In times of a global economy and rapidly advancing internationalization, intercultural competence is becoming increasingly important. This is especially true for the later professional success of university graduates: Studying abroad broadens horizons and opens up opportunities in the future. The idea sounds simple, yet studying abroad is a major personal challenge for each individual. In addition to language barriers, there are many other factors to consider, not the least of which is that the various study achievements in the different countries must fit together so that they can be recognized for a degree. To make it as easy as possible for students to spend time abroad, European universities have developed various exchange programs. Twenty years ago, the starting signal was given for the Franco-German double diploma. This double diploma program between Germany and France is coordinated by the German-French University and its member universities, which was established especially for this purpose. The first graduates of this program were three students of our faculty in the double diploma program with the École Spéciale des Travaux Publics du Batiment et de l'Industrie (ESTP) in 2005. Since then, a total of almost 200 double diploma students, i.e. an average of about ten students per year, have successfully completed the double diploma program in civil engineering.

Twenty years - a reason to celebrate!

About  200 double diploma students and twenty years of stable and friendly cooperation are of course a reason to celebrate. Representatives of all participating universities came to Dresden last week to celebrate and further advance the double diploma agreement in the course of several events. A highlight was the festive event in the Dülfersaal of the TU Dresden last Friday. The CTIO of the Dresden University of Technology, Prof. Tetzlaff delivered greetings, speeches were held by the Dean of the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Professor Stamm, the Director for International Relations of the (ESTP), Mme. SC. Huismann and the President of the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Strasbourg (INSA), M. Boné. Professor O. Mentz, President of the Franco-German University, was present via video message.

All speeches were translated simultaneously, the whole event was organized bilingually. In their speeches, all speakers underlined the importance of the double degree agreement for the participating universities, but also for the growing together of European society. There is potential for an even better utilization of the program, especially from the German side. In his address via video transmission, Prof. O. Mentz also noted that the exchange program itself provides for a lively exchange among the teachers and organizers, which is a useful additional effect of such agreements.

In addition to many public representatives of the program, double degree students also had their say. For example, Isabelle Sedlmeier, a double degree student from ESTP Paris, emphasized that the discovery of another culture was even more valuable to her than her progress in the German language. At the beginning of the program, it was unimaginable for her to be working in a German company right now.

All in all, the event drew a very positive balance, and Prof. Stamm concluded his speech with a personal wish that can certainly be understood as an overarching message for the next 20 years of Franco-German double diploma agreements: "I wish that our Franco-German double diploma agreements lead to the active strengthening of the European idea and produce numerous ambassadors for the further development of a stable friendship between our two countries in times of change."

Report: André Terpe