Panel session
'Internationalise yourself!' is more than a motto – it’s our challenge. We aim to provide the perfect environment for our students, faculty, and staff to discover their unique paths to gaining international and intercultural experience. In this interactive session, learn about FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences' journey to internationalisation. Discover their innovative approaches to creating a globally connected and inclusive academic environment that fosters curiosity, creativity and open-mindedness. While mobility is an essential aspect, it's just the beginning! Explore how to broaden your focus beyond mobility, offering various alternative pathways. We will also discuss initiatives to support and integrate refugees, and how targeted efforts like intercultural events and social engagement add value for students, the university, and the local community. Learn how to inspire and support students, faculty, and staff to internationalize in diverse ways, sharing examples of best practices. Remember, no step is too small – often, a little goes a long way! And of course, we must lead by example – enthusiasm and passion for international experiences are highly infectious!
Christoph Hofrichter studied German Philology and French at the University of Graz and joined FH JOANNEUM in 2002. During his studies, he gained teaching experience as part of a two-year assignment as a language assistant in France (La Rochelle and Poitiers) and at various language schools and institutions in Austria). Christoph Hofrichter was also involved in integrating learning content into e-learning platforms at the University of Graz.
He works at the FH JOANNEUM in the International Relations Office, where he is responsible for the university's comprehensive range of German and language courses as well as (inter)cultural programmes for exchange students, international degree-seeking students, staff and refugees.
Christoph Hofrichter has given several presentations at International German Teacher Conferences (IDT) in Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Austria in the fields of German as a foreign language at university prior to and during studies, Designing interactive learning environments), the Individualisation of learning processes and (Inter)cultural and methodological skills.
Together with Birgit Hernády he gave a presentation on internationalisation (at home) at the international conference on "Multilingualism in Society, Politics and Education" “The university as a linguistic and cultural mediator: the challenges of 'German as a foreign language'”) at the University of Freiburg (Germany, March 2017). Both also conducted a three-day training on "IRO Models and IRO services development" as part of the EU project INTERNATIONALISATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN IRAN (IHEI) involving six Iranian universities in Tehran (Iran, October 2017). Christoph Hofrichter also conducted the workshop in Mashhad (IR) in October 2018 "Networking & Organisation of international events" also as part of the EU project INTERNATIONALISATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN IRAN (IHEI).
Karina Theiss holds the position of Internationalisation and Mobility Coordinator at FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences.
Her educational background includes a Master's degree in International Management at FH JOANNEUM. During her studies, she spent a semester abroad at the Universidad Andrés Bello in Viña del Mar, Chile. In 2015, she transitioned to the field of internationalisation in higher education, joining the Medical University of Graz, where she was responsible for Erasmus+ incoming mobility programmes. Since September 2017, Karina Theiss has been a member of the International Relations Office at FH JOANNEUM, where she currently focuses on outgoing student mobility and the digitalisation of mobility processes.
Karina Theiss represents FH JOANNEUM in the "Erasmus Without Papers Champions" initiative, a programme run by the European Commission with the goal of promoting and accelerating the implementation and use of the EWP infrastructure at European universities.
