The course will introduce students to the theory, development and realities of global cities as centres of knowledge production. Based upon a closer look at the formation of the European and the American city as knowledge centres in historical perspective, particularly in terms of travelling educational philosophies and practices of education, the 19th century German university will be explored as a role model for American educational institutions. In a second step the course will discuss the shifting aims and institutional paradigms of education in Europe and the United States since the 20th century. Here, the emergence of the knowledge relationship between Berlin and New York will serve as a comparative case study in explaining the forms, functions and resources of knowledge production in the contemporary global city. This discussion will be accompanied by field study projects investigating public and private education institutions in Berlin in terms of their impact on the politics, economy and culture of the city. In a final step, the course will address future directions of the knowledge metropolis by exploring competing concepts of education in Europe and the United States in the 21st century and their functions in a transnational and international perspective, for instance with regard to the emergence of "Education Cities" in non-Western countries (such as Arab countries).

Undergraduate and graduate students with an academic background of the topic and strong interest in transatlantic issues, educational systems, contemporary history, social sciences, and European studies.

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required (B2). The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

This course will deal with the current crisis of the European Union, its roots and possible solutions. It will seek answers to questions commonly posed outside Europe: Why did Europe react so slowly to the crisis? Why does European crisis management seem so complicated? Why don't they just take firm decisions? The course will not offer definite answers, but will try to explain how the EU works and why it works as it does. We will study answers mainly from political science and sociology, but will also take a look at some economists' and historians' arguments. By doing so, the course will highlight the specific role Germany plays in the European game. To this end, the course will also organise excursions to the German Parliament and to the representation of the European Commission in Berlin. Finally, participants will also be asked to interview ordinary citizens in order to gain a perspective outside of academia.

The primary aim of the course is to give participants some understanding of why the European crisis seems so difficult to resolve and of the role Germany plays in this scenario.

Master students and advanced undergraduate students (final year) of all subjects with an academic background and a strong interest in European studies, contemporary history, sociology and politics.

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

The course will reflect upon the history and the current challenges of the European Union as the most ambitious project of supranational integration to date. While the project of integration was initially based on the quest for peace, it became clear over the years that the economic benefits for members were becoming the main incentive for further integration. But today, facing a financial and institutional crisis, the European Union is beginning to question its roots and aims. Thus, the course will explore the development of the EU as a political entity, will try to understand the reasons for the current crisis and, finally, will also try to look ahead - what is the future of European integration? In order to get a more plastic impression of the way the EU works, we will dedicate some sessions to a short simulation game on the ways decisions are taken within the EU. Since Berlin is one of the centres of Europe, we will also take the opportunity to obtain first-hand information through excursions to the heart of political Berlin.

The course aims to offer a better understanding of how the European Union works and why the decision-making process is so difficult within this body.

Undergraduate students of all relevant subjects with a strong interest in the course topic.

In order to follow the course a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

In two World Wars Germany tried to dominate the globe in the first half of the 20^th century and all major decisions had been made in the capital Berlin:

Why was Germany such an aggressive power until 1945? How did Hitler manage to gain and keep power? Why were many Germans Nazis and deeply racist? How was the life of ordinary people during the war? Why did the Nazis kill Million of Jews and other innocent people in concentration camps? What were the long term effects of World War II? What happened to the Nazis after the war?

The course will provide answers to such questions via readings of texts from political science, sociology and history, while also taking the opportunity to explore the grounds on which the events between 1933 and 1945 took place.

Undergraduate students of all subjects with an academic background and a strong interest in the various aspects of German History, and Culture.

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a motivation letter and a valid student ID is required.

This course wants to approach the subject of life, death and dying from the spatial defined area of cemeteries. This means looking at historical and cultural changes, as well as their implications on law, society, landscape art or upcoming industries. Beginning of the 20th century our relation to death and dying has again changed as new models of funeral customs and cemetery culture show. The course wants to approach this subject by reading texts in cultural and social history as well as in literature. Further it wants to view artistic changes in memorial architecture and landscape art, and bringing into focus alternative modes of green funerals and coffins. The course wants to undertake excursions to different cemeteries in Berlin. Here we want to explore and complement our knowledge by inspecting the cemeteries with three main questions in mind: Who is buried and how is he/she buried? Where is the cemetery located within Berlin, and what does this imply? What dominant funeral customs do we find here?

The course aims to combine reading and excursion and join the impressions together. Doing so, makes clear that not only past and present / death and life meet on cemeteries but different disciplines and perspectives such as law, architecture, literature, industry, social studies, ethnological perspectives as well as cultural techniques come together here.

Undergraduate students of all subjects with a strong interest in the course topic.

In order to follow the course a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

This summer program is run by the HWR Berlin School of Economics and Law, a public university of applied sciences, situated in the heart of Berlin. HWR Berlin is one of the largest academic institutions for business and management studies in Germany with a very international focus.

This summer program offers business and economics students alike the chance to address questions of markets and management in Europe in detail. The classes focus on management, branding and marketing in the European market, with a focus on multicultural teams. Students will get important insights into the structure of the German and European economy, address the current crisis of the EU, and will get instruction in business behavior and cross-cultural management issues. The topics are:

• Cross-cultural management / diversity
• Economics of the EU
• Marketing for the Automotive Industry

Field trips to companies and institutions enable students to combine theory and practice. The module "German Culture & Society: Intercultural Perspectives" allows students to contemplate and highlight the differences and similarities between the students’ home cultures and their host culture. Participants can also look forward to an exciting and diverse culture and leisure time program.

Targeted to business and economics students after two years of study (Bachelor). The program is open to graduate students and recent graduates as well. Proof of English proficiency is required for non-native speakers.

For almost 30 years, the Berlin Wall was a symbol of the division of the city of Berlin, of Germany and of Europe during the era of the Cold War between the two superpowers, the United States of America and the Soviet Union. Consequently, the fall of the Wall in 1989 was a hugely symbolic turning point in world history. But how can we explain the building of such a dividing monument? How can we account for its fall in 1989? And how does the Wall influence our lives today? The course will provide answers to such questions via readings of texts from political science, sociology and history, while also taking the opportunity to explore the ground on which the events between 1961 and 1989 took place.

Undergraduate students of all subjects with a strong interest in contemporary history, social sciences, politics, European studies.

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

Recently, the comedy „Er ist wieder da“ („He’s back“) was released to German cinemas (Director: David Wnendt, 2015). The movie imagines – with historical irony – the reappearance of Adolf Hitler in contemporary Germany, bringing German audience to the limits of what is permissible to laugh about.

The course departs from the thesis that Germany, in the aftermath of WWII and the historical crimes of the Holocaust, has developed a very specific sense of humor and comedy. We will investigate German comedy, which has – both in the GDR and FRG as well as in the unified country – produced specific formats and traditions and look at the performative history of comedy from 1945 until today. Through various texts from popular culture (cinema, TV, live comedy) we ask for the relations between what is funny and how this is related to taboo and trauma in German culture. Of special interest are questions like: which actors (may) embody that which is humorous and transgressive and what kinds of laughter are produced in the audience (open laughter, embarrassed laughter, laughter which gets caught in your throat)? The course’s aim is to give a historical and cultural overview of what Germans laugh(ed) about at certain times, the limits of that laughter, and the historical and political significance of these limits.

The course offers a practical part towards the end. In five sessions, we will assemble a professional performance team and develop and produce a small play (30min.). Form and content of that play will incorporate results and things learned in the course, as well as performative improvisations we will develop and work through together. The seminar concludes with the premiere of our play in which all participants can join – as writers, actors, technicians, musicians, prop people, asf. All who’d like to engage theoretically and performatively with German comedy and humor are welcome!

This course is designed for undergraduate students of all subjects with a strong interest in the subject.

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

This summer program is run by the HWR Berlin School of Economics and Law, a public university of applied sciences, situated in the heart of Berlin. HWR Berlin is one of the largest academic institutions for business and management studies in Germany with a very international focus.

This summer program offers business and economics students alike the chance to undertake a demanding, in-depth study of the EU. The classes focus on management, branding and marketing in the European market, with a focus on multicultural teams. Students will get important insights into the structure of the German and European economy, address the current political crisis of the EU, and will get instruction in business behavior and cross-cultural management issues. The topics are:

• Values and Politics of the European Union
• Cross-Cultural Management
• Economics of the EU
• Marketing for the Automotive Industry

Field trips to companies and institutions enable students to combine theory and practice. The module "German Culture & Society: Intercultural Perspectives" allows students to contemplate and highlight the differences and similarities between the students’ home cultures and their host culture. Participants can also look forward to an exciting and diverse culture and leisure time program.

Targeted to business and economics students after two years of study (Bachelor). The program is open to graduate students and recent graduates as well. Proof of English proficiency is required for non-native speakers.

The aim of this course is to understand and learn about the different challenges European regions are facing, e.g. integration and migration, social exclusion, demographic change, creative milieus, economic decline, shrinking cities and ecological renewal.

- How is the ageing society affecting our rural and urban areas?

- How are migrants integrated in European cities?

- Does Berlin have a creative class and if so, how does it affect the city?

These are only some of the questions that will be discussed in the course. The city of Berlin is a hot spot for various regional developments. As a result, several of these aspects will be explored and explained during short excursions and day trips in Berlin (e.g. ethnic businesses and the migration situation in Neukölln, the newly developing zone Tempelhofer Feld).

Students of all relevant disciplines who are interested in different aspects of European regional development, including e.g. city and regional planning, geography, politics, social sciences and economics, are most welcome to join this course.

Participants will be invited to draft a presentation on a specific topic discussed in the course (including e.g. the home regions of the participants).

Undergraduate students with an interest in geography, economics, cultural studies, social sciences, European studies.

In order to follow the course a very good command of English is required. Participants must be at least 18 years old.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

This summer program is run by the HWR Berlin School of Economics and Law, a public university of applied sciences, situated in the heart of Berlin. HWR Berlin is one of the largest academic institutions for business and management studies in Germany with a very international focus.

This business law program addresses the efforts to unite Europe in the past and take a closer look at the European Integration process. It gives insight into European Governance by dealing with competences of and decision-making by the European Council, the Council of Ministers, the European Commission, and the European Parliament. It will deal with protection of interests of creditors, shareholders, and stakeholders and discuss the attempts of the EU to harmonise national corporate laws. Another focus will be on international labour standards and EU law as well as on European human rights as the basis for corporate employment law. The topics are:

• European Governance
• Human Rights and Labor in the EU
• EU-Antitrust & Competition Law / EU-Corporate Law

Field trips to companies and institutions enable students to combine theory and practice. The module "German Culture & Society: Intercultural Perspectives" allows students to contemplate and highlight the differences and similarities between the students’ home cultures and their host culture. Participants can also look forward to an exciting and diverse culture and leisure time program.

Targeted to business and law students after two years of study (Bachelor). The program is open to graduate students and recent graduates as well. Proof of English proficiency is required for non-native speakers.

Urban agriculture and horticulture provide multiple functions and benefits to urban dwellers and cities. Their advantages are manifold: healthy nutrition, reduced loss of food due to inadequate transport and storage, poverty reduction through income opportunities and possible own consumption, education, leisure, and a greener livable city with all its ecological benefits.

Urban agriculture arises not only out of crisis situations, but also exists because of its proximity to urban markets, the availability of productive resources, closeness to institutions, etc. Especially in developing countries producers often live in marginal or illegal settlements.

The summer school will identify and show examples of the many functions that agriculture and horticulture fulfill in large cities, especially in Berlin.

The aim of the summer school is to provide students with knowledge about ecological, scientific and institutional conditions, as well as the production and the social functions of urban agriculture and urban gardening.

The seminars, lectures and field trips will offer specific skills, tools and know-how to manage urban design and environmental infrastructure, in particular to deal with food production, energy, housing, transport, water and recycling management.

Students learn about different fields of sustainable green urban development and recycling techniques.

This course is designed for undergraduate students of all subjects with a strong interest in urban planning, ecological, environmental, cultural and agricultural topics

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

Multinational companies like Google or Apple self-evidently act on a global stage. But even small businesses participate in international trade today. The integration of national economies and the elimination of barriers of trade no longer allow a solely national view on this development. With the growing importance of international commerce, the need for an „International Economic Law“ arises. Numerous regulations and agreements concern international trade and investment, but the legal framework of international economy remains indefinite.

In this course common principles of International Economic Law will be examined by analysing leading decisions by international courts. Therefore a substantial part of the course will be dedicated to class room discussion of cases and reading materials.

Advanced undergraduate law students and students with an academic background that qualifies them to participate in the course

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

This summer program is run by the HWR Berlin School of Economics and Law, a public university of applied sciences, situated in the heart of Berlin. HWR Berlin is one of the largest academic institutions for business and management studies in Germany with a very international focus.

The EU is at stake in this course program. The students will learn about the political and territorial development of the EU since 2007 and develop an understanding about the historical meaning of the European idea and how this governs EU policy in crisis today. Students will know the challenges of different political cultures in the EU. They gain insights into the conditions under which European firms operate in a globalised world. They can assess the interrelationships with macroeconomic processes and understand further implications for living conditions in the EU. The topics are:

• EU - Chances & Challenges for Political Integration
• EU - Dynamic Player in International Trade & Institutions
• Global Challenges for European Firms from a Finance View
• Human Costs of Global Markets: The European Perspective

Field trips to companies and institutions enable students to combine theory and practice. The module "German Culture & Society: Intercultural Perspectives" allows students to contemplate and highlight the differences and similarities between the students’ home cultures and their host culture. Participants can also look forward to an exciting and diverse culture and leisure time program.

Targeted to business and economics students after two years of study (Bachelor). The program is open to graduate students and recent graduates as well. Proof of English proficiency is required for non-native speakers.

In this course the students will explore Jewish history in Germany  – and its memorialization –  from 1933 to the present.  This will be accomplished through lectures, workshops, and site visits to museums in and around Berlin.  In addition to the tragic history that has defined the 20^th century experience, students will have an opportunity to explore contemporary Jewish life and topics that continue to shape Berlin and Germany more widely.  This course is anthropologically inflected and treats the museums and other urban spaces as field sites to be explored and analyzed critically.   It is well-suited to students who are interested in religious studies, history, the social sciences, and/or more specific fields such as urban studies, ethics or museum studies.

It can stand alone well as a course, but can also be combined with the course offered in Summer Session 2: Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue in Germany: Interrogating Memory and Migration

Undergraduate students of all subjects with an interest in interreligious and intercultural issues.

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

This summer program is run by the HWR Berlin School of Economics and Law, a public university of applied sciences, situated in the heart of Berlin. HWR Berlin is one of the largest academic institutions for business and management studies in Germany with a very international focus.

The academic content of this course is specifically focused on entrepreneurship, innovation management and the German startup scene with a focus on Berlin as a model European start-up capital. The programme offers students a strong grounding in how to start and grow a business in a dynamic marketplace. They will write a business plan and present a pitch deck. Classes will focus on the application of models and tools of innovation & technology management, as well as introduce intellectual property rights and venture capital financing. In a workshop, students will work with / for startups in a pre-defined project. Its topics are:

• Entrepreneurship in Berlin
• The Innovative Imperative for Corporations and Entrepreneurs
• Workshop with / for Startups

Field trips to companies enable students to combine theory and practice. The module "German Culture & Society: Intercultural Perspectives" allows students to contemplate and highlight the differences and similarities between the students’ home cultures and their host culture. Participants can also look forward to an exciting and diverse culture and leisure time program.

Advanced undergraduate or graduate students of all fields. Applicants will be asked to hand in a motivation letter (one page) along with the application. A proof of English proficiency is required for non-native speakers.

Is there such a thing as “Islamic feminism”? Can contemporary Muslims be feminists? Can feminist theorists and practitioners develop an analysis and critique of patriarchy that takes religious framework, histories and concepts seriously? What is the relationship between gender norms in Islam and feminist critique of them?

This seminar course explores these questions and pursues possible answers through a study of both discourses and practices related to Islam and feminism in the past decade. We will focus on Germany and the United States as two case studies with very different and yet deeply connected histories of colonialism, Muslim demographic presence and debates about Islam in the public sphere.

Master students and advanced undergraduate students (final year) of all subjects with an academic background and a strong interest in Islamic studies, gender studies, urban anthropology and sociology.

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

This course follows the complex trajectories linking interreligious and intercultural narratives in Germany today.   How does the culture of memory in Germany, with its Christian frame and Jewish focus converge and diverge with more recent narratives of migration that have made Islam a visible presence in Germany?  This is the main question this course seeks to address.  Students will interrogate this topic through dedicated lectures, workshops, and site visits to museums and other venues.  This course is anthropologically inflected and treats the sites as field sites to be explored empirically and analyzed critically. It is well-suited to students who are interested in religious studies, history, the social sciences, and/or more specific fields such as urban studies, ethics or museum studies.

It can stand alone well as a course, but can also be combined with the course offered in Summer Session 1:  Jewish Narratives in Germany: Exploring Memory Past and Present

Undergraduate students of all subjects with an interest in interreligious and intercultural issues.

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

This summer program is run by the HWR Berlin School of Economics and Law, a public university of applied sciences, situated in the heart of Berlin. HWR Berlin is one of the largest academic institutions for business and management studies in Germany with a very international focus.

The language courses combine intensive language classes with a taste of culture and history of Berlin / Germany. Two levels are offered:

• Absolute Beginners
• Advanced Beginners (after 1- 2 semesters of German)

Both courses cover general language skills, core grammatical structures, basic vocabulary, and knowledge about German culture and living. A special focus will be on communication and pronunciation (“tongue twister”).  The module "German Culture & Society: Intercultural Perspectives" allows students to contemplate and highlight the differences and similarities between the students’ home cultures and their host culture. A concert or opera performance is one of the highlights. Participants can also look forward to an exciting and diverse culture and leisure time program.

We welcome all above 18 years of age with an interest in learning German language and in getting to know German culture & society.

Multinational companies like Google or Apple self-evidently act on a global stage. But even small businesses participate in international trade today. The integration of national economies and the elimination of barriers of trade no longer allow a solely national view on this development. With the growing importance of international commerce, the need for an „International Economic Law“ arises. Numerous regulations and agreements concern international trade and investment, but the legal framework of international economy remains indefinite.

In this course common principles of International Economic Law will be examined by analysing leading decisions by international courts. Therefore a substantial part of the course will be dedicated to class room discussion of cases and reading materials.

Advanced undergraduate law students and students with an academic background that qualifies them to participate in the course

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (in English, one page) and a valid student ID is required.

This course examines the protection regime pertaining to refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and stateless persons. It gives special attention to the evolving set of legal norms, institutions, and procedures that have emerged from the international community’s resolve to protect refugees and other forced migrants. The course begins with an introduction to the international human rights and the asylum protection regimes. It then continues with a historical perspective of the pre-United Nations initiatives to protect refugees and introduces the normative ethics and politics of refugee protection. That is followed by an analysis of both the legal and institutional pillars of the refugee regime, i.e. of the refugee definitions captured in various international instruments and of the protection granted by the UNHCR. The regional refugee regimes are then examined, specifically those developed in Africa, Latin America, and Europe. Last but not least, the course will review the protection of IDPs and of stateless persons. Throughout the course, case studies will be used so that students can translate into practice the legal instruments, theoretical concepts, and doctrine that they have learned.

Advanced undergraduate law students and students with an academic background that qualifies them to participate in the course

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore, a letter of motivation (in english, one page) and a valid student ID is required.

This course is specifically designed for those who are primarily seeking instruction in the German language. The course takes place four times a week and can additionally be combined with an English content course. The course is suitable for participants who also like to discover Berlin on their own. Weekly we offer extra cultural and social activities.

This course is specifically designed for those who are primarily seeking instruction in the German language. It is for undergraduate, graduate students as well as Ph.D. candidates who are interested in a semi-intensive language course which can be combined with a subject course.

Students without previous knowledge of German can participate in the course as well as students of German from elementary level (A1/ A2) to upper intermediate level (B2).

Participants must be at least 18 years old.

German class becomes a hands-on experience through excursions, workshops, guided tours and discussions with interesting personalities. Following the motto "Get out of the classroom, get into the city", this course is especially designed for participants, who are interested in improving their vocabulary by doing, and more intensely experiencing the many faces of Berlin throughout the course period.

Cultural activities about twice a week:

• museum visits
• excursion to the UNESCO world heritage site Potsdam and Sansscouci
• visit of the German Parliament
• open air cinema & theatre
• Picnic

German: B1 - proof will be required

This course is designed for students of German Studies/ German Literature and all interested students, who do not only want to take language classes, but are also interested in topics concerning culture, literature, history and society.

For optimal success in this course, we recommend having a German fluency level of Advanced (C1/C2) or Average (B1/B2).

The fluency levels of the language test are based on the guidelines set by the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages".

The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

This course is specifically designed for those who are primarily seeking instruction in the German language. The course takes place four times a week and can additionally be combined with an English content course. The course is suitable for participants who also like to discover Berlin on their own. Weekly we offer extra cultural and social activities.

This course is specifically designed for those who are primarily seeking instruction in the German language. It is for undergraduate, graduate students as well as Ph.D. candidates who are interested in a semi-intensive language course which can be combined with a subject course.

Students without previous knowledge of German can participate in the course as well as students of German from elementary level (A1/ A2) to upper intermediate level (B2) and advanced levels (C1).

Participants must be at least 18 years old.

Berlin is a vibrant city - and has always been. The City and its surrounding have always attracted and influenced artists. The "Golden Twenties and Thirties" of the 20th Century are legendary - not only the city provided inspiration and material for novels, music, theatre and fine arts, but also all the places of refuge that brought from the external hectic pace to inner reflection.

The course is concerned with several writers, whose lives and work are closely connected to Berlin and the escape to the idylls of small towns. How did this contrast impact their writing process? What can we learn by that for our own creative processes?

We follow Theodor Fontane to Mark Brandeburg, where he has gone on hikes, where his character Effi Briest has played on her swing and where the lake Stechlin is sparkling in the sun. We visit Bertolt Brecht in his authentically maintained apartment and in his country retreat where he has been enjoying swimming in the lake. The satirist Kurt Tucholsky has been attracted by the nature as well: he wrote a simple story about the city Rheinsberg, where he is honored by a museum in the castle.

In this course we read and write, discuss, look around, walk and go out: various field trips in and around Berlin, a visit of a theatre and some movies will show the relation of texts, style and atmosphere.

At the end you'll be able to feel the different moods that had initiated the different texts. You'll also know the variety of the city as well as the contrast of Berlin and its surrounding, so that you can draw conclusions about the current situation for artists which is similar to the situation at that time.

You'll feel these atmospheres and - following the discussed examples - you yourself will try out how to assimilate them  by writing.

The active acquisition of language and its use, but also the motivation to produce own texts is developed in this course.

Students of all subjects (Undergraduate, Graduate and PhD-Candidates) with an interest in creative writing (German language), culture and literature.

Participants in this course should share an inherent interest in the topic and life

German: B2 - proof will be required

in Berlin, as well as a willingness to explore their own expressiveness and joy in playing with the German language.

This course is designed for native speakers and Non-native speakers. Non-native speakers are required to prove at least level B2 of language proficiency.

Mistakes made in written works will be corrected but will not be discussed as part of the course syllabus nor be included in the overall assessment of the participant's performance.

Texts for preparation or for background knowledge can also be read in English or in any other language. Texts dealt with during class are discussed on the basis of the original - in German.

The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

To some, the city is a text asking to be read; to others, the city is a multi-layered phenomenon that defies readability. None of this has ever prevented writers writing about the city - so much so that city literature has become a genre of its own. In this course we will study examples of city writing and then will try our own hand at writing the city: Berlin.

In our reading of literature we will explore various possibilities of turning urban structures, urban encounters and urban experience into text. Reading assignments will be from European and American city texts, but will eventually zoom in on representations of Berlin. How can literature, through the use of images, narrative perspective, plot structure, rhythms and juxtapositions, capture the voices, spaces and characters of the city? What meanings of the city do individual texts create? What are the traditional expectations of and perspectives on Berlin, and how have specific motifs and techniques developed?

We will study the texts both in order to understand how the city is written and as starting points for your own writing of the city. Writing assignments will draw on your own experiences of Berlin: capture the moment of your arrival, the strangeness of the new environment, possible misunderstandings, and turn them into a text. Walk through a neighbourhood, ride your bikes or the subway looking for motifs and characters. Describe people you meet and turn them into characters. Research the history of a person, a building, a trend, a scene, and take ownership of your urban experience - observe how you become a writer of Berlin. Writing will take place in-class, on-site and in take-home exercises. Be prepared to share some of your writing in class and learn to give and receive constructive feedback.

Students of all subjects with a strong interest in writing.

In order to follow the course, a very good command of English is required. The minimum age requirement is 18 years.

Furthermore a letter of motivation (one page, in English) and a valid student ID is required.

The course provides a historical, political and cultural introduction to one of the most multifaceted cities of recent times. Like very few other metropolises, Berlin has witnessed some of the major upheavals of the last century: the short-lived attempt at democracy during the Weimar Republic in the 1920s, the fascist Third Reich in the 1930s and 1940s, the division of Berlin into (capitalist) “West” and (socialist) “East” from the late 1940s to the late 1980s, and the reunification of Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Since the end of the Iron Curtain various campaigns have proclaimed “das neue Berlin” – the new Berlin. At the same time, the public discussion about how to commemorate the history of Berlin – and of Germany at large – has not stopped. The Memorial Museum of German Resistance, the Gedächtniskirche, the Topography of Terror exhibition and the Museum at Checkpoint Charlie, for example, all predate the fall of the Wall, but the Jewish Museum, the Holocaust memorial, and the National Historical Museum were only built after 1989. Also, some historic districts of Berlin – such as Hackesche Höfe in Berlin-Mitte – were rediscovered and cautiously remodeled in the 1990s, while a desolate area such as Potsdamer Platz was turned into an architectural showcase of Berlin’s new corporate power.

This course will examine some of the major public controversies and arguments that accompanied the planning and construction of some of the mentioned memorials, museums, and sites. As the public debate over the design of the “Freedom Tower” on the former site of the World Trade Center in New York City has amply demonstrated in recent years, the relationship between place and memory is also a major issue in contemporary American political culture. What better place than Berlin to investigate the complex interconnections between politics, history, personal memory, public remembrance, the commemoration of the past and the celebration of the present?

This course will investigate how the “new Berlin” relates to the history of the “old Berlin.” Each week of the summer session will be dedicated to a different era in Berlin’s recent history: Weimar Republic, Third Reich, West Berlin, East Berlin, and the Berlin Republic.

The syllabus for each week follows the same pattern: an introduction to each week’s historical period, a discussion of literary texts from that era, and the screening and discussion of a film (on video/DVD) relating to that period on Monday, followed by a discussion of significant “places of memory” from that period and a half-day excursion to the discussed places of memory on Thursday.

There are no prerequistes for taking this course. Students in following fields may be particularly interested in taking this course: German studies, theatre studies, art, architecture, urban studies, cultural studies, modern history, and political science.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

This course is an acting course that introduces the student to the research, writing and performance techniques of cabaret performers.

Kabarett is the German word for "cabaret" but has two different meanings. The first meaning is the same as in English; describing a form of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theater (often the word "Cabaret" is used in German for this as well to distinguish this form). The latter describes a kind of political satire. Unlike comedians who make fun of all kind of things, Kabarett artists (German: Kabarettisten) pride themselves as dedicated almost completely to political and social topics of more serious nature which they criticize using techniques like cynicism, sarcasm and irony.

As Peter Jelavich stated in his book “Berlin Cabaret (Studies in Cultural History)” that every Metropolis tends to generate an urban mythology and Berlin is no exception. One of the more enduring Fables associated with that city is that it was hotbed for Cabaret.

Students will be seeking to assay that tale by examining Cabaret in Europe and specifically in Berlin from 1901-1944 while creating their own solo performance based on research of sources as such diaries, letters, memoirs, and autobiographies that relate Berlin Kabarett. Subjects can be figures such as Gisela May, Trude Hestberg, Anita Berber, Claire Waldoff, Erwin Piscator, Hugo Ball, Blandine Ebinger, Kurt Weill and are of particular interest to the student.

While studying and analyzing the techniques of a wide variety of cabaret performers through its inception, students will explore aspects of writing monologues and implementing those techniques with the ultimate goal of creating and performing their own material -sense of truth- with the courage necessary to stand-alone on stage.

There will be field trips to notable Cabaret/Kabarett shows and venues in the city, which will inspire us visually. In addition to history related readings assignments, the course will incorporate Lisa Appignanesi's "The Cabaret" book for an overall understanding of the forms of artistic cabaret which were to emerge as a meeting place for artists where performance or improvisation takes place among peers, and cabaret as an intimate, small-scale, but intellectually ambitious revue.

The class meets twice a week for three 90-minute segments each day.

The two segments of each class typically involve short lectures on historical and theatrical topics as well as seminar-style discussions of the assigned readings. Some class days devote time to in-depth acting exercises, analyzing the solo performance/cabaret vocabulary and technique. Some class days we will use the afternoon segment for film screenings, excursions to sites in the city or working on your final presentation.

In addition to the regular class meetings and excursions the Course Schedule includes a list of optional recommended cabaret shows, plays, theatrical performances.

This course is open to students from all disciplines and levels, though it may appeal most to students of writing, literature, media, history and acting.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

Within six weeks, this course will help you to develop basic competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as a basic knowledge of the German culture.

• By the end of the course you will be able to deal with everyday situations in a German-speaking environment and to conduct simple conversations.
• You will have developed reading strategies that allow you to understand simple newspaper and magazine articles as well as short literary texts.
• In addition, you will learn to write, revise and proofread short texts in German.
• Finally, you will be able to understand discussions on familiar topics.

Lessons take place Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. On four class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for the beginner student with no previous knowledge of German.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

This course will help you to expand your competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing within six weeks, deepen your knowledge of grammar as well as your knowledge of the German culture.

• By the end of the six-week course you will be able to deal with everyday situations in a German-speaking environment and to conduct simple conversations.
• You will have developed reading strategies that allow you to understand simple newspaper and magazine articles as well as short literary texts more detailed.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, which means you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.
• Finally, you will be able to understand discussions on familiar topics more detailed.

Lessons take place Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. On four class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for beginners with basic knowledge of German.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

Within six weeks, this course will help you to expand your competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as strengthen your knowledge of grammar, while emphasizing self-correction.

Furthermore, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the six-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will be able to engage in detailed discussions on above mentioned topics.
• Furthermore, you will have developed reading strategies that will allow you to understand different text types in detail.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.

Lessons take place Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. On four class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the basic level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the A2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

Within six weeks, this course will help you to expand your competences in speaking and writing while emphasizing self-correction. Furthermore, it will help you to increase your vocabulary, to deepen grammar usage, and develop effective reading and listening strategies.

In addition, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the six-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will be able to engage in detailed discussions on above mentioned topics.
• Furthermore, you will have developed reading strategies that will allow you to understand different text types in detail.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.

Lessons take place Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. On four class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the basic level and the first part of the intermediate level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

The course aims to deepen your competence in speaking and writing and to expand and refine your vocabulary usage, so that you are able to express and discuss ideas, opinions and information at the academic level. Special attention is given to the consistent use of self-correction. Furthermore, the course helps you to develop effective reading and listening strategies and deepen your knowledge of grammar structures.

In addition, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the six-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will have improved your ability to choose the right linguistic register for different situations, topics and communication partners.
• You will be able to lead and participate in academic discussions about certain course-related topics.
• In addition, you will expand and refine your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write, revise and proofread essays that meet the standards of academic writing.

Lessons take place Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. On four class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the intermediate level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

Coming to terms with the tumultuous 20^th century – the Nazi Era, the Holocaust, and division of Germany - is central to German literature, culture, and public debate. Just as narratives of memory drive 20^th and 21^st-century German literature, memory culture permeates the urban landscape of Berlin. This course explores memory narratives in the form of fiction, autobiographical texts, films, a graphic novel, and a historical reader. Topics of discussion include history, politics, literature, film, music, architecture, and the urban landscape. Field trips to the German Historical Museum, the Holocaust Memorial, The Berlin Wall Memorial, the Stasi Museum, the Memorial and Museum Sachsenhausen, and more will inform, reinforce, and broaden our understanding of the material discussed in class.

The course is open to all students who are interested in deepening their experience of Berlin’s history and culture through this topical exploration of the city. No prior knowledge is required. Students must be willing to participate actively in class discussions and field trips to museums and other sites around the city. Attendance is crucial; no unexcused absences.

Minimum language proficiency of B2 in English is required. No German is required for this course. All readings, course materials, and discussions will be in English.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

This course explores European art and architecture from the 14th to the 20th century with a particular focus on urban centers like Florence, Rome, Venice, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Paris, London, and Berlin. The aim is to analyze how the visual arts contributed through the centuries to shape local identities as well as European cultural traditions common to different countries.

The course will present iconic moments of the history of the arts in Europe by drawing a special attention to episodes of cultural exchanges and hybridization that arose from travelling artworks as well as from artists’ travels. From the role of artists like Raphael and Michelangelo in 16th-century papal Rome to the rise of genre painting in the Flanders and the Dutch Republic of the Golden Age, from the ‘painters of modern life’ in 19th-century Paris to the German Avant-garde of the 1920s, we will analyze the artworks and their authors in relation to the different historical contexts and the places of their creation. Recurrent will be the focus on the complex interplay between artists and patrons, between local traditions, individual creativity and the broader social, political and cultural contexts in which artworks and buildings were produced.

Students will gain understanding of the main art movements and relevant artists from the Renaissance to the postwar period as well as the basic concepts and terminology of art history. Visits to the outstanding collections of Berlin museums will allow the participants to study original artifacts and to learn how to look closely at works of art.

The course addresses students of any subject.

An elementary knowledge of European history is welcome but not necessary.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

This course provides an overview of the history of German literature from the 18^th to the 21^st century. Starting from the knowledge that the psychological sensitivities of an age are reflected in literature, and supported by reading and discussing representative texts - e.g. from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Heinrich Heine, Franz Kafka, Bertolt Brecht or Bernhard Schlink - the focus of the seminar is based on the following questions: What desires, demands and utopias can be found in the literature? How influential are the developments of the history of thought, social upheavals and technological innovations on literary expression? What interplay exists between art, music and literature? Can fiction also be seen as inspiration for social changes? And: how do the respective authors corporate literary legacies into their own works?

A valid and living impression of literary development from the classical period to the present will not only be provided through texts, but also through film clips and field trips. For instance, we will visit the Deutsches Historisches Museum and obtain deeper insight into the art of the Romantic period with a tour through the Alte Nationalgalerie.

Aside from the language requirements, participants must not exhibit any special knowledge of German literature or history. The seminar is directed toward students of various majors who are interested in German literature and its historical connections from the classic period to the modern day.

Language skills: Intermediate German B2/advanced level C1

Brief description of the B2 language level:

Able to understand the core content of complex texts on concrete and abstract themes; understands technical discussions in their own field. Able to spontaneously and fluently comprehend that a normal conversation with native speakers is easily possible with no great strain on either party. Able to clearly and precisely express themselves on a broad spectrum of subjects, express a standpoint on a topical question and provide the advantages and disadvantages of various possibilities.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

The ‘thousand year Reich’ that Hitler promised when he became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933 lasted but 12 years. During this time, Hitler and his Nazi Party came to dominate Europe, terrorizing vast numbers of Germans, launching a devastating war, and orchestrating the murder of more than five million Jews. In spite of the terror and vast destruction Hitler and the Nazi Party gained the active support and involvement of most Germans. How was this possible? What roles did seduction and terror play?

This class focuses on Hitler’s Germany and it begins with the 19th century background. Central to this session will be a discussion of the broad political currents, the agitators and petty demagogues who fueled the dissatisfaction and spread it widely. We will also examine the popular literature that Hitler and many of his supporters read and absorbed.

Crucial to understanding the lure of Hitler and the Nazi Party was Germany’s experience in the First World War, a conflict that decimated a generation and destroyed Europe as it was known. It left in its wake a shattered, humiliated, and deeply torn Germany. In this climate of uncertainty and despair, Hitler and the Nazi Party grew from a small group on the fringe of radical politics in Munich to a national force. This development is of central importance to this session. Those traits of Hitler crucial to his success, particularly his charisma, will be defined and analyzed within the broader political context of Weimar political and cultural life.

In late January 1933 Hitler gained the long desired but elusive goal: he became chancellor of Germany, the leader of a coalition government. The political intrigues leading to his appointment will be discussed. Much attention will be paid in this session to how Hitler, the two other Nazis in his cabinet, and supporters on the streets were able to consolidate the control over the state and society within a matter of months. This came at the cost of political liberties, through the growing use of terror, oppression, and intimidation. Yet, Hitler gained supporters as he seemingly offered economic stability and a new unity to the German people. How did the regime solidify its control over society and political life?

A key element of Hitler’s rule was the concentration camp system, what came to be a vast network of prisons, centers of oppression and death. How this developed from the dozens of small concentration camps set up across Germany immediately following Hitler’s takeover of power in 1933 to the well organized and highly centralized system in 1939 will be the focus of this session. During the war the concentration camp system spread across Germany and occupied Europe.

Hitler’s ambitions, the conquest of ‘living space’ in Eastern Europe, the ruthless exploitation of these territories, and the annihilation of the Jews, motivated his foreign ambitions and led directly to World War II, the most destructive conflict in human history. We will also discuss the measures taken against the handicapped, homosexuals, Sinti and Roma.

In Germany and in occupied Europe opposition and resistance emerged and challenged Nazi rule. Opponents were motivated by a variety of reasons, some personal, some political. These too will be discussed.

Lastly, the class will examine the end of the war, the so-called ‘zero hour’, the destruction and collapse of Germany.

We will also be visiting local museums, historical sites and locations that reveal the operations of Nazi rule. These visits to sites in and near Berlin are a key element of the class and the experience of studying here.

We welcome students from all disciplines who are interested in gaining an insight into the operations and dynamics of Nazi rule in Germany and its attempt to annihilate the Jews and to dominate the continent.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

The course will introduce students to the basic principles of the European Union and describe the processes of widening and deepening of this unique political entity. At the beginning, we will review the genesis of the world’s only supranational organization that led to cooperation between member states and a peaceful development on the continent unseen in previous centuries. As the European Union is defined and perceived largely through the prism of its institutions, we will examine their role in pushing the integration process forward. Since EU policies are the frame of its institutions, we will discuss in more detail the historical development and current state of EU policies in the fields of foreign and security affairs, immigration, climate and energy, and economy. The latter will put particular focus on the Euro regularities.

We will engage in discussions about foreign policy cases like Turkey and Syria, but also relate to the new US administration in terms of the traditional transatlantic partnership. Another policy scheme is the impact of previous (and future?) mass migration into Europe.

Furthermore, we address Europe’s response strategy to tackle the bank and state crisis in face of its threat to the social standards in Europe (e.g. Greece). We will also discuss possible findings from the aftermath of the so-called EURO and state crisis.

Moreover, we will review the European climate and energy policy and study consequences of the climate agreement from Paris for the EU member states particularly after the US withdrawal. We will also deal with the question of Europe’s energy sovereignty in contrast to market demands.

Having determined the factors contributing to the deepening of the EU through its institutions, we will discuss the criteria that have influence over the willingness of different countries to join (Ukraine, Georgia, possibly Turkey – at least in the past) but also to leave (e.g. BREXIT) the EU. Finally, we will review the EU enlargement process and assume prospects for its future development. What are challenges now and in the future? Is the EU still a role model? If yes, why? If not, why is it not anymore?

Students from different countries and backgrounds who are generally interested in European integration will benefit from each other in an intercultural and interdisciplinary learning process. The course does not require special knowledge about European politics, law, history or culture, but participants should be interested in more than just their field of specialization. In-class participation, especially in the discussions with experts, is essential for the course success and plays an important role in grading.

The course is designed for students with different academic backgrounds and a general interest in Europe. There are no special prerequisites for the course.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

Today we live and work in a globalized world. Organizations choose their human resources from a diverse and deep international talent pool. It is well established that diversity of perspective can shed new light on old and taken for granted products, processes and services. Since there is so much to be gained from a global talent pool, companies, and more specifically managers, must be equipped and confident enough to effectively coordinate international team members, maximizing productivity and minimizing frictions.

This presents managers with a challenge. Frictions arise because it is not always easy to manage people from different cultures, or systematize them for optimal productivity, since people’s actions and thinking are based on what things mean to them, and the meanings come from culture.

This course responds to this challenge. It introduces future (and possibly current) managers of multinational companies to innovative theories of intercultural processes and communication in relation to the needs of management. Course members will be encouraged to develop a basic level of intercultural competence leading to better management of diverse teams.

To do this we will work on understanding what culture is and how it works. We will reflect on why differing cultural worldviews can cause offense by studying the relationship between culture and identity.

We will debate cultural universals and cultural incommensurabilities (seemingly unavoidable culture clashes)—and strategies for overcoming them, or at least minimizing them. We will explore best practices for managing and facilitating productivity in intercultural workspaces. We will be attentive to the danger of killing creativity with too much tolerance, and thus to the need to generate constructive frictions (rather than destructive ones). Our ultimate goal is to design our own actionable best practices for producing synergy from difference and avoiding entropy.

In order to meet these goals, we will first study conflict and disagreement as logical and affective phenomena. We are going to discuss the factors trust, culture, language, power and authority, which have to be understood if we want to manage disagreement. Afterwards, we focus on elaborating best practices for managing intercultural teams. To this end, we read and discuss theoretical essays on culture and intercultural processes and communication from management literature, watch and discuss films dramatizing intercultural frictions in different contexts, and participate in (and later reflect on) field trips to Berlin businesses to learn about their experiences with a multinational workforce.

This course is for students interested in business and organization management in the context of globalization, particularly those who want to be able to operationalize teams that draw on human resources from different countries. The course is designed to be accessible and fruitful for both lower- and upper-division students.

Students should be competent in reading, writing, listening and expressing themselves orally in academic English.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

Within six weeks, this course will help you to develop basic competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as a basic knowledge of the German culture.

• By the end of the course you will be able to deal with everyday situations in a German-speaking environment and to conduct simple conversations.
• You will have developed reading strategies that allow you to understand simple newspaper and magazine articles as well as short literary texts.
• In addition, you will learn to write, revise and proofread short texts in German.
• Finally, you will be able to understand discussions on familiar topics.

Monday through Friday are lessons. On four class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for the beginner student with no previous knowledge of German. This course is intensive and is intended for dedicated, highly self-motivated students who will take responsibility for their learning.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

This course will help you to expand your competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing within six weeks, deepen your knowledge of grammar as well as your knowledge of the German culture.

• By the end of the six-week course you will be able to deal with everyday situations in a German-speaking environment and to conduct simple conversations.
• You will have developed reading strategies that allow you to understand simple newspaper and magazine articles as well as short literary texts more detailed.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, which means you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.
• Finally, you will be able to understand discussions on familiar topics more detailed.

Monday through Friday are lessons. On four class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for beginners with basic knowledge of German. This course is intensive and is intended for dedicated, highly self-motivated students who will take responsibility for their learning.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

Within six weeks, this course will help you to expand your competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as strengthen your knowledge of grammar, while emphasizing self-correction. You will also expand your knowledge of the German culture and analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the six-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will be able to engage in detailed discussions on above mentioned topics.
• Furthermore, you will have developed reading strategies that will allow you to understand different text types in detail.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.

Monday through Friday are lessons. On four class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the basic level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the A2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This course is intensive and is intended for dedicated, highly self-motivated students who will take responsibility for their learning.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

This course will help you to expand your competences in speaking and writing within six weeks, while emphasizing self-correction. Furthermore, it will help you to increase your vocabulary, to deepen grammar usage, and develop effective reading and listening strategies.

In addition, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the six-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will be able to engage in detailed discussions on above mentioned topics.
• Furthermore, you will have developed reading strategies that will allow you to understand different text types in detail.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.

Monday through Friday are lessons. On four class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the basic level and the first part of the intermediate level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This course is intensive and is intended for dedicated, highly self-motivated students who will take responsibility for their learning.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

The course aims to deepen your competence in speaking and writing and to expand and refine your vocabulary usage, so that you are able to express and discuss ideas, opinions and information at the academic level. Special attention is given to the consistent use of self-correction. Furthermore, the course helps you to develop effective reading and listening strategies and deepen your knowledge of grammar structures.

In addition, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the six-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will have improved your ability to choose the right linguistic register for different situations, topics and communication partners.
• You will be able to lead and participate in academic discussions about certain course-related topics.
• In addition, you will expand and refine your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write, revise and proofread essays that meet the standards of academic writing.

Monday through Friday are lessons. On four class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the intermediate level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This course is intensive and is intended for dedicated, highly self-motivated students who will take responsibility for their learning.

Registration deadline: May 5, 2018

This course gives a wide overview of the development of public and private architecture in Berlin during the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Following an introduction to the urban development and architectural history of the Modern era, the Neo-Classical period will be surveyed with special reference to the works of Schinkel. This will be followed by classes on architecture of the German Reich after 1871, which was characterized by both modern and conservative tendencies and the manifold activities during the time of the Weimar Republic in the 1920s such as the Housing Revolution. The architecture of the Nazi period will be examined, followed by the developments in East and West Berlin after the Second World War. The course concludes with a detailed review of the city’s more recent and current architectural profiles, including an analysis of the conflicts concerning the re-design of Berlin after the Cold War and the German reunification.

Seven walking tours to historically significant buildings and sites are included (Unter den Linden, Gendarmenmarkt, New Housing Estates, Chancellory, Potsdamer Platz, Holocaust Memorial etc.). The course aims to offer a deeper understanding of the interdependence of Berlin’s architecture and the city’s social and political structures. It considers Berlin as a model for the highways and by-ways of a European capital in modern times.

The course addresses students of any subject, especially History of Art, Architecture and related subjects, such as History, Design or Fine Arts. An elementary knowledge of architecture and architectural history is welcome but not necessary. More advanced students or those interested in a particular field can - on request - be given special assistance and further material for self-study.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

The ‘thousand year Reich’ that Hitler promised when he became Chancellor of Germany in January 1933 lasted but 12 years. During this time, however, Hitler and his Nazi Party came to dominate European and even world affairs, terrorizing vast numbers of Germans, launching a devastating war, and orchestrating the murder of more than five million Jews. Yet Hitler and the Nazi Party gained the active support and involvement of most Germans. How was this possible?

This class focuses on Hitler’s Germany and it begins with the essential 19^th century background. How did political anti-Semitism grow there? What shaped the social and political life? Central to this session will be a discussion of the broad political currents and the popular literature that Hitler and many of his supporters read and absorbed.

Crucial to understanding the lure of Hitler and the Nazi Party was Germany’s experience in the First World War, a conflict that decimated a generation and destroyed Europe as it was known. Germany became a democratic state, but was torn by political divisions and dissatisfaction. In this climate of uncertainty and despair, Hitler and the Nazi Party grew from a small group on the radical fringe in Munich to a national force. How did this happen? Those traits of Hitler crucial to his success, particularly his charisma, will be defined and analyzed within the broader political context of Weimar political life.

In late January 1933 Hitler gained the long desired but elusive goal: he became chancellor of Germany, the leader of a coalition government. Much attention will be paid to how Hitler, the two other Nazis in his cabinet, and supporters on the streets were able to consolidate the control over the state and society within a matter of months. This came at the cost of political liberties, through the growing use of terror, oppression, and intimidation. Yet, Hitler gained supporters as he seemingly offered economic stability and a new unity to the German people. How the regime solidified its control over society and political life will be examined and discussed at length in this session.

A key element of Hitler’s rule was the concentration camp system, what came to be a vast chain of prisons and centers of oppression and death. How this developed will be examined and analyzed.

Hitler’s ambitions, the conquest of ‘living space’ in Eastern Europe and the annihilation of the Jews, motivated his foreign ambitions and led directly to World War II, the most destructive conflict in human history. A central element of the war was the Holocaust, the all-out program to destroy the Jews of Europe. The session will examine closely these developments, the nature of the war, how the Holocaust was implemented, and the role that terror played in sustaining Nazi rule. We will also discuss the measures taken against the handicapped, homosexuals, Sinti and Roma.

In Germany and later in occupied Europe opposition and resistance emerged and challenged Nazi rule. Opponents were motivated by a variety of reasons, some personal, some political, and these too will be discussed.

Lastly, the class will examine the end of the war, the so-called ‘zero hour’ in Germany, the destruction and collapse of Germany, and then how this nation has dealt with the legacy of Hitler and Nazi rule.

We will be visiting local museums, historical sites and locations that reveal the operations of Nazi rule. These visits are a key element of the class and the experience of studying in Berlin.

We welcome students from all disciplines who are interested in gaining an insight into the operations and dynamics of Nazi rule in Germany and its attempt to annihilate the Jews and to dominate the continent.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

This course explores theoretical and historical perspectives on the intersection of law, society and politics, and aims to foster discussion of contemporary issues among students from different cultures and disciplines. After an introduction to comparative law and legal culture, we read some classical social theorists (Durkheim, Weber and Marx), and consider their relevance to contemporary debates about morality, (dis)obedience, and conflict. Next, we investigate the role and operation of law in totalitarian settings such as Nazi and Communist Germany. Finally, we consider the difficulties that such legacies pose for democracy, the rule of law, and the economy in post-totalitarian societies. In this context, we examine the need for ‘transitional justice’, the relationship between law and the market, and the challenges posed by freedom of speech.

Overall, the course aims to develop skills at using theory and history to inform debates on contemporary challenges, such as multiculturalism, punishment, (illegal) downloading/streaming/file-sharing, and economic development. In addition to gaining substantive expertise in various socio- and politico-legal fields, students develop communicative competence through participatory exercises, and intercultural competence through discussion with other students.

This course is open to all students with an interest in social sciences – in particular, history, sociology or political science – or in law. It is designed as an undergraduate class, but the variety of students taking this course typically ranges from first-year students to post-graduate students. This experiential diversity provides unique opportunities for students to learn from one another.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

In recent years, Islam has increasingly become the subject of public debate and discourse in the Western World as well as a core research topic in various disciplines in the social sciences. This course will take an in-depth look at Muslims and Islam in Europe and will analyze and discuss the present condition of Muslims living in Europe from a socio-anthropological perspective. In order to do so, Islam will first be introduced from a general perspective. The first sessions of the course will provide a review of theories of cultural difference and secularism. Having established this theoretical lens, the following sessions will look at various public discourses regarding Islam and Muslims in Europe. Here issues such as Islam-state relations, gender aspects, and everyday religious practices of Muslims in Europe will be closely examined, accompanied by a critical analysis of particular public controversies regarding Islam. To get a good insight, various excursions will be made.

This course is designed for all students having a professional, political or personal interest in a deeper and thus more differentiated understanding of Islam and Muslims in Europe.

No prior knowledge is required but an interest in following current debates on Islam and Muslims in Europe is desired.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

The notions of ‘media’, ‘medium’, ‘mediation’ or ‘mediatization’ have occupied authors in the humanities for decades and have led to the emergence of new university programs as much as they initiated debates about the boundaries of already existing disciplines. Recently, different authors from the Anglo-American branch of the field have spoken of a newer brand of “German media theory”. In this course, we will scrutinize this labelling by discussing different historical and contemporary examples where cultural critics, philologists, philosophers, and artists have undertaken research about media and communication in Germany and, more specifically, in Berlin.

We will focus on the period from the 1920s onwards and increasingly move towards the present. As we go along, we will build bridges between historical positions and contemporary ones, providing a sense for continuities and discontinuities in media theoretical positions and formats of media critique. Through the collective experience and critical discussion of texts, films and field trips, students will gain a wide understanding of the problems and objects of media-theoretical inquiry and of its historical and geographical context.

The overarching questions this course seeks to answer are: "What are common themes and issues in media theory and media critique?", "How did they develop in or refer to the particular context of Berlin?"

Altogether, this course has three intents: It serves as an introduction to problems in media studies for newcomers; it particularly focuses on media studies in Germany and Berlin for those already more familiar with questions in the field; it enquires about Berlin as both production site and object of media research.

This course is suitable as an introductory course for everyone who is interested in (cultural) theories about media and communication. For those who already have a background in media studies or related disciplines, the course might provide additional information about the German and Berlin context of the discipline. For all others, the course might serve as a general albeit selective introduction into repeating themes of media studies. The course is interdisciplinary in nature and particularly suited for undergraduate students from the fields of cultural studies, social theory, communication studies, comparative literature, art history, anthropology, and philosophy.

A general openness towards the engagement with conceptual abstractions and artistic practices is expected, but no prior knowledge is required.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Europe and its role in the world have changed dramatically over the last century. Once European empires dominated the greater part of the world. Today, Europe consists of a number of middle-sized and small states. At the same time, many of these states like the UK, France but also Germany still play a very prominent role on the global stage, individually but also as part of the European Union. Looking back, as a historian, there is much to investigate: Why did the European powers lose their empires? How did they come to terms with their loss of power? In which ways did Europe still very much take center stage in many of the global developments of the 20th century?

The course tries to give an answer to these questions by analyzing the history of Europe’s international involvement. We will start with the July Crisis 1914 and go on chronologically. Major parts concern the two World Wars, warfare that devastated the whole continent, with Germany always at the heart of the conflict. Then, we examine the process of decolonization, which the colonial powers resisted as long as they could, by sometimes peaceful, but more often violent means.

The Suez Crisis, eventually, came as a turning point. In times of the Cold War, it revealed to Great Britain and France that their precarious international position was irrevocable and forced them to adopt new strategies. Regional integration (or close bilateral cooperation) was one of them, a special transatlantic partnership another, and the acquisition of the atomic bomb a third. Last but not least, they both tried to retain considerable influence over their former colonies, in political as well as in economic matters.

All in all, this is an international history of the 20th Century from a strictly European, or to be more precise, a Western European point of view, as very strong emphasis will be laid on the three main European powers: Great Britain, France and Germany. In cursory overviews as well as in particular case studies it will be made clear that Europe’s role in the world was not always beneficial, far from it.

Political history will be at the center of this class. Yet, over the course of the 20th century, economic and legal aspects did become more and more important, not to mention the growing impact of various ideological worldviews and cultural perceptions. Consequently, all these issues have to be addressed simultaneously.

The organization of the class will be roughly similar from session to session. In the morning sessions, there will be brief oral presentations based on the reading material made available as well as PowerPoint-based lectures and discussions. In the afternoon sessions, work groups will be formed either to study different kinds of source material (mostly texts, but also tables, pictures and caricatures) using historical methods or to work with study questions. Field trips and guest speakers will complement the agenda.

Students from all academic levels and backgrounds are welcome. There are no specific prerequisites for this course other than intellectual curiosity and the willingness to engage with a broad range of historical works and documents.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

This course is about Berlin, and the story of its tumultuous and epoch defining twentieth century. We examine this history through various lenses: the biographies of individuals, the words of writers who bore witness to the vertiginous social, political and physical changes the city underwent, and buildings and monuments whose physical construction, destruction and reconstruction reflected the ideological turmoil and conflict of twentieth century Berlin.

Famous Berliners we will meet include the murdered Communist leader Rosa Luxemburg, the artist Käthe Kollwitz, the actress Marlene Dietrich, the Nazi filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, the adopted Berliner David Bowie and the famous East German dissident musician Wolf Biermann. The contextualized stories of these individuals will offer us unique perspectives politically, artistically and socially into the tumult and struggle that marked their times in the city. These figures occupy a range of different position(s) as Berliners, as radicals, as artists of resistance to or collaboration with Nazism, and Communism, as drifters and exiles whose stories reflect Berlin’s unique position in the twentieth century as ‘no man’s land, frontier, a city adrift in the sands of Central Europe.’

In a similar way, we will examine the words of writers who bore witness to the extremism and societal upheaval that marked twentieth century Berlin. From the witnessing of Roth and Isherwood to life in Weimar and Nazi Berlin, to the social and political commentary by Christa Wolf and Peter Schneider on the moral struggles of life lived on different sides of the Berlin Wall, we will assess their writings in their historical contexts. We will assess their words as evocations of Berlin, but also as potential or overt acts of resistance to the extremism they lived under, that attempted to maintain a solidarity with the idea of Berlin as a place of artistic and social freedom and permissiveness.

Finally, we will discover the story of places in Berlin whose physical building, destruction and rebuilding can be situated in the wider systems of ideology, power and social relations that so cataclysmically defined the physical landscape of Berlin after 1933. In this, we will focus on the story of Potsdamer Platz, the Palace of the People and as an opposite postscript to Berlin’s twentieth century, the Holocaust Memorial in Mitte.

This course does not seek to provide a ‘grand narrative’ of Berlin’s twentieth century history. Instead, it follows a thread that weaves through the history: the thread left behind by those who bore witness to their times. By tracing the stories of contemporary witnesses, left for us in books, films and songs, and in the physical construction of the city, we open up a human dimension that enriches and challenges our understanding of Berlin’s traumatic recent history.

Structured largely chronologically, the course will work with films and novels whilst building on a clear historiographical base provided in class seminars. The teaching will be augmented by physical excursions into Berlin to trace the stories we encounter and class discussions will form the basis for a seminar paper that students will be required to submit at the end of the course. This history course approaches the story of Berlin through the reflections and refractions of individual humans’ lives who struggled upon the immense stage of a city at the very symbolic and literal heart of the catastrophes of the twentieth century.

This course is for university level students with open minds and incurable curiosity about the world around them.

Interest in Berlin, and its extraordinary recent past.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

The course introduces students to the politics, governance and ethics of sustainability. The key challenges of our time are global by nature. However, the current system of global governance based on sovereign states (often in competition with each other) is ill equipped to face global challenges such as poverty, climate change, environmental degradation and availability of resources. While states struggle to provide a sustainable future for their citizens, they are increasingly forced into a logic of sustainability for all people and responsibility for the global commons. This new logic is based on the concept of interconnectedness and the impact of our actions on the generations to come.

The course examines major current global challenges divided into economic, political and environmental issues. Climate change is only one of many environmental issues facing our planet, but due to its importance and overwhelming impact, it will be given the main focus of this course. We will not only look at the science behind and consequences of global warming, but will also study the two pillars of the global climate governance: the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). The analysis of the UNFCCC process will further lead us to review the Paris Agreement from 2015. We will discuss how effective it can be in dealing with one of the biggest threats of the 21^st century and whether it can still achieve its goal of limiting global warming to “well below 2°C/1.5°C”.

A special session will be devoted to technological, political, social and economic solutions to environmental issues. Do we – as purported by some – need to replace capitalism and stop economic growth in order to prevent further environmental destruction? Or is there a way to move towards a “green growth”, and utilize the benefits of the free market to increase environmental protection? This will lead us to the question of what the future will look like. Will we continue to cross planetary boundaries and endanger the capability of different ecosystems? Or will the 21^st century witness a major shift away from fossil fuels and environmental destruction to a more sustainable economy?

The discussions in the class will be complemented by at least two field trips and possibly a visit of a guest speaker.

The course is designed for students with different academic backgrounds and a general interest in sustainability and sustainable development. There are no special prerequisites for the course.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Within four weeks, this course will help you to develop basic competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as a basic knowledge of the German culture.

• By the end of the course you will be able to deal with everyday situations in a German-speaking environment and to conduct simple conversations.
• You will have developed reading strategies that allow you to understand simple newspaper and magazine articles as well as short literary texts.
• In addition, you will learn to write, revise and proofread short texts in German.
• Finally, you will be able to understand discussions on familiar topics.

Lessons take place Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. On two class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for the beginner student with no previous knowledge of German.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

This course will help you to expand your competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing within four weeks, deepen your knowledge of grammar as well as your knowledge of the German culture.

• By the end of the four-week course you will be able to deal with everyday situations in a German-speaking environment and to conduct simple conversations.
• You will have developed reading strategies that allow you to understand simple newspaper and magazine articles as well as short literary texts more detailed.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, which means you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.
• Finally, you will be able to understand discussions on familiar topics more detailed.

Lessons take place Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. On two class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for beginners with basic knowledge of German.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Within four weeks, this course will help you to expand your competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing, strengthen your knowledge of grammar, while emphasizing self-correction, as well as deepen your knowledge of the German culture.

• Furthermore, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.
• By the end of the four-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will be able to engage in detailed discussions on above mentioned topics.
• Furthermore, you will have developed reading strategies that will allow you to understand different text types in detail.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.

Lessons take place Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. On two class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the basic level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the A2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Within four weeks, this course will help you to expand your competences in speaking and writing while emphasizing self-correction. Furthermore, it will help you to increase your vocabulary, to deepen grammar usage, and develop effective reading and listening strategies.

In addition, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the four-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will be able to engage in detailed discussions on above mentioned topics.
• Furthermore, you will have developed reading strategies that will allow you to understand different text types in detail.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.

Lessons take place Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. On two class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the basic level and the first part of the intermediate level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

The course aims to deepen your competence in speaking and writing and to expand and refine your vocabulary usage, so that you are able to express and discuss ideas, opinions and information at the academic level. Special attention is given to the consistent use of self-correction. Furthermore, the course helps you to develop effective reading and listening strategies and deepen your knowledge of grammar structures.

In addition, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the four-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will have improved your ability to choose the right linguistic register for different situations, topics and communication partners.
• You will be able to lead and participate in academic discussions about certain course-related topics.
• In addition, you will expand and refine your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write, revise and proofread essays that meet the standards of academic writing.

Lessons take place Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. On two class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the intermediate level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Over the course of the Cold War, the city of Berlin was frequently at the centre of global tensions and a potential front line should the superpower rivalry descend into actual war. This course utilizes the city of Berlin as a laboratory in which to examine the origins, nature, and conclusion of the Cold War that defined international relations between 1945 and 1991. We analyze the Allied occupation of the city following the Nazi defeat, the Berlin blockade and airlift that helped solidify the divisions between East and West. Next, we will examine the workers’ uprising of 1953 that provoked a Soviet military response. The following sessions will deal with the emigration crisis of the late 1950s that led the Soviets to first threaten a military takeover of the city and eventually to construct the Berlin Wall. Finally, we will look at the fall of the wall and the subsequent reunification of Berlin and Germany.

Field trips to important Cold War sites will permit students to gain a deeper appreciation of how the Cold War changed Berlin, and how events in Berlin influenced the wider international struggle. In order to place the interests and goals of the superpowers in context, we will also discuss the ways in which the Cold War rivalry affected Europe as a whole, as well as Asia and Latin America. Attention will be given to the role of international organizations such as the United Nations in world affairs, and the changes brought about by the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. In this way, we will examine the roots of contemporary crises. Students will gain an understanding of the recent past, which will help equip them to evaluate the current and emerging international order.

Everyone is welcome to this course. It is ideal for students who have background in modern international relations history and supplements courses on the world wars or global politics/history. However, the course is designed for those without such training who have an interest in international relations. Students planning careers in diplomacy, journalism, or academia will find this course especially beneficial.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Europe encompasses the world’s largest and most complicated market. Recent events, particularly those following the ongoing economic crisis on the continent, raise profound questions about the future of Europe. This course will focus on present and future business issues facing the entire continent. Under this focus, we will examine the following questions: Should a “European” management style be developed instead of the national practices that frequently characterize companies originating in different European nations? How and under what circumstances should the European Union expand to Turkey, Ukraine and other countries in the East? What has been the impact of the Treaty of Lisbon, in effect since 2009, on European economic, political and social issues? In order to provide essential background and context for these issues, we will also review key events in modern European History.

In class, we will utilize a variety of approaches, including small-group study, lectures, and case-study analysis, to develop a comprehensive understanding of European business.On excursions to different districts of Berlin, we will study how European and German history have influenced the economic development of this magnificent international capital and we will investigate the impact Berlin has in turn had on European business management. Our visit to the DDR Museum will allow us to examine life in the former East Germany. At the Museum of Communication, we will analyse how European technology has affected the international telecommunications industry. Our trip to the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) will put us at the heart of European business as it has evolved in the post-German-unification period. Finally, a field trip to visit a local entrepreneur in the heart of the city will allow us to see the emerging role of entrepreneurship in shaping the business landscape of the continent.

Students interested in how companies manage their businesses as the dynamic European economy continues its transformation from national- to European-level markets and spheres of interaction. The course also examines macro-level social, historical, and economic factors and their contribution to the contemporary European business environment.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

The course will introduce the basics of the European Union and describe and explain the processes of widening and deepening of this unique political entity. This will cover an overview of European Union history, its evolution in economic and political terms as well as of its institutional structure up to today.

Internal politics and policies, for example the decision-making process, the balance of power, identity and democratic questions in this new system of governance will be discussed. Likewise in the realm of external affairs, the Common Foreign and Security Policy, relations with neighbors and with developing countries will be our concern. Particularly important aspects include the discussion on future expansion as well as the consequences of the financial crisis and the Lisbon Treaty. If students express specific interests in other topics or case studies sessions can be adjusted.

The morning sessions consist of lectures, literature based discussions and oral presentations from working groups. After lunch the course will visit various institutions in Germany`s political center. Students will have the chance to discuss the topics from the morning sessions with international experts from political institutions, embassies and think tanks.

Students from different countries, academic levels and backgrounds, who are generally interested in European integration will benefit from each other in an intercultural and interdisciplinary learning process.

Former classes consisted of regular students and practitioners such as civil servants, communication experts, young politicians and even members of parliaments.

The course does not require special knowledge about European politics, law, history or culture, but participants should be interested in more than just their field of specialization.

In class participation, especially in the discussions with experts, is essential for the course success and plays an important role in grading.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Regarding transnational migration, the EU promotes a political reasoning between processes of consolidation and necessary conflict, between sovereignty and shared responsibility, between the right to define and delimit and the duty to negotiate. In ongoing economic crisis and facing unprecedented movements of people, the timeless normalcy of migration is often framed as crisis per se. Populist claims for cultural homogeneity and for closed borders undercut efforts for a common migration policy.

As the visibility of migration increases in various ways, migrants are often represented and imagined as a homogenous mass of ‘the other’. This leads to a problematic understanding of migration as something to be controlled and governed from a top-down perspective alone. But the respective processes of negotiation on migration policy, within and across the outer borders of the Union, take place not only between the official institutions of nation-states, but on all scales of European populations. They also take place from a bottom-up perspective in the centres and at the margins of societies alike.

Departing from diverse theories of migration, we will gain an overview of EU-level migration polity and recent migration- and border-management policies. We will analyse the conflicts, debates and discourses around the last years of increased immigration.

Scaling down, we will engage with the local authorities’ perspective in Berlin. Diving deeper down we will start to change perspective: How do local activists develop and implement their own policies of welcoming migrants? What are the aims of and how do legal assessment organizations for migrants work? In an encounter with refugees in Berlin, we will see how refugees themselves perceive EU-migration policies and what they make themselves of their public positioning as a ‘problem’ or as a ‘burden’ to European societies. Finally, focusing on the legalization-market of Almería/Spain, we will encounter migrants’ viewpoints, which reach beyond the usual framings of ‘the poor migrant’ as ‘passive victim’, as a threat or as the ‘(anti-)hero’ of globalization. We will encounter viewpoints on the EU, which will constructively criticize as well as graciously affirm the spirit of the Union. We will encounter viewpoints of hope.

This course is designed for all students having a professional, political or personal interest in a deeper and thus more differentiated understanding of transnational migration.

No prior knowledge is required – but the willingness to think beyond the usual perspectives on migration.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

This course introduces the field of International Relations (IR). It is designed for students interested in understanding global issues and actors in a time of fast-moving political and social change. The focus will be on theories of IR and their application in international politics.

The field of IR studies the functioning of the international system and deals with the nature of the changing relations between states and with non-state actors. This course starts with discussing the classical theories of IR from Realism to contemporary attempts of theoretical bridge-building. Next, the course will deal with contemporary debates in IR against the backdrop of the changing international system. Among others, topics to discuss include multilateralism, globalization, and power transitions. The course continues with examining the role of non-state actors and key issues in contemporary IR such as terrorism or the environment; the goal is to discuss IR theories in the current political context. Finally, the course concludes with a round table discussion on the prospects for politics and IR.

In this course, students will learn political concepts and theories through lectures. To compare international political phenomena, each student has to introduce a current issue or actor in a short oral presentation. The students are expected to discuss theoretical questions about the political world in working groups making use of the current news on international politics. In addition, students will learn and practice how to voice their opinion and persuade their audience in an academic essay. Finally, the students will gain insight into daily international politics and IR research through field trips and meetings with IR scholars and international policy experts.

The course is designed for students with different academic backgrounds and a general interest in international politics. There are no specific prerequisites for this course.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

This seminar will examine the changes Germany has undergone from the foundation of the German Empire in 1871 up to the present day: Empire, World War I, the Weimar Republic, the Third Reich, the division of Germany after World War II, reunification in 1989. The course will focus primarily on the perceptions of political, cultural, and social processes, as formulated by the writers, filmmakers, and artists of the respective periods. This will be illustrated using, among others, the example of Berlin, which is without a doubt the focal point of historical events in Germany.

Through selected texts, films, and works of art, we will examine, for example, the following questions: what possibilities of self-assertion did the individual have in a world characterized by the patriotic frenzy of empire? How did technological progress and urbanization influence culture in the 1920s? How did literature and film react to the Nazi’s rise to power and subsequent dictatorship? How did Germany’s situation in the Cold War impact its artistic production? How was literature and art affected by the reunification?

In addition, excursions to museums and historical locations will give students the opportunity to discover the current and historical development of the country firsthand, in order to strengthen and deepen their understanding and knowledge thereof. 

The seminar is aimed at students from different disciplines who are interested in literature, film, art, and the history of Germany. Apart from the language requirements below, participants are not required to have any special knowledge.

Language ability: at least intermediate German (level B2); Short description of B2-level language ability: Can understand the main ideas of complex texts on both concrete and abstract topics; in your own field also including more technical topics; should be able to spontaneously interact with native speakers fluently and without stress; can produce a clear, detailed text on a wide range of topics, and explain a position in a topical discussion, giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Urban studies and its discourse on the city combine scholarship in fields as diverse as human geography, history, and the arts. Berlin, with its seemingly infinite possibilities for creative societal- and self-fashioning, provides an excellent socio-cultural analytical model. It is at once a fixed “place” with a distinct topography and an interactive “space” comprised of residents and visitors of multifarious social groups.

A balanced appreciation of the interplay of place and space in Berlin’s cityscape is key for students eager to learn about the city’s past and present. In turn, one requires a sound historical overview of Berlin’s spatial and social makeup in order to comprehend contemporary Berlin fully.

FUBiS invites you to join us as we analyze and explore places/spaces in Germany’s ultimate “urban text”, Berlin. In-class analysis and discussion of academic and literary texts about Berlin will prepare you for our course excursions. We begin at the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin’s most important site that functions as place and space. Here you will learn more about this landmark and its meaning in Berlin’s social imaginary, linking temporal layers of past and present in Berlin.

In the seven sessions that follow, we continue our temporal-topographical inquiry, meeting with experts at other places/spaces in Berlin (including the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, the Jewish Museum, and the Berlin Wall Memorial). We will conduct on-site discussions of these unique places/spaces in historical, spatial, social, and even literary terms. Upon completing the course, students will have compiled a portfolio of short essays reflecting their critical reception of Berlin’s place/spaces.

In this manner, our course not only teaches you how places/spaces fuse Berlin’s past and present and shape contemporary Berlin: it also enables you to create a uniquely personal connection to Berlin.

Learning Objectives:

After attending this seminar, students will

• understand the topographical, social, and symbolic organization of place/space in an urban setting and in Berlin in particular;
• gain insight into the meaning of place/space in their own culture by means of a critical comparison with place/space in their hometown and Berlin;
• be well familiar with Berlin’s key historical places/spaces and how these continue to shape contemporary Berlin and the social imaginary

Ideal for students of cultural, political, and social sciences, this seminar seeks to bring to the foreground connections between Berlin's topography, its history, and its current functions as a political and cultural space.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Over the past twenty years Berlin has become a thriving crossroads at the intersection of music and technology. Attracting artists, creatives, and musicians from all over the world, it serves as a hub especially of techno and electronic music, as well as the home of leading music software developers such as Ableton or Native Instruments.

This course will examine significant developments in the production, performance, dissemination, and reception of music which have been significantly affected by the pervasive digitalization of recent decades. Thereby, we will in particular focus on the specific role Berlin has in this process.

Our first goal will be to understand how technology influences the production and performance of new music. Through specific case studies, we will tackle questions such as: How have digital technologies enabled unprecedented modes of making, using and perceiving music? In what ways has digital mediatization shaped our experiences with musical content and style? In particular, we will discuss developments in the production and reception of electronic dance music as well as explore Berlin’s role in the contemporary music and audio technology industry.

Our second goal will be to explore how technology facilitates new modes of experiencing and acquiring music. For this portion of the course, we will discuss how technology is being used trying to reinvigorate an interest in classical music, by institutions such as the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. We will also look at the issue of digital music distribution, and how Berlin-based companies such as SoundCloud are trying to find new ways of digitally distributing music.

Finally, our third goal will be to explore how developments in music technology interact with other artistic media, by examining the relation between technology and music in film, video games as well as in contemporary sound art.

This course is open to all students. No previous experience studying music or technology is necessary. Please note that while the topics of technology and music are integral to the course, we will examine it through the lens of media theory and cultural history, rather than learning how to engineer music technology or actually create music.

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Philosophy has constituted a central element in the emergence of modern German culture. In the late 18^th century, German philosophy participated in the broader European Enlightenment culture, which was in turn connected to the development of modern empirical science. Under the impression of the historical changes brought about by the French Revolution and by the ‘Industrial Revolution’ in Great Britain, a special constellation of German philosophy emerged at the end of the 18^th century, which has deeply left its mark on subsequent philosophical thinking far beyond Germany.

This philosophy course addresses the historical reality of this ‘German moment of philosophy’ in two subsequent phases: In the first part, we follow the emergence and full deployment of German philosophy from its Kantian beginnings to Hegel’s grand but fragile synthesis, trying to understand its richness as well as its fragility. In a second part, we discuss the later renewal of German philosophy in the late 19^th century and its historical tragedy in the 20^th century. This will include a discussion of the new beginnings of philosophy since the mid-19^th century, from Marx, and Nietzsche, via Frege and Mach, to Husserl and Wittgenstein, who have been reacting to the scientific and political revolutions of the late 19^th and early 20^th century. Martin Heidegger as an established pro-Nazi philosopher and Max Horkheimer as the leading philosopher of the “Frankfurt School” driven into exile are studied as philosophers immersed into the Night of the 20^th century.

Finally, post-World War II developments in philosophy (as exemplified by Jürgen Habermas and Ernst Tugendhat) will be looked at as pathways out of the self-destructive turn the ‘German moment of philosophy’ in Germany had taken in the first decades of the 20^th century, and as passages into an emerging world philosophy.

The course will be based upon contemporary attempts at rethinking a global philosophical perspective. The focus is on the tension between the Enlightenment heritage of a universalizing human philosophy and a national culture project, as well as on the tension between classicist rationalism and romantic emotionalism in its construction as a series of philosophical projects. From the perspective of a German version of the dialectics of the Enlightenment, the German philosophers of the 19^th and 20^th centuries will be studied in context - combining the reading of key texts with a reconstruction of their historical contexts and their interaction.

This course is of interest for students from all disciplines and levels of study with an interest in Philosophy.

Students should be able to speak and read English at the upper intermediate level (B2) or higher. Some experience with reading philosophical texts will be helpful.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

How do we understand the great capital cities of the world if we have never seen them? How does this change once we have visited a place? To what extent is our contemporary imagination of national space and power constructed by images? This course offers students an introduction to the cultural politics of cinematic imaginings of Berlin, a dynamic European capital that has become a laboratory for creative urban studies. Students will examine Berlin’s unique 20^th and 21^st-century history of expansion, destruction, division, unification, and urban marketing in relation to films that pictured the city for various political regimes and cultural objectives. The course will question this film legacy through the lens of political events, urban change, virtual technologies, spatial memory, geographical orientation, and location politics in the Berlin-Brandenburg region.

Inviting students to critically reexamine filmic representations of Berlin, the course will focus on several key time periods in German film production: 1) the Weimar Republic; 2) the Nazi Era and the immediate postwar years; 3) the Cold War; and 4) the postwall era. Not only are these time periods important to German cinema and its representations of Berlin; they also fostered competing cultural political versions of the city that would continue to circulate in the digital age.

One goal of the course is to introduce students to audiovisual analysis through a number of Berlin films spanning German film history. A second goal is for students to acquire knowledge of the sociocultural discourses that inform the production and reception of these films. Students will work on a number of questions in small groups and will then be asked to share their analyses and thoughts with the rest of the class. A third goal of the course is to introduce students to relevant cultural and geographical resources in Berlin through field trips to, for example, the Museum of Film and Television and Studio Babelsberg.

By the end of the course, the students will have gained a better understanding of Berlin’s history, its cinema, and its current film production and urban marketing discourses. They will be able to analyse the ways in which film form, content, geographical orientation, and historical context create meaning. Not only will the students enhance their skills in audiovisual analysis; they will also acquire the ability to interrogate the political circumstances that led to these films’ creation and reception.

This course is open to anyone with an interest in cinema in general and German cinema in particular.

No prior knowledge of German, German films, or film and media studies is required. Students must be able to speak and read English at the advanced intermediate level.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

John Story has pointed out, correctly, that ‘popular culture’ is essentially “an empty conceptual category.” That does not mean, however, that the many things and practices the term potentially signifies are not real or meaningful. Popular culture, as it is understood in cultural studies, surrounds us in our daily lives; it informs our values, our habits, and our desires—it provides us with ever-changing visions of the good life, it entertains us, and it moves us. Popular culture simultaneously mirrors and generates cultural imperatives and, in doing so, not only provides us with a variety of pleasures, but also holds decisive powers over the lives of people. From a cultural studies perspective, then, popular culture constitutes a rich and important field, one in which we can study and try to understand how societies create, negotiate, and strengthen or undermine values, identities, and behaviors. A city like Berlin moreover lends itself as the perfect context in which to experience the phenomena we talk about in class first hand.

When the eponymous heroine of the 1990s television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer attends her first college class, titled “Images of Pop Culture,” her professor points out that “[t]he point of this course is not to critique popular American culture. It is not to pick at it, or look down upon it. And it is not to watch videos for credit.” This same applies to this seminar. We will follow cultural critic Eva Illouz, who argues that the “point of cultural analysis is not to measure cultural practices against what they ought to be or ought to have been but rather to understand how they have come to be what they are and why, in being what they are, they ‘accomplish things’ for people.” This does not mean, however, that our approach will be un-critical; but we will concentrate on trying to understand what the various instances of popular culture mean, how they work, and why they “‘accomplish things’ for people,” as Illouz puts it.

We will approach the heterogeneous cultural landscape subsumed under the moniker ‘popular’ by focusing in each session on a specific form or mode of popular culture—art, for instance, or music, or food—and using examples from the contemporary (mostly) American context to discuss the manifold ways in which the things, practices, and discourses acquire meaning for the people engaging with them. We will address politics and economics as well as aesthetics and form; we will discuss the pleasures we derive from popular culture as well as the destructive potentials it may hold. And we will turn to the practical side of things by going on a number of field trips to explore the pop cultural landscape of Berlin.

This course is open to all students. No previous experience with (pop) cultural studies is necessary.

Students should be able to speak and read English at an upper intermediate level (B2/C1).

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

This course will give an overview of the history of Christianity, which grew to be the world’s largest religion with currently more than 2.4 billion followers. In the first three sessions of the course we will investigate the foundations of Christianity, in the following two sessions we will discuss developments of Christianity in the Middle Ages and during the Reformation Era. The last three sessions of the course will focus on modern developments of Christianity - from Enlightenment until today.

We will start with the roots of Christianity in Judaism and, in this context, discover the person of Jesus Christ. The historical setting of an emerging Christian faith in the Roman Empire and in ancient culture will also lead us to the following central questions: What are/were Christian theology and doctrines about and to which degree can they be seen as something novel or new. The fall of the Roman Empire marks the beginning of a great transformation of Christianity concerning its geographical expansion but also its strong connection with political leaders, which characterized the Middle Ages. These developments form the historical setting for the era of Reformation, the critique and theses of the Reformators, and the formation of a new confession, namely Protestantism.

During the last three sessions, we will look at modernity: We will discuss the question of how the Christian churches reacted to the dictatorships of the 20th century and investigate the role of the church during the time of National Socialism and in socialist East Germany (GDR). Lastly, we will also look closely at Christianity today.

This course is open to students from all disciplines and levels of study.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Within four weeks, this course will help you to develop basic competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as a basic knowledge of the German culture.

• By the end of the course you will be able to deal with everyday situations in a German-speaking environment and to conduct simple conversations.
• You will have developed reading strategies that allow you to understand simple newspaper and magazine articles as well as short literary texts.
• In addition, you will learn to write, revise and proofread short texts in German.
• Finally, you will be able to understand discussions on familiar topics.

Monday through Friday are lessons. On two class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for the beginner student with no previous knowledge of German. This course is intensive and is intended for dedicated, highly self-motivated students who will take responsibility for their learning.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

This course will help you to expand your competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing within four weeks, deepen your knowledge of grammar as well as your knowledge of the German culture.

• By the end of the four-week course you will be able to deal with everyday situations in a German-speaking environment and to conduct simple conversations.
• You will have developed reading strategies that allow you to understand simple newspaper and magazine articles as well as short literary texts more detailed.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, which means you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.
• Finally, you will be able to understand discussions on familiar topics more detailed.

Monday through Friday are lessons. On two class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for beginners with basic knowledge of German. This course is intensive and is intended for dedicated, highly self-motivated students who will take responsibility for their learning.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Within four weeks, this course will help you to expand your competences in listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as strengthen your knowledge of grammar, while emphasizing self-correction. You will also expand your knowledge of the German culture and analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the four-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will be able to engage in detailed discussions on above mentioned topics.
• Furthermore, you will have developed reading strategies that will allow you to understand different text types in detail.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.

Monday through Friday are lessons. On two class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the basic level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the A2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This course is intensive and is intended for dedicated, highly self-motivated students who will take responsibility for their learning.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

This course will help you to expand your competences in speaking and writing within four weeks, while emphasizing self-correction. Furthermore, it will help you to increase your vocabulary, to deepen grammar usage, and develop effective reading and listening strategies.

In addition, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the four-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will be able to engage in detailed discussions on above mentioned topics.
• Furthermore, you will have developed reading strategies that will allow you to understand different text types in detail.
• In addition, you will improve your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write short texts on different topics, revise and proofread them.

Monday through Friday are lessons. On two class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the basic level and the first part of the intermediate level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This course is intensive and is intended for dedicated, highly self-motivated students who will take responsibility for their learning.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

The course aims to deepen your competence in speaking and writing and to expand and refine your vocabulary usage, so that you are able to express and discuss ideas, opinions and information at the academic level. Special attention is given to the consistent use of self-correction. Furthermore, the course helps you to develop effective reading and listening strategies and deepen your knowledge of grammar structures.

In addition, you will analyze and interpret cultural, political, and historical topics in German-speaking countries and compare them with your own cultural background.

• By the end of the four-week course you will have developed and regularly use new strategies for language acquisition.
• You will have improved your ability to choose the right linguistic register for different situations, topics and communication partners.
• You will be able to lead and participate in academic discussions about certain course-related topics.
• In addition, you will expand and refine your essay writing skills, i.e. you will be able to write, revise and proofread essays that meet the standards of academic writing.

Monday through Friday are lessons. On two class days during the term you will go on a course-related excursion.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed the intermediate level of German and who have a sound knowledge of German at the B2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This course is intensive and is intended for dedicated, highly self-motivated students who will take responsibility for their learning.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

Hosted in the fully-equipped laboratory of the 3D Lab of the TU Berlin, this four-week course offers introduction to working with professional 3D printing technologies such as laser sintering with polyamide and powder printing with mineral powder (modified gypsum). This course is aimed at those with an interest in 3D scanning and printing technologies and methods, and who want to gain insight into work with professional 3D printing technologies and learn about current applications. As this technology covers numerous application areas, this course could be interesting for participants from diverse scientific disciplines, engineering, design, fine art or art history. 

The course provides an introduction to manufacturing 3D printed objects with the laser sintering system and the powder printer of the 3D Lab, as well as data generation and data preparation for it. Participants will gain basic knowledge of the use of two professional 3D printing technologies, structured light scanners and related software.

The general prerequisites of the TU Berlin Summer University are as follows: at least one year of university experience + English level B2 or equivalent.

A specific requirement of the course is at a minimum, a basic knowledge of CAD software - participants must be able to handle 3D-construction or 3D-modelling software is. It is recommended that students use their own laptops for processing their own 3D files with the software they are familiar with.

What to bring to the course:

• A laptop, preferably Windows

• The program GOM inspect (http://www.gom.com/3d-software/gom-inspect/download.html)

This program will be used to check the 3D scanned data, to repair them. Unfortunately this program is made for Windows only.

•The program Blender (https://www.blender.org/download/)

This program will be used to create objects from scratch. If you already own (and master) another 3D program already – perfect.

•The program VisualSFM (http://ccwu.me/vsfm/)

This program will be used to make object photos into a 3D object.

•The program CloudCompare (http://www.danielgm.net/cc/)

This program will be used to clean up 3D objects made with VisualSFM.

•The program ZPrint (http://infocenter.3dsystems.com/product-library/z-printer/zprinter-software)

This program is associated with one of our 3D printers and will be used to preview your objects. If this program sees errors in the 3D file, then you have to go back to the construction program.

•An object you would like to scan.

•A camera (not essential)

Goals

• To learn the theory and some practices in manufacturing 3D printed objects with the laser sintering system and the powder printer of the 3D Lab
• Data generation and preparation for these technologies.
• Knowledge of the use of two professional 3D printing technologies, structured light scanners and related software.

Syllabus

The syllabus for the course will be uploaded soon. Check out last year's syllabus HERE.

You may find the syllabus useful when discussing with your home University whether the ECTS credits attainable for this course are accepted by them.

Course components

The course starts with an introduction to the technologies used at the 3D Lab and selected projects from its portfolio, to give participants an impression of the various possible uses of 3D technologies. Ongoing course lectures will be accompanied by detailed practical units focusing on the use of the machines and the preparation of printable objects. Specifically, the practical training will develop student’s skills in the use of structured light scanners, 3D printing technologies, and in meeting the geometrical requirements for successful 3D prints.

Lecturer

Prof. Dr. Hartmut Schwandt

Meisterschüler Joachim Weinhold

3D Labor, Institut für Mathematik, TU Berlin

Please direct questions about the course to the TU Berlin Summer University Team at: summeruniversity(at)tubs.de. We will answer your questions and direct specific queries regarding course content to the course lecturers where necessary.

Registration

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Precision Engineering Design & Measurement covers the fundamental practices common to all engineering majors in making and reporting basic engineering measurements and their use in designing high precision items. Students will learn about the engineering design process, commonly used engineering measurement tools, statistical data analysis, and standard uncertainty analysis methods. Three local tours at businesses and museums will punctuate how precision measurements are used in engineering design practice.

This course is an introductory engineering course and is therefore more suitable for undergraduate level-engineers (graduates from other fields are of course welcome).

The general prerequisites of the TU Berlin Summer University are: at least one year of university experience + English level B2 or equivalent.

This course is intended for students from all engineering majors that have successfully completed a college calculus and physics course. The course content will be applicable and use examples from a variety of engineering disciplines, so students from all engineering majors are encouraged to participate.

Goals

Upon course completion students should have a working understanding of precision measurements and the engineering design process. Students will be familiar with how to approach engineering measurements, what uncertainty in measurements means in practice, and how to statistically examine engineering data in design.

Syllabus

The syllabus for the course will be uploaded soon. Check out last year's syllabus HERE.

You may find the syllabus useful when discussing with your home University whether the ECTS credits attainable for this course are accepted by them.

Course components

Four lecture days will involve faculty-accompanied tours where students will learn about precision measurement and design in both historic and current engineering practice. Student reports and problems for the course will be based on tour content. Faculty led discussions and reflections on the course content from a historical perspective will occur.

Tour 1: German Science and Technology Museum

Tour 2: BMW Plant - Berlin

Tour 3: Berliner-Kindl-Schultheiss-Brauerei

Tour 4: BAM (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung)

Course Assessments and Technology Requirements:

Student grades will be comprised of performance on four homework assignments, one short written report, one practical quiz, and a culminating small-group student presentation. There is no required textbook for the course, students will be provided some handouts and should be prepared to take written notes during lectures. Students will need to bring a laptop computer with current versions of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in order to complete course assignments.

Learning Outcomes

Upon course completion students should have a working understanding of precision measurements and the engineering design process. Students will be familiar with how to approach engineering measurements, what uncertainty in measurements means in practice, and how to statistically examine engineering data in design.

Lecturers

Sean R. Niemi

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida

Sean Niemi is a graduating PhD candidate in the University of Florida Soft Matter Engineering Center where he has been a member of the Tribology Lab since early 2013.  He has worked in industry at Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and in industrial manufacturing roles.

Sean’s research lies at the cusp of biology, materials science, and mechanical engineering, focusing on ultra-low speed sliding mechanics, 3D cell mechanics, and precision 3D printing for tissue engineering and organ printing.  Sean will be joining the faculty of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering upon his graduation in August.

Please direct questions about the course to the TU Berlin Summer University Team at: summeruniversity(at)tubs.de. We will answer your questions and direct specific queries regarding course content to the course lecturers where necessary. 

Registration

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This course is designed for those who want to look into the field of computer science. Working at the computer, participants will learn basic knowledge of computer programming and how to write computer programs themselves using the programming language Java. Assignments will give more understanding of the programming concepts and field trips will enhance knowledge of the history and applications of programming, in the setting of Berlin. 

Watch the Programming in Java YouTube video!

The general prerequisites of the TU Berlin Summer & Winter University are that candidates have B2 level English and at least one year of university experience.

In addition, the Java course requires that you have basic computer skills and knowledge of high-school level mathematics. The maths skills you need include: how to calculate with complex numbers, how to calculate with matrices, how to handle planes and lines.

It is also desirable for you to know some basic Linux commands (but they will be also introduced in the course).

Goals

After this course, participants will be able to understand basic concepts of writing a computer program with Java.

Syllabus

The syllabus for the course will be uploaded soon. Check out last year's syllabus HERE.

You may find the syllabus useful when discussing with your home University whether the ECTS credits attainable for this course are accepted by them.

Course components

Topics like variables, loops, objects, input and output, user interfaces, collections, sorting, concurrent programming and event-driven programming will be covered.

Topic list

Variables and Types of Data, Loops and Conditions, Arrays, Methods, Classes and Objects, Object inheritance, Collections, Creating and Designing Data Types, Sorting and Searching, Graphics, Input and Output

Lecturer

Dipl.-Inf. Christian Grümme

Christian is an academic associate of TU Berlin’s innoCampus; a center which supports all faculties of TU Berlin with expertise in information technology and e-learning. He regularly teaches Java and LaTeX programming to degree program students at the TU Berlin. He has also been a freelance software developer and IT advisor since 2011. 

Registration

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Although Berlin is an international city, you will find it much easier to understand your surroundings and enjoy the city if you have acquired some basics in German. German is still an important language for business, science, and the arts, and is the most widely spoken language in Europe - plus, it's easy to learn for English-speaking students.

Our German language course addresses the needs of beginners. The content of the course follows the standards of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) for level A1.1 (beginners with no prior knowledge). Students will have four class sessions (45 min) each day from Monday to Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The course will cover the following language skills:

• Introducing yourself and others.
• Talking about time, schedules and activities.
• Talking about yourself and asking others about themselves, including their work, areas of study, hobbies, and interests.
• Dealing with various situations in daily life (e.g. at the supermarket, in public offices, at the doctor’s office, at work, at the university).
• Basic facts about Berlin, Germany and German culture.
• Introduction to German pronunciation and grammar.

The general prerequisites of the TU Berlin Summer University are the following: at least one year of university experience + English level B2 or equivalent.

The course will cover the following language skills:

• Introducing yourself and others.
• Talking about time, schedules and activities.
• Talking about yourself and asking others about themselves, including their work, areas of study, hobbies, and interests.
• Dealing with various situations in daily life (e.g. at the supermarket, in public offices, at the doctor’s office, at work, at the university).
• Basic facts about Berlin, Germany and German culture.
• Introduction to German pronunciation and grammar.

The course will be taught by experienced lectures from the language intitute of TU Berlin ZEMS.

Registration

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This summer course addresses the core concepts of human-centered innovation and business model generation. Participants will be guided throughout the process from idea to business concept through experiential learning. The course is project-based and participants will work together in groups during the two weeks.

Business concept development will be facilitated by a mix between input sessions with experts, interactive discussions and coaching. After an initial field research with potential users aimed to identify market needs, participants will generate ideas and build prototypes. After having tested the prototypes, participants will iterate their solutions, define a fitting business model and develop an investor pitch to be presented at the end of the course.

This course is suitable for undergrad and graduate students as well as professionals from any discipline who wish to develop an entrepreneurial and user-centered mindset in multidisciplinar teams.

The general prerequisites of the TU Berlin Summer University are the following: at least one year of university experience + English level B2 or equivalent.

Goals

By the end of the course, students will have:

Goals

By the end of the course, students will have:

• The ability to develop new products as well as processes and business concepts
• The ability to systematically explore, create and modify business-driven ideas
• An in-depth understanding of the different phases of ideation and business development
• The ability to transform new ideas into business solutions for  commercial markets
• Leadership competencies
• The ability to validate assumptions and test prototypes
• The ability to work in multidisciplinary teams
• The ability to present a concept in a pitch format

Syllabus

The syllabus for the course will be uploaded soon. Check out last year's syllabus HERE. 

You may find the syllabus useful when discussing with your home University whether the ECTS credits attainable for this course are accepted by them.

Course components:

• Lectures in form of short input sessions
• Team projects
• Coaching
• Expert talks
• Pitch Training
• Visits to innovation hub/co-working spaces

• The ability to develop new products as well as processes and business concepts
• The ability to systematically explore, create and modify business-driven ideas
• An in-depth understanding of the different phases of ideation and business development
• The ability to transform new ideas into business solutions for  commercial markets
• Leadership competencies
• The ability to validate assumptions and test prototypes
• The ability to work in multidisciplinary teams
• The ability to present a concept in a pitch format

Syllabus

The syllabus for the course will be uploaded soon. Check out last year's syllabus HERE. 

You may find the syllabus useful when discussing with your home University whether the ECTS credits attainable for this course are accepted by them.

Course components

• Lectures in form of short input sessions
• Team projects
• Coaching
• Expert talks
• Pitch Training

Visits to innovation hub/co-working spaces

Lecturers

Daniela Lopes

Daniela has been teaching and applying Human-centered Innovation methodologies in the corporate context to a wide range of brands across industries. In the past 10 years she has been working in different positions across incubators, accelerators, company builders and entrepreneurship programs within the European startup scene. On behalf of the European Commission, Daniela managed EU-wide programs for ecosystem building and support of  early stage startups. She is an innovation mentor at Enpact, where she advises East-African entrepreneurs in starting businesses in emerging markets. Daniela holds a MSc degree in Business Management with a specialization on training and development of human resources and is a certified coach by the HPI School of Design Thinking in Potsdam.

Oliver Rohrich

Since 2005, Oliver is lecturer at the University ISCTE and INDEG in Lisbon, Portugal. In 2016 he was awarded with the “Best teaching award” for the Executive MBA and the Executive Master Program in Project management and Innovation. Apart from Portugal, he also teaches in Master programs at YNOV University, Bordeaux, France. Oliver also works as an Executive Coach and Trainer in Leadership, Innovation, Organizational change for companies in the areas of Technology, Banking, Insurance and Pharma. 

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This course provides a general understanding of the economic, engineering, and political aspects of energy transitions.

A major challenge tackling climate change is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, especially in the electricity sector. This course provides a general understanding of the ‘Energiewende’ in Germany and similar experiences in other countries as blueprints to combat global warming on a global scale.

There is no dispute that an average global temperature rise of more than 2°C above the pre-industrial levels would lead to severe environmental and economic costs for society. A major challenge in tackling global warming is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, especially in the electricity sector.

The ‘Energiewende’ in Germany proves that a decarbonization of the electricity sector in combination with a shutdown of all nuclear capacities is (technically) manageable and economically viable. Similar trends have happened in other countries. As a result, learning effects and reduced investment costs enable a market-driven worldwide roll-out of new technologies. Most countries have set renewable targets by now. The resulting new global renewable generation installations since 2014 consequently outnumbered the combined new fossil and nuclear capacities.

This course is suited to those interested in political, technical, and economic aspects of energy and resources.

The general prerequisites of the TU Berlin Summer University are the following: at least one year of university experience + English level B2 or equivalent.

The course is intended for all participants who are studying or who have studied majors in engineering, economics or political sciences, and are currently/reached an advanced phase of their undergraduate or graduate/PhD studies.

Goals

Having taken this course, students will have learned skills in the following:

• Understanding energy transitions towards decarbonization on a local and global scale
• Understanding of political decision-making processes
• Quantitative methods for assessment of policy decisions
• Working in a transdisciplinary environment

Syllabus

The syllabus for the course will be uploaded soon. Check out last year's syllabus HERE. 

You may find the syllabus useful when discussing with your home University whether the ECTS credits attainable for this course are accepted by them.

Course components

• Interactive classroom-based lectures and discussions
• Group work projects and presentations
• Quantitative modeling sessions using EXCEL
• Guest lectures e.g. from academia, NGOs, think tanks and politics
• Excursions to conventional (including coal mining) and renewable energy sites as well as industrial sites and start-up

Lecturers

Dr. Pao-Yu Oei

Dipl.-Ing. Jens Weibezahn

and guest speakers

(academic supervision: Prof. Dr. Christian von Hirschhausen)

The lecturers are research associates with the Workgroup for Infrastructure Policy (WIP) at TU Berlin. Pao-Yu Oei is also affiliated with DIW Berlin – German Institute for Economic Research and the German Advisory Council on the Environment (SRU).

Please direct questions about the course to the TU Berlin Summer University Team  at: summeruniversity(at)tubs.de. We will answer your questions and direct specific queries regarding course content to the course lecturers where necessary.

Registration

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This is a discussion-based course dealing with the effects of technology on individuals, society and nature. It focuses on what could be done to create a more responsible technology process that addresses the needs of all stakeholders and at the same time minimizes the risks and harms of its implementation.

The course promotes a deep understanding of social and ecological responsibility by using a variety of alternative teaching methods. Through an untraditional classroom environment and course structure, participants will challenge the condundrum of sustainability, as a discipline, being either ignored or solely focused on technological solutions.

The course promotes student-directed learning by communal discussion and decision making in order to establish a co-responsibility of the direction and learning outcomes. Students will be able to deal with complex social, political and economic interdependencies by considering different values and interests within a global perspective and in one’s own class(room). Through several communication techniques, the class exercises encourage students to identify and map key aspects of the problems rather than just trying to solve them. This method responds to specific user needs in order to cooperatively discuss the role of technologies which are socially useful, locally adapted, durable and reparable.

This course acknowledges current Green Economy trends, and the UN Rio+20 debate, which show how there is a strong demand for technological innovations as a remedy for ecological destruction and as a pathway to poverty eradication.

The general prerequisites of the TU Berlin Summer University are: at least one year of university experience + English level B2 or equivalent.

Goals

The participants will together analyze and evaluate the relations of technology, individuals, nature and society in order to:

• Understand different perspectives
• Work out a collective understanding based on values
• Develop own opinions
• Evaluate interdependencies and reach agreement on how to balance them
• Act accordingly

Syllabus

The syllabus for the course will be uploaded soon. Check out last year's syllabus: syllabus for Blue Engineering. 

You may find the syllabus useful when discussing with your home University whether the ECTS credits attainable for this course are accepted by them.

Course components

The course will consist of:

• Regular lectures (including guest-speakers)
• Building blocks organized by the lectures and the participants. Participants will individually create, conduct and finally document their own building blocks for further use
• Weekly excursion (e.g. waste/drinking water treatment plant, recycling plant, lignite pit and lignite power plant)
• Learning journals (to be kept by each participant)

Building blocks are study-elements developed by lecturers and students, which provide instructions for facilitating a 60 to 90 minutes course session. Building blocks will showcase multiple perspectives on complex topics, e.g., ethical codes, recycling, pre-implementation diagnostics, social businesses and cooperatives. Every building block uses a set of widespread teaching formats such as case studies, story-telling and station learning, as well as adaptations and combinations of known methods, such as learning cascades, advocatus diaboli, the triangular method, evaluation sculpture, educational games, challenges and more.

The idea behind this great variety of teaching methods is to create an environment that is participant-, group- and discourse-focused. It encourages participants to exchange ideas and opinions, learn from each other and be an active part in the co-creation of the course itself. Each participant will be responsible for their own learning experience, and that of the others.

Lecturers

Henning Meyer holds the chair of machinery system design at Technische Universität Berlin. Among other jobs, he worked in the german industry as head of a development department of control systems of construction machines. He graduated from Technische Universität Braunschweig and holds a doctorate of the same university.

André Baier received a master 2 degree in philosophy of norms from Universíté Rennes 1, France. He completed his studies at Technische Universität Berlin receiving the magister artium degree in philosophy. He actively participates in the development and implementation of Blue Engineering – Engineers with Social and Ecological Responsibility - since its beginning in 2009. As of 2012 he is lecturer for this course at Technische Universität Berlin.

Maximilian Hachtmann works for Blue Engineering, helping to facilitating the learning of over 90 students each semester, in addition to hosting the Summer University Course in 2017. His interests lie very closely with the interaction between society, the individual, nature and technology.

+ Guest lecturers

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Watch the CanSat YouTube video!

A CanSat is a small satellite in shape of a commercial beverage can that performs several measuring tasks. In this course, a CanSat is designed, built and tested in the field during a rocket launch. Therefore, all basics of topics related to exciting area of space technologies is imparted and practical skills for the development of a CanSat are trained. The theoretical units are supplemented by practical exercises. Parts of the CanSat are developed in intensely supervised small groups. During an excursion to a site in Berlin where space related companies and institutions are located, the participants shall gain insight into facilities used for the development of satellites.

This course is designed for students with a general understanding of engineering who want to gain insight into the exciting topic of space technologies. With the practical approach applied, students experience working on a challenging project in an interdisciplinary team. This prepares them for a systems engineering career with a leading position in the engineering industry. With the basic knowledge in space technologies that is imparted in this course, students have a good starting point to prepare themselves for a continuing education in space engineering. It is recommended that students use their own laptops for the hands-on project.

The general prerequisites of the TU Berlin Summer University are: at least one year of university experience + English level B2 or equivalent. Participants should have a general understanding of engineering.

Futhermore this course recommends that participants have the following:

- A general understanding of engineering (please contact us for questions about whether your background is suitable)

- It is recommended that students use their own laptops for the hands-on project. A PC Pool is partially available. However, a laptop for writing software, making CAD drawings and preparing presentations is highly recommended.

Goals

After taking part in this course, students will have knowledge of the most important topics related to space technologies. Students will know the parts of a space system and understand their correlations, and will be able to plan and conduct a space mission. Practically, students will be capable of designing a part of a space system with regard to mechanics, electronics and programming.

Syllabus

The syllabus for the course will be uploaded soon. Check out last year's syllabus here.

You may find the syllabus useful when discussing with your home University whether the ECTS credits attainable for this course are accepted by them.

Course components

The course starts with introductory lectures about the most important topics related to space technologies. In parallel, a practical training will be given to develop specific engineering skills in mechanics, electronics and programming that are necessary to conduct the hands-on project. During project work units, parts of a CanSat and a water-driven rocket will be designed with supervision in smaller groups. During a launch campaign, the CanSat will be tested under real conditions. The course is supplemented by an excursion to space related companies and institutions in Berlin.

Lecturers

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Brieß

Studied Information Technology at Technical University of Ilmenau, before becoming a scientific assistant at the university of Ilmenau researching automotive electronics. He has worked in the field of space technology since 1989. From 1992-2003 he did engineering and research work at the German Aerospace Center DLR, including camera design for the Russian Mars-96 mission and other space imagers. He completed extension studies in satellite communication (USA) and at the International Space University and has been a system engineer in different space projects and proposals for Earth remote sensing or planetary exploration. He has been a full professor at the TU Berlin since 2003.

Pertinent activities: member of International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), head of the section "Space Technology " of the German Aerospace Society "Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt Lilienthal-Oberth e.V.", member of “Gesellschaft zur Förderung des akademischen Nachwuchses”, co-founder of the “Space Initiative Berlin-Brandenburg (RIBB)”, and others , more than 130 international publications.

Cem Avsar

 Cem Avsar graduated in Aerospace Engineering from the Technical University of Berlin in 2010. During his studies at TU Berlin, he was teaching informatics for eight semesters as tutor. Also, he participated in practical space related projects during his time of studies. With his graduation, he joined the staff of scientific researchers at the TU Berlin, Chair of Space Technology. He worked on modular satellite architectures and CubeSats. As Prof. Dr.-Ing. Klaus Brieß‘ teaching assistant, he was strongly involved in shaping the space technology curriculum. He also managed research projects, for instance a student-built rover. His projects enclosure the direct involvement of students in hands-on lecture courses. To date, he has lectured numerous space technology related courses, e.g. Satellite Technology, Aerospace Electronics, Aerospace System Design, Space Robotics and many more. He constantly edeavours to apply modern approaches of practical engineering teaching methods. Today, he is managing director of the Berlin-based space company beSpace.

Nikolas Korn

Nikolas Korn graduated in Aerospace Engineering from TU Berlin in 2014. During his studies, he was working at GEA Grasso on 3D CAD modeling of screw compressor parts. Later he joined the PiNaSys as researcher. There he is focused on hardware and software development of miniaturized attitude determination systems for parabolic flight experiments as well as GPS orbit simulations. In April 2015 he participated on the 25. DLR parabolic flight campaign in Bordeaux, France.

Sebastian Trowitzsch

Sebastian Trowitzsch holds a Diploma of Aerospace Engineering, he graduated from TU Berlin in 2010. From 2005 to 2012, he was actively involved in the design, verification and operation of the picosatellite BEESAT. Since 2010, he is project manager and system engineer of the follow-up mission BEESAT-2.

Dr. Zizung Yoon

After graduating from TU Berlin, Zizung Yoon joined the development team of the small satellite TET (120 kg) in the company Astro- und Feindwerktechnik. Along with the research experience gained in the industry, he accomplished his Ph.D. in the field of fault tolerant attitude control system. Currently he is leading a research team with the goal to develop and launch a nanosatellite mission to demonstrate an intersatellite communication network. He has profound experience in lecturing in subjects related to spacecraft dynamics and control.

 + further guest lecturers and supervisors. 

Please direct questions about the course to the TU Berlin Summer University Team at: summeruniversity(at)tubs.de. We will answer your questions and direct specific queries regarding course content to the course lecturers where necessary. 

Registration

>>CLICK HERE TO REGISTER <<

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Hosted in the fully-equipped laboratory of the 3D Lab of the TU Berlin, this four-week course offers introduction to working with professional 3D printing technologies such as laser sintering with polyamide and powder printing with mineral powder (modified gypsum). This course is aimed at those with an interest in 3D scanning and printing technologies and methods, and who want to gain insight into work with professional 3D printing technologies and learn about current applications. As this technology covers numerous application areas, this course could be interesting for participants from diverse scientific disciplines, engineering, design, fine art or art history. 

The course provides an introduction to manufacturing 3D printed objects with the laser sintering system and the powder printer of the 3D Lab, as well as data generation and data preparation for it. Participants will gain basic knowledge of the use of two professional 3D printing technologies, structured light scanners and related software.

The general prerequisites of the TU Berlin Summer University are as follows: at least one year of university experience + English level B2 or equivalent.

A specific requirement of the course is an, at least, basic knowledge of CAD software. It is recommended that students use their own laptops for processing their own 3D files.

Goals:

• To learn the theory and some practices in manufacturing 3D printed objects with the laser sintering system and the powder printer of the 3D Lab
• Data generation and preparation for these technologies.
• Knowledge of the use of two professional 3D printing technologies, structured light scanners and related software.

Syllabus:

The syllabus for this course is available HERE.

The "Berlin/Culture" time slots are reserved for the cultural activities included in the tuition fee, as well as for the additional tours and trips that we offer.These activities are of course completely optional, should you want to use the time to explore the city by yourself, catch up on homework or relax.

You may find the syllabus useful when discussing with your home University whether the ECTS credits attainable for this course are accepted by them.

Lecturers:

- Prof. Dr. Hartmut Schwandt

- Meisterschüler Joachim Weinhold

3D Labor, Institut für Mathematik, TU Berlin

Please direct questions about the course to the TU Berlin Summer University Team at: summeruniversity(at)tubs.de. We will answer your questions and direct specific queries regarding course content to the course lecturers where necessary.

Registration:

>>CLICK HERE TO REGISTER <<

In this course you will get a unique insight into Berlin’s history and ambitions as a smart city. We will trace the development of Berlin’s official smart city agenda, appreciate the diverse landscape of actors who lead the change and visit some of the city’s most celebrated smart city projects and innovation hotspots first-hand.

Berlin is growing. By the year 2030, there will be 250,000 more people living in the city than there are today. This will bring with it an increase in the demand for housing as well as in requirements for mobility, the adaptation of infrastructures and the availability of resources such as water, energy, data and building land. Like many major urban centres around the world, this means that Berlin is also facing a wide variety of challenges for the future: the growing city, the aging city or the city in the midst of structural change all require inter-disciplinary and inter-departmental approaches if solutions are to be found. The Smart City approach aims to find solutions to the ecological, social, economic and cultural challenges faced by Berlin through the use of intelligent technology. Berlin wishes to preserve – and as far as possible enhance – its appeal and its quality of life.

The course is ideal for participants with an interdisciplinary interest in urban planning, innovation and knowledge management, digital media & communications technologies, civic tech / engineering, sustainability studies, politics & governance, history.

The general prerequisites of the TU Berlin Summer University are: at least one year of university experience, plus at least B2 English (CEFR).

This course requires C1 level English in order to fully participate in discussions.

Goals

• Gain an insight into the complex and often conflicting landscape of actors in Berlin working in the cross-cutting field of smart city & the goals of the city
• Visit some of Berlin’s future sites of innovation where the action happens!
•  Get to know of Berlin’s smart city projects, including many which involve cutting-edge research from TU Berlin
• Learn some hands-on data skills in the institute’s Conscious City Lab
• Learn about Berlin’s unique history and how this resulted in today’s opportunities as well as challenges for a digital and sustainable transformation
• Compare and contrast how Berlin’s Smart City activities differ from those in other cities around the world and at home
• Critically reflect on the “smart city” concept beyond the narrow definition of ICT providers, but rather understand it as a broad cultural transformation that requires us to reinvent how we manage and govern our cities
• Get a general understanding of the impact of rapid urbanization on our planet and the role it plays for achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
• Contribute insights and experiences from your home city and appreciate the mechanism of city-to-city learning as a key driver for a sustainable “urban age”
• Introduction to design thinking methodology as part of the Team Design Challenge

Syllabus

The syllabus for the course will be uploaded soon. Check out last year's syllabus: Smart City Berlin 2018 Syllabus.

You may find the syllabus useful when discussing with your home University whether the ECTS credits attainable for this course are accepted by them.

Course components

• Lectures
• Group work and class presentations
• Talks and Q&A with external guests (depends on availability)
• Field visits to selected smart city projects and innovation sites (E-Bus, EUREF-Campus, Tempelhofer Feld, Flussbad and many more)
• Team Design Challenge – develop your own smart city solution to one of Berlin’s existing problems!

Lecturers

Jonas Schorr (MA/MSc)

Jonas Schorr designs and facilitates new learning experiences for cities to share and better implement innovative and smart solutions for a more sustainable urban future. During the last few years, he has become an active part of Berlin’s nascent Smart City scene through his work as a research fellow at TU Berlin and as an independent consultant. He also coordinated the Policy Transfer Platform, an internationally recognized online knowledge platform for city professionals run by the city of Berlin and the Metropolis city network.

Jonas previously worked at the London-based urban research centre LSE Cities and its Urban Age Programme on the future of megacities. He also gained a glimpse of the inner-workings of the European Union, working as a trainee for the European Commission’s environmental department in Brussels.

Jonas holds a dual master degree in Global Media & Communications from the London School of Economics and Political Science and Fudan University in Shanghai. He previously studied international management and corporate communications at a leading German business school and ran his own web design business for a few years. He studied and worked in a variety of cultural contexts, including Germany, France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Singapore and China.

+ guest lecturers.

Please direct questions about the course to the TU Berlin Summer University Team at: summeruniversity(at)tubs.de. We will answer your questions and direct specific queries regarding course content to the course lecturers where necessary. 

Registration

>>CLICK HERE TO REGISTER <<

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In the Startup Crash Course, you will learn how to develop a startup idea into a successful business model and how to a win a startup pitch. As for today, 99% of new businesses fail. We, the creators of this course, think that the main reasons are some myths around the startup scene, which lead to wrong expectations and crippled instruments. The main goal of this course is to increase the success rate of startups. The course offers real knowledge on how to start a company and push it to success.

It will have three main parts: the structured approach, real-time experimentation and feedback. The structured approach is given through lectures and case studies, which serve as a compass. Real-time experiment consists of individual and group work that makes you try all the new concepts and implement them to your business idea. Feedback comes from interaction with successful entrepreneurs and startup scene players.

Those who develop a high quality business model may be put in contact with Berlin startup supporters.

This course is for anyone who:

• Has a startup idea and doesn’t know how to start
• Runs a business and wants to increase the outcome
• Wants to become an entrepreneur, but is still wondering how to get there

The general prerequisites of the TU Berlin Summer University are: at least one year of university experience + English level B2 or equivalent.

Goals

• To know where to start when launching a business
• To know which steps to undertake in order to launch a business
• To be able to form a high quality business model
• To be able to pitch to various stakeholders

Syllabus

The syllabus for the course will be uploaded soon. Check out last year's syllabus: Startup Crash Course Syllabus. 

You may find the syllabus useful when discussing with your home University whether the ECTS credits attainable for this course are accepted by them.

Course components:

Lectures with interactive elements, case studies, interaction with real startup scene players, individual and group work aimed to form a business model, pitching.

There will be 18 hours of class sessions per week.

Lecturers

Mario Steinbuch, Entrepreneur and Startup mediator

Mario is running an invite-only international business club for successful entrepreneurs, CEOs and investors. He also acts as a mediator in startup environment.

Mario started his entrepreneurial journey very early. His projects include a fintech startup and introducing a new sport to his home city.

Daria Markova, MBA and MA in Economics, Project leader /Coordinator of the Summer School

Daria is a cofounder of a fast growing coworking space in Berlin that supports startup and tech expert communities. Her story includes working in art, nonprofit and corporate worlds. She performs as a speaker on numerous business events and as a member of startup competition juries. Her main goal is to increase the quality of startup  scene.

Please direct questions about the course to the TU Berlin Summer University Team at: summeruniversity(at)tubs.de. We will answer your questions and direct specific queries regarding course content to the course lecturers where necessary.

Registration

>>CLICK HERE TO REGISTER <<

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This course explores European art and architecture from the 15^th to the 20^th century with a particular focus on urban centers like Florence, Rome, Venice, Antwerp, Amsterdam, Paris, London, and Berlin. The aim is to analyze how the visual arts contributed through the centuries to shape local identities as well as European cultural traditions common to different countries.

The course will present iconic moments of the history of the arts in Europe by drawing a special attention to episodes of cultural exchanges and hybridization that arose from travelling artworks as well as from artists’ travels. From the role of artists like Raphael and Michelangelo in 16^th-century papal Rome to the rise of genre painting in the Flanders and the Dutch Republic of the Golden Age, from the ‘painters of modern life’ in 19^th-century Paris to the German Avant-garde of the 1920s, we will analyze the artworks and their authors in relation to the different historical contexts and the places of their creation. Recurrent will be the focus on the complex interplay between artists and patrons, between local traditions, individual creativity and the broader social, political and cultural contexts in which artworks and buildings were produced.

Students will gain understanding of the main art movements and relevant artists from the Renaissance to the postwar period as well as the basic concepts and terminology of art history. Visits to the outstanding collections of Berlin museums will allow the participants to study original artifacts and to learn how to look closely at works of art.

The course addresses students of any subject. An elementary knowledge of European history is welcome but not necessary.

Registration deadline: June 23, 2018

The process of European Integration has arguably been most successful in the economic domain. Already in 1958, the European Union’s (EU) six founding member states created a custom union that abolished tariffs between them and established a common external tariff that ever since governs exchanges with the rest of the world. Through subsequent integration steps, the EU moved ever closer to its goal of building a fully integrated internal market offering free movement of goods, service, labour and capital. Gradually, the appeal of an economically integrated Europe widened the EU to 28 member states. Today, 19 member states even form a monetary union since they adopted a common currency, the Euro. As a result, the EU is unquestionably the world’s most advanced project of regional economic integration.

This course will introduce students to the political and historical background of the economic integration process in the European Union, as well as to basic theoretical concepts that help to understand the economic rationales behind this development. In addition to the class sessions, the course program foresees two field trips to relevant political and economic institutions in Berlin.

Upon completion of this course, students are familiar with the historical and institutional developments regarding the economic integration in the European Union as well as with the main features of the EU’s internal market. Furthermore, students are enabled to understand and critically discuss the economic issues and current problems in the EU’s main economic policy areas such as competition policy and state aid, the European Monetary Union (EMU), the EU’s Budget, EU external trade policy, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as well as EU Cohesion and Social Policy. The course will also take up current debates on the causes of the euro crisis and Brexit and their consequences for the present and future of the European integration project.

The course is open to students from various academic disciplines with a general interest in the history, politics and economy of Europe and the European Union.There is no special knowledge about European politics or economics required but students should be interested in Europe and the European Union in general. A very good command of English is highly necessary.

This course is part of the integrated program Tübingen-Berlin International Summer School.

The Tübingen-Berlin International Summer School is a joint endeavor of the Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen and its “International & European Studies” program (IES) and “Freie Universität Berlin International Summer and Winter University” (FUBiS).

The intensive four-week program takes place from 18^th June to 14^th July 2018: after completing the first two weeks in Tübingen, students will travel to Berlin on June 30^th, 2018 for the second half. Both classes in Tübingen and Berlin are structured by literature-based discussions and in-class presentations, complemented by group work and group presentations.

Registration deadline: April 15, 2018

The course is part of a Multi-City Program in cooperation with Utrecht Summer School and the Dutch Art Institute in Florence.

The course will introduce Berlin’s outstanding art collections, with their wide range of masterpieces from late medieval times to the present day. We shall focus throughout on the particular circumstances that shaped the production and reception of German art, especially during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. During this long period, the formation of a German nation state and the problematic notion of a German national identity became intimately connected to the question of a German style and artistic ‘expression’. A special focus will be given to the "Art of the two Germanys" between 1945 and 1989. We shall explore Germany’s vibrant art history by focusing on works by artists like Martin Schongauer and Albrecht Dürer, Caspar David Friedrich, Karl Friedrich Schinkel and Adolph Menzel, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Otto Dix, Joseph Beuys and Anselm Kiefer.

Field trips include the following museums and galleries in Berlin: Deutsches Historisches Museum, the Gemäldegalerie, the Museum of Photography, the Brücke Museum, the Nationalgalleries, and the Hamburger Bahnhof Museum.

In principle, the course is open to all students regardless of their field of study, but primarily it addresses art history students. An elementary knowledge of art and art history is advantageous, but not obligatory.

Together with Utrecht Summer School, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and the Dutch Art Institute in Florence, FUBiS offers two multi-city course packages (including housing and transfers) that will take students to three exciting European cities each:

History of Art: European Highlights

In collaboration with the Dutch Art Institute in Florence and Utrecht Summer School, FUBiS organizes a multi-city course track on the history of art in Europe. Students may choose to attend the full “History of Art” track (Florence – Utrecht – Berlin), the combination track “A Thousand Years of Art in Northern Europe” (Utrecht – Berlin) or the stand-alone course “Art in Germany from the Middle Ages to the 20^th Century” in Berlin.

Registration deadline: June 18, 2018

The course is part of a Multi-City Program in cooperation with Utrecht Summer School and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome.

This course provides an overview of the political, socio-economic, and cultural developments that shaped Europe in the long 20th century. Many deeply impacting developments occurred over the course of the 20th century: Two World Wars were fought, the birth of the European Union and the fall of Communism, just to name a few. Being such a crucial city in Europe’s history in the 20th century, Berlin is the most logical location for this course. Special emphasis will also be given to Germany's role in the middle of the continent and to the historical origins of the European Union and its present state. The city of Berlin, with all its tangible historical remains, will be dealt with as a city of former crisis with great promises for a better future.

Towards the end of this survey course on twentieth century Europe, we will try to identify the democratic values that have shaped the rebirth of Europe and discuss the challenges with which present-day Europe is faced. We will end the course with a reflection on Europe's place in the global, multi-polar world of the 21st century.

Several excursions will be organised in which you will visit some key historic sites in the city.

The course is open to undergraduate students from different fields of study with an interest in culture, society and politics.

The course requires a minimum language proficiency of B2 in English. A general background in the social sciences may help, but no specific expertise is required.

Together with Utrecht Summer School, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore and the Dutch Art Institute in Florence, FUBiS offers two multi-city course packages (including housing and transfers) that will take students to three exciting European cities each:

The Making of Europe

In collaboration with Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome and Utrecht Summer School, FUBiS organizes a multi-city course track on the history of Europe from antiquity to the present. Students may choose to attend the full “The Making of Europe” track (Rome – Utrecht – Berlin), the combination track “The Rise of Modern Europe” (Utrecht – Berlin) or the stand-alone course “The Long 20th Century” in Berlin.

Registration deadline: June 18, 2018

This summer program is run by the HWR Berlin School of Economics and Law, a public university of applied sciences, situated in the heart of Berlin. HWR Berlin is one of the largest academic institutions for business and management studies in Germany with a very international focus.

This summer program offers business and economics students alike the chance to address questions of market entry and strategic decisions in Europe in detail. Students will explore how firms face various challenges in the increasingly competitive and changing global environment, especially as globalization and the newest advances in technology have been changing the way we engage in international business. The class focuses on European service-based firms which have developed integrated global strategies based on industry relationships in order to thrive in new environments. Students gain insights to modern diversification, concentration and market entry strategies, and how firms implement their strategic concepts in modern services industries. Theoretical contents are combined with cases studies developed from business practise. The topics are:

• Global Market Challenges and Trends for Businesses in Europe
• Global Strategies in Services Industries
• European Companies: Case Studies

Field trips to companies and institutions enable students to combine theory and practice. The module "German Culture & Society: Intercultural Perspectives" allows students to contemplate and highlight the differences and similarities between the students’ home cultures and their host culture. Participants can also look forward to an exciting and diverse culture and leisure time program.

Upper undergraduate students of business and economics, and related fields (after two years of study) or graduates with good standing. Proof of English proficiency.

This drawing workshop will explore transition spaces of urban Berlin and experiment with the drawing process in an open and interpretive manner. The emphasis will be put on practical artistic work in combination with critical discourses.

In an introductory event we will exchange our various ideas on transit spaces and drawing process. Transitions between inside and outside, between here and there, in the actual urban world and mental space - where interspace, movements, traces, boarders and its exceedances can matter.

We will then in mutual exchange agree on the way we want to deal with the subject and what places to work with.

From our starting point at the University of the Arts in Berlin we explore the city, explore the urban space. We will begin in the neighborhood and expand the circle day by day in our search for spaces of transition. 

The working periods will be combined with studio visits of Berlin based artists and/or exhibition visits. 

This course is suitable for people with artistic backgrounds e.g. in Fine Arts, Architecture, Design, Visual Communication or even Dance and for people who are generally interested in experimenting with different drawing techniques. 

Participants of this workshop will get a deep insight into the field of painting and develop special qualities of seeing through analyzing art works of the old and new masters. Explore new creative ways in describing things in art, challenge your viewpoints and broaden your perspectives with us.

Course Schedule

• 19.07.2018, 4 pm - 7 pm
• 20.07.2018, 10 am - 5 pm
• 21.07.2018, 10 am - 5 pm

Additional Task for Course Application (to be completed and sent with application materials until 20th of June):

Using one DIN A4-sized page, please describe your most impressing experience in art in your own artistic way (i.e. painting, collage).

Format: 1 Page, size: DIN A4 (non-negotiable). Digital formats such as digital photos or videos are also allowed, however still should be clearly viewable in DIN A4 format.

Digital works or copies can be sent to us at summer-courses[at]udk-berlin.de. Please send all non-digital works by mail to the following address:

Universität der Künste Berlin

Summer University of the Arts

Bundesallee 1-12

10719 Berlin

GERMANY

Self-marketing means knowing the specifics of your own work and being able to promote it: what makes it special, is it worth exhibiting or buying? With special focus on female self-marketing, we will take a look at how to present the work and get ready for the international art scene.

In this workshop you will get a general design guidelines overview and learn how to use them as a tool for your personal public profile. You will study and discuss examples of visual identities and develop your own unique, distinctive identity as well. This workshop is realized in cooperation with Goldrausch - comprehensive project devoted to the professionalisation of women in the arts.

In this practical workshop participants will go through the whole cyanotype process and will explore its application in their own artistic activity. The focus will also lie on the discussion of the cyanotype techniques used in contemporary art.

The workshop in cyanotype-printing will mainly focus on acquiring practical skills in the cyanotype-technique. Participants will learn how to produce the cyanotype-solution necessary for using this method and will have the opportunity to carry out experiments with the possibility of using them in the artistic field. The technique can mainly be used to either produce photograms or photographic images with the help of photo negatives. Participants will have the opportunity to try out the different possibilities of the technique and will then be able to focus on their individual approach.

This workshop combines photo analysis, theory and practical photographic work. Together we will clarify the constitution of a narrative and the process of how the meaning of a photograph is being created. In addition to producing your own photo series, you will become skilled at looking at, reading and talking about photographs.

Each student will need to bring a digital camera or phone camera to every meeting.

The workshop conveys substantial knowledge about virtual reality and how it can be used as a design tool. Participants will learn how to generate 3D models from real life objects, how to build web based narrative spaces and how to use a game engine to create an interactive virtual experience.

Virtual Reality is not a hype that will pass, but a technology that will change our lives both at home and work. This new medium brings designers and artists new potentials which allow experiencing the content in a spatial system and can be used as a design tool by itself.

Important information: this is a basic workshop. We are not going to create games or highly complex interactive experiences!

The seminar will deal with the International Building Exhibition Berlin 1987 through interdisciplinary practices and strategies. Visual artists, architects and designers are invited to discuss the Postmodernism movement, its relevance for today’s Berlin and to develop their own work.

Please bring your camera and laptop.

Following the subversion of Internet trolling, this course attempts to amplify common yet problematic modes in fashion design practice, implement them in an intervention and learn from the irritation this creates with the customer in order to integrate updated methods and concepts into existing modes of fashion design.

Berlin is recognized to be the world’s Techno capital, but for all that where does the story begin? Together - through reading texts, watching films, going on excursions and applying different approaches to musical analysis - we will explore the history, aesthetics and economics of the vivid electronic music scene in Berlin.

Berlin Techno (meant as an umbrella term for all Electronic Dance Music scenes in the city) is deeply rooted to its subcultural past as well as in the history of Germany after the fall of the wall. On the same time it is a highly professional and internationalized contemporary musical culture and business. The goal of our course is to discuss and understand Berlin Techno between these poles. We will ask how a history of Techno is and could be written and told, and how it is attached to present social, technical, and aesthetical developments. The discussion is based on the present academic discourse about Techno, but will also survey the city itself as source, including tours to significant locations and venues, as well as talks to business and scene insiders.

In this workshop string players and educators will learn how to read Baroque music and translate the script into an adequate sound experience by using techniques specific for the string instrument. Besides that we will learn how to use our body and discover ways to an ideal performance.

The course is aimed at professional string players and teachers, for both “historical” as well as “modern” instrumentalists.

This workshop represents a combination of classical vocal repertoire and the art of storytelling which allows you to explore and develop your musical artistry through the poetic and creative possibilities that oral storytelling offers. Pianoforte accompaniment will be provided during the first and last day of the course.

Storytelling is an art form that has its own particular rules to give life to a story. Such methods as imagination sequences, storyboarding, improvised telling and personal story are the springboard into each story-world and character, and allow every singer to play with and access the repertoire on a profound personal level.

Are you aimed to performing in a German speaking opera house? These high-level course with an excellent concept and team will help young singers to prepare for this demanding profession. The focus will particularly lie on how to audition but also many other important aspects of the theatre life will be covered, eg. repertoire choices, interpretation and insights to the selection criteria for the agents and opera houses themselves.

Special application requirements: In addition to the normal application please send us a recent digital audio or video recording (e.g. MP3-File, YouTube or Soundcloud Link) of your work to summer-courses[at]udk-berlin.de.

Are you aimed to performing in a German speaking opera house? These high-level course with an excellent concept and team will help young singers to prepare for this demanding profession. The focus will particularly lie on how to audition but also many other important aspects of the theatre life will be covered, eg. repertoire choices, interpretation and insights to the selection criteria for the agents and opera houses themselves.

Special application requirements: In addition to the normal application please send us a recent digital audio or video recording (e.g. MP3-File, YouTube or Soundcloud Link) of your work to summer-courses[at]udk-berlin.de.

Erdal Erzincan, one of the most prominent modern Anatolian music performers and baglama players, will share with his students his newly composed pieces of music in different chord renditions for the baglama.