Internationalization strategy

The strategy for the internationalization of research seeks to enhance the international visibility and attractiveness of the university by increasing the number of international research collaborations and publications, strategically expanding research-related joint ventures within the European Union, and by internationalizing the career paths of our next-gen researchers.

HSHL supports its researchers in conducting joint research with international partners and helps them submit applications for funding by international consortia. For this purpose, HSHL will promote research stays abroad, e.g., as part of a research semester, while intensifying the focus on the admission of guest scientists.

Emphasis will be placed on cooperation within the European Union, especially in HSHL’s areas of research focus. The use of European research programs, such as Horizon Europe, will be intensified to promote knowledge and technology transfers.

We see cooperation networks across international universities as important platforms for us to initiate international projects and exchange resources and expertise in Europe and beyond. We want to utilize these connections more intensively and assume a bigger role within these networks.

Our internationalization strategy envisions grant programs to further student and researcher mobility to strengthen intercultural exchange. We aim to further promote the innovative strength and diversity of our university through strategic partnerships, participation in global research networks, and the targeted recruitment of international talent.

The network of international partnerships is to be further developed in a targeted manner. The aim is to establish university partnerships that simultaneously cover several of the following areas: Student exchange, joint research activities, exchange of employees across all status groups, start-up activities. To ensure HSHL’s long-term commitment, the partnerships should be actively run by at least two HSHL staff members (outside the presidential committee).

The student exchange programs will prioritize destination countries that offer a sufficient number of English language courses or address the language skills of the students and their families of origin. The European partner network, in particular, should be expanded further.

In research, good cooperation lives and dies by its research topics. Since students are usually involved in most research projects, a connection to internships abroad often makes sense here.

An additional exchange program for staff who are also working in technical and administrative jobs would aim to expand the language and intercultural skills of all stakeholders while providing them with new insights into international university structures—experience that can then be incorporated into further development at HSHL.

With pre-existing and development-pending formats such as International Summer Schools and Intercultural Days that took place for the first time in 2024, we would like to further strengthen the reputation of HSHL as an international learning and research environment that promotes intercultural exchange and global perspectives.

In order to make the HSHL even more internationally visible and attractive for its international target group, communication and marketing measures will be implemented that deliberately focus on this international target group. To this end, the structure of the English-language website will be subject to constant review and further development with the aim of creating a coherent and inherently complete English-language website. In this context, special attention will be paid to both the transparency and vibrancy of application and admission procedures, making international prospective students and applicants for our job vacancies feel welcome. A targeted international marketing strategy, supported by all employees, is aligned with the objectives of the internationalization strategy.

HSHL’s internal communication must also take greater account of the fact that we have students and employees with little or no knowledge of German. This not only applies to written information, e.g., in the form of versions of regulations for reading purposes, to the guidance system, but also to advisory services and everyday points of contact.

International students face different challenges than domestic students. Not only do they have to come to terms with an unfamiliar learning culture, they also have to adapt to a new extracurricular environment (sociocultural adaptation). The domains of administration, financing, housing, and language are particularly challenging. The success of this adaptation is one of the most important factors for student satisfaction and academic success. In this, we want to support students within the scope of the options available to us.

An offer should be created for international alumni who can also provide targeted support in recruiting other international students.

In general, the welcoming culture at HSHL should be further developed. With a focus on international students and staff, the preparation, counseling, and support of all students and staff should be informed by their individual international educational biographies. The aim is to enhance the integration of international students and employees both on campus and in the region while mapping out perspectives for their future.

We also maintain close contact with the surrounding cities and regional companies to help raise awareness for the needs of international students. It is only on a united basis that we can improve the framework conditions for foreigners making a good landing in Germany.

Contact with municipal authorities is often fraught with problems. The situation of international students should be systematically improved through better interaction with the municipal authorities (e.g., immigration office).

Finding accommodation can be particularly difficult for international students, as the housing market in Germany is already tight and they are often confronted with discrimination. HSHL is committed to establishing more dormitory rooms at both campuses and also functions as a contact for private investors.

An even closer exchange should take place with companies to get a better grasp of the requirements for entering the German job market and how to best implement them and pave the way for internships and working student jobs for our students. The companies should also benefit from HSHL’s expertise, e.g., in the area of German as a foreign language, but also with regard to the welcoming culture and interaction with the cities.

HSHL sees itself as an open-minded university—in both research and teaching as well as in administration. We will therefore continuously review and expand our communication vis-à-vis the relevant target groups, especially using the English language. In addition to making the corresponding forms and regulations available in English, we will also focus on our employees’ language skills. HSHL offers interested employees targeted training and further education courses in English and intercultural skills as well as in dealing with the challenges of internationalization in the fields of science, technology, and administration. When HR makes staff selections, greater attention will be paid to intercultural and foreign language skills where necessary. HSHL also furthers and fosters international staff mobility for the various status groups. The aim is to support internationalization throughout all departments and activities at HSHL.