will be held on the premises of the Department of Intercultural Communication and Multilingualism Research, Lennestraße 6. You will receive further details about the exact room location prior to the first class.
Yes! The PIB program is designed to be a part-time program that accommodates full-time students or workers. To ensure the program is compatible with other obligations, classes are scheduled on Saturdays (except during school holidays). That being said, if you want to participate in the program, you must ensure in advance that you can regularly attend classes as well as the exams. The complete schedule of the program will be published on our homepage to enable all interested participants to plan ahead.
Please make sure to follow the exact class schedule, to show up on time, and to attend classes for the full duration.
Yes. Over the course of the program, participants repeatedly have the opportunity to adapt the seminar contents to their respective professional fields and individual needs. Moreover, the in-person classes are supplemented by eLearning exercises that are tailored to the individual professions of our participants, enabling them to practice and reflect on their own terms.
Yes, you can. Reapplying is an especially sound idea if you meet all the formal admission requirements.
Project report at the end of the first funding phase
From 2016 to 2023, the PIB continuing education program was funded by the NRW Ministry of Culture and Science. To read the project report of the first funding phase (2016-2019), click the link below:
Simone Borlinghaus
Veronika Vössing
St.-Ex.
Links
- https://www.ikm.uni-bonn.de/en/continuing-education-program/pib#PIB_AufEinenBlick
- https://www.ikm.uni-bonn.de/en/continuing-education-program/pib#PIB_Stimmen
- https://www.ikm.uni-bonn.de/en/continuing-education-program/pib#PIB_Presse
- https://www.ikm.uni-bonn.de/en/continuing-education-program/pib#PIB_FAQ
- https://www.ikm.uni-bonn.de/en/continuing-education-program/pib#PIB_Kontakt
- https://www.ikm.uni-bonn.de/de/weiterbildende-studienangebote/weiterbildende-studienangebote-medien/antrag-auf-zulassung_pib.pdf
- https://www.ikm.uni-bonn.de/de/weiterbildende-studienangebote/weiterbildende-studienangebote-medien/amtlbek_weiterbildung_pib2024_-20240620.pdf/@@download
- https://www.ikm.uni-bonn.de/de/weiterbildende-studienangebote/weiterbildende-studienangebote-medien/forsch_2023_01.pdf
- https://www.daf.uni-bonn.de/pib/kochen-macht-schule
- https://www.wirtschaft-integriert.de/ueber-uns/aktuelles/neue-news-artikel-45/
- https://ga.de/news/wissen-und-bildung/regional/uni-bonn-hilft-ausbildern-bei-der-kommunikation-mit-migranten_aid-43765605
- https://www.daf.uni-bonn.de/pib/presse-und-medienspiegel/weiterbildung-fuer-ausbilder-von-gefluechteten
- https://www.ikm.uni-bonn.de/de/weiterbildende-studienangebote/weiterbildende-studienangebote-medien/projektbericht-pib-zum-ende-der-ersten-foerderphase.pdf