Program

“(Digital)Language support for refugees” is a project of the “German as a foreign and second language and multilingualism” department of the Institute for German Studies and Comparative Literature at Paderborn University under the scientific project management of Prof. Dr. Constanze Niederhaus. In this project, (teaching) students get involved with refugees in the Paderborn region by accompanying and supporting them linguistically. In the process, partnerships are formed between newly immigrated people and committed students, with the aim to encourage the (linguistic) participation of the refugees. Students primarily act as language mediators who build a kind of bridge between new immigrants and mainstream society. At the same time, through their work as language tutors, they acquire skills in the field of German as a second language and multilingualism, and get to know more about linguistic and multi-ethnic diversity. The photo exhibition showed special insights into the language partnerships that were formed during the “(Digital) Language Support for Refugees” project – which often went on to blossom friendships.