The first week of this program consists of two joint introduction days for all participants followed by a three-day introductory workshop. The first week takes place in Hannover. Two additional days of local tutorials (for the respective groups in Clausthal and Hannover separately) will follow before the internships start.

Introduction days:

• Networking and making acquaintances
• Introduction of the program/schedule/requirements
• Language proficiency test and allocation into the language course groups
• Introduction to the German higher education system
• “Special interest” guided tours of the city
• Welcome party

Introductory workshop:

• a general presentation of engineering in Germany (main research fields, main companies, historical aspects and famous inventions, today’s challenges etc.)
• presentation of a topic of major current interest
• presentations on research in Germany (structure of universities, the “Humboldt- principle”, research foundations etc.)
• research methods

Local Tutorials:

• Administrative paperwork (registration, medical insurance etc.)
• Introduction to the host university
• Presentation of respective departments and meeting with the supervisors