The Cologne Summer School: A Global Experience

The Cologne Summer School is a two-and-a-half-week program that brought together 33 participants from 17 countries. As every year, our main focus is high-standard education, networking, and intercultural exchange, which are integral parts of the Cologne Summer Schools. We strongly believe that the participants are not just beneficiaries of the academic program, but the core of the program itself.
The participants are the heart of our Summer School, making it a lively, intercultural, educational, and unforgettable experience. This year, we received applications from students from all over the world and across various countries and fields of study. After a competitive selection process, we were fortunate to welcome 33 students from four different continents and 17 countries. Our hybrid concept, which we update and further develop every year, allows us to offer the summer school experience to students globally, considering their individual needs and circumstances. During the program, we had 12 students from 6 different countries participating online, interacting with the onsite group. This created a diverse representation of 17 countries in total, with 21 participants engaging in the academic and cultural program in and live from Cologne.
To foster interpersonal exchange and encourage group cohesion, we dedicated extra time at the beginning of the program for participants to get to know each other beyond academic topics and to take part in intercultural training and social activities.

Our participants came from partner universities worldwide and Santander's international network of universities. The program was open to all university majors and advanced Bachelor and Master students, providing a unique opportunity to connect and network with students from various academic fields. The selected participants, with their diverse perspectives on the topic Migration and their different approaches to scientific methods, epistemology and research paradigms contributed immensely to the multidisciplinary summer school program.

Throughout the program, participants engaged in academic sessions, hands-on workshops and site visits with local partners in Cologne. Taught by lecturers from the University of Cologne and its partner universities, the hybrid classes allowed participants to discuss this year's topic from different disciplines and points of view. They gained knowledge about categories and causes of migration and a deeper understanding of various aspects related to the study of human mobility.

Below you see the list of countries and universities of onsite and online participating students. If you are still wondering whether to apply for next year's project, you should not be hesitating anymore. The Cologne Summer School is the place to be for a truly global experience!