University of Kassel establishes exchange with Kibbutzim College in Tel Aviv, Israel

A long-standing cooperation between Prof. Dr. Claudia Finkbeiner (University of Kassel) and Dr. Miri Shonfeld (Kibbutzim College) on the digitalization of teacher training has resulted in a solid university collaboration that offers the opportunity for exchange for all. The peacemaking project contributes to an important intercultural exchange in turbulent times. The Memorandum of Understanding between the two universities was officially signed on 15 May 2018 by University President Prof. Dr. Reiner Finkeldey and the President of Kibbutzim College Prof. Dr. Zipora Libman.

Prof. Dr. Claudia Finkbeiner and Dr. Miri Shonfeld have been working together since 2013 as part of an international online cooperation. The seminars bring together both Kassel students and Israeli students, including both Jewish and Arab participants. This project is now to be expanded into a permanent exchange, which is why Dr. Shonfeld is spending the current summer semester at the University of Kassel as a visiting researcher.

This was preceded by numerous reciprocal visits by academics from both institutions in Germany and Israel. In July 2017, a six-member Israeli delegation visited the University of Kassel and met with Vice President Prof. Dr. Ute Clement. In addition to getting to know each other for the first time, the meeting served to exchange information about the respective education systems and to discuss the opportunities and challenges of e-learning programs. The Israeli side already brought concrete ideas for intensifying the contact - for example international conferences, the exchange of students and staff and the presentation of a bi-national Master's program.

At this year's meeting between University President Prof. Dr. Finkeldey and the delegation from Israel, the focus was also on the future expansion of relations. Possible areas of cooperation include the natural sciences and the arts. The mutual focus on teacher training is confirmed in the current Memorandum of Understanding by the participation of Prof. Dr. Finkbeiner's Department of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning Research & Intercultural Communication and Prof. Dr. Bosse from the Center for Teacher Education (ZLB) at the University of Kassel.

On 24.05.2018, the 22nd Kassel English Colloquium (KEC) took place at the University of Kassel. This modeled the digital online cooperation between the two universities in a three-hour workshop for teachers from the region. The workshop met with a great response, particularly due to the high demand for further training for teachers in the field of digitalization.

As part of the International Cooperation via Innovative Online Learning Environments seminar currently taking place under the direction of Prof. Dr. Claudia Finkbeiner and Dr. Miri Shonfeld, an excursion to Israel will take place in June with a total of 22 students and two other academics, Dr. Schude and Dr. Siedenbiedel.