August 22, 2019
Instead of going to swim or for ice cream with their friends, students from Germany and all over the world used their free time during the summer holidays to study – and that even voluntarily. Summer Camps, educational programs for young people, have long been established in an international context and typically take place during the summer holidays. Jacobs University, together with the Association of German Engineers (VDI), Germany's largest engineering association, has organized an English-language Summer Camp on the campus in Bremen for the fourth year running.
The 104 students from 28 countries were able to attend workshops and discuss topics at university level with Jacobs University’s professors in the fields of social science, economics, and management. "I have learned a lot and made friends with people from all over the world," says Kai Kitagawa-Jones, summarizing his time on campus. For the 17-year-old, who attends the Shiga Prefectural Maibara Senior High School in Japan, the long journey to Bremen was worthwhile. In addition to exciting insights into the world of science, guided tours through Vegesack and Bremen's city center, a tour of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Bremen and various campus activities were on the agenda of the group of 14- to 19-year-olds.
Fritz Neußer, project manager at the VDI, explains that the educational program at Jacobs University is great for German-speaking young people. "The international Summer Camp offers participants the unique opportunity to discuss thoughts which are outside the box with young people from all over the world, to exchange ideas and network", says the coordinator of the youth club VDI-ZUKUNFTSPILOTEN.
The exchange of ideas and international networking aspects of the program were particularly encouraged in the workshops. At the latest since the global social movement "Fridays for Future", it has become clear that many young people are committed to the protection of the environment. Professor Andrea Koschinsky from Jacobs University led a workshop in which the international group dealt with the sustainable use of natural resources. "Topic number one was the climate change", states Koschinsky. "It was a lot of fun to discuss science, the environment and important social issues with curious and committed young people," says the geoscientist, summing up her impressions of the Summer Camp.
