Ready for the international university landscape

The University of Würzburg’s internationalisation strategy also includes the aim of supporting staff in administration, technical services and academic management so that they can confidently navigate their day-to-day work in an increasingly international higher education landscape. To this end, JMU offers the ‘UNIversInternational’ certificate programme.

The certificates were awarded for the first time in 2018. In the most recent round of the programme, nine staff members successfully completed the certificate. University Chancellor Dr Uwe Klug presented the certificates to six graduates in person and to one other on their behalf at the International Evening on 23 June 2026:

• Dr Nadine Janetschke (Office of the President)
• Dr Esther Knemeyer (Head of Press and Public Relations)
• Dr Ljubica Lozo (Head of Unit A.2: Professional Development)
• Petra Markert-Autsch (Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science)
• Dr Sarah Manzer, on behalf of Dr Nicola Oswald (Managing Director of the WueLAB Sustainability Laboratory)
• Petra Schulze (Faculty of Human Sciences)
• Sabine Wehrmann (Head of Department 5: Service Centre for Construction, Property and Institutional Assets)

All graduates have deepened their English language skills and intercultural knowledge over the course of the programme. As a practical final stage, they travelled abroad, for example for a ‘Staff Week’ focusing on topics such as diversity and international cooperation, or as part of a job-shadowing programme with tandem partners on individually agreed topics from their respective day-to-day work. During these sessions, the participants exchanged ideas on ‘best practices’ in their respective fields of work.

Support from Professional Development

Job shadowing allows stays abroad to be organised flexibly and tailored to individual needs. JMU’s Professional Development team provides an initial guide for those interested. It also offers advice and support in finding suitable tandem partners and in planning the content of the job shadowing placement.

Job shadowing with Caen: impressions from a participant

The Professional Development team also organises its own programme: the annual job-shadowing exchange with the French partner university in Caen, Normandy. Here too, the department actively supports interested participants throughout the entire process.

Dr Nicola Oswald, Managing Director of the Sustainability Lab (WueLAB), chose this very exchange programme when she took part in the certificate programme. During her stay of several days in Caen and the return visit by her French colleague to Würzburg, the pair engaged in in-depth discussions on topics relating to sustainability.

Dr Oswald, what motivated you to take part in the job shadowing programme offered by Professional Development?

I wanted to look beyond my own horizons in Würzburg and learn how universities in other countries operate in the field of sustainability research and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD).

What was your biggest ‘aha moment’ during the exchange with your French colleague?

I was pleasantly surprised by how advanced the University of Caen is in terms of digitalisation. And by how flat the hierarchies are there. I was able to get to know people involved in sustainability and climate protection across all levels of the organisation.

Did the job shadowing open up new perspectives on international collaboration for you?

My job-shadowing partner, Professor David Boilley, and I identified a surprising number of similar projects where we can learn from one another and collaborate in the future. The University of Caen has introduced a digital course on ESD for all first-year students – at JMU, we are planning to do the same in the winter semester of 2026/27. We have had the WueLAB sustainability lab for five years, and the University of Caen would like to take it as a model. Furthermore, both universities are involved in projects with their respective city councils, for example on climate protection and climate adaptation. Given all these commonalities, it was, in a sense, inevitable that we would now aim to engage in further peer consultation, as well as joint projects and applications for third-party funding.

Would you recommend the job shadowing programme?

Absolutely! We’ve all learnt a great deal, both culturally and in operational and technical terms. Nobody needs to be afraid of the foreign language: we always found entertaining ways to communicate between English, German and French! The exchange within the Würzburg team was also very exciting. It was great to gain insights into other departments at JMU and to get to know some very dedicated colleagues.

How did Professional Development and the Service Centre InterNational Transfer support you?

From the application process, through matching with the French participants, right through to the varied programme on site: the support from Professional Development and SINT was wide-ranging and enormously helpful.

International mobility: points of contact for those interested

Anyone wishing to find out more about the various forms of international mobility – from a general overview to job shadowing – will find expert advice at Professional Development and the Service Centre InterNational Transfer (SINT). Both departments offer advice through one-to-one consultations and regularly provide information at events about opportunities, procedures and funding options.

Caterina Schmitz from the Professional Development team coordinates the “UNIversInternational” programme. She is the point of contact for all matters relating to the certificate programme and can advise on questions regarding the three modules and the options for tailoring mobility experiences to individual needs: caterina.schmitz@uni-wuerzburg.de

Ivonne Maschner from SINT is the point of contact for enquiries regarding financial support for continuing professional development mobility schemes via ERASMUS+: erasmus.staff-mobility@uni-wuerzburg.de