A summer in Berlin: Summer schools in the Brain City
Berlin is at its most beautiful in summer and Berliners are masters at enjoying the summer! And Berlin science also has a lot to offer in the summer months:
Berlin is one of the largest science locations in Europe. World-class scientists conduct research at four universities, seven technical colleges, over 30 private universities and more than 70 non-university institutions. And when the lecture-free period begins at the universities in the capital region, the high season of summer schools begins at around a dozen institutions. In a wide range of courses, students can deal intensively with a topic in two to six weeks. The offers are aimed primarily at international students, so the course language is usually English.
In summer schools, students from all over the world practice their intercultural skills and build an international network for the future. And of course they spend unforgettable summer weeks in Berlin, immerse themselves in the culture and lifestyle and let the city inspire them. The climate of the German capital is characterized by scientists who bring a wide variety of languages and lifestyles with them - so summer school participants should feel welcome in Berlin!
The topics of the summer courses are very diverse and range from “CanSat – Satellite Design” (TU Berlin), “Cross-cultural Management – the European Approach” (ESCP Europe) to “Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management in Germany” (HWR Berlin) and “ Social Inclusion of Refugees" (Alice Salomon University) to the "Holocaust Studies Summer Program" (Touro College) or "Art and Money. Fundraising Concepts and Practice for Artists, Initiatives, Institutions” (UdK). Also involved are non-university research institutions such as the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), which is offering a summer school on the topic of “Quality Assurance in Analytical Chemistry” aimed at doctoral students who are still at the beginning of their work.
Extensive cultural program as part of the summer schools
In order to establish a connection to Berlin, many of the summer schools not only impart knowledge but also include an extensive cultural and leisure offer: sightseeing tours, visits to museums or trips to the surrounding area on the weekend. Others offer excursions to companies or scientific institutions in the region. And thematically, the focus is often on a close connection to Berlin, such as in the courses “The Berlin Wall - Tales of Division and Unity” at the Humboldt University of Berlin or “Urban Walkability: Streetscape design for Berlin” at the TU Berlin .
If you ask around the participants of the past few years, the location of the program plays a crucial role, as a student at a summer university at the TU Berlin reports: “I liked the course I took because I wouldn't have been able to study it in any other part of the world, which was really special. The location and the other people taking the class are exactly the reason I came to Berlin!”
Joint offer for national and international students
Even though the programs are primarily aimed at international participants, students from Berlin and other German universities have the opportunity to take part in the courses and thus gain international experience without going abroad. So also for those who have to stay at home in the summer: take advantage of the opportunity that is right on your doorstep! In addition to the offers in the summer months, there are short-term programs all year round.
During the summer school, international students get to know Berlin's academic landscape and the city's attitude to life, perhaps laying the foundation for a long-term relationship. Like Joe Peppard, who took part in the “European Summer School” in Berlin as a student in 1998 and fell in love with the city. After completing his studies, doctorate and habilitation, the Dublin business economist returned to Berlin and now teaches as a professor of information and communication technology at the ESMT European School of Management and Technology on Schlossplatz in Berlin-Mitte. He also promotes Berlin as a science location as one of the faces of the Brain City campaign .
Further information about summer schools, courses offered by Berlin institutions and contact details can be found here:
summerschools.berlin-sciences.com
Berlin is one of the largest science locations in Europe. World-class scientists conduct research at four universities, seven technical colleges, over 30 private universities and more than 70 non-university institutions. And when the lecture-free period begins at the universities in the capital region, the high season of summer schools begins at around a dozen institutions. In a wide range of courses, students can deal intensively with a topic in two to six weeks. The offers are aimed primarily at international students, so the course language is usually English.
