PIONEER Information Booth: Experience Europe – Recap
As part of European Universities Week and to mark Europe Day on May 9, 2026, staff members from TH Köln set up an information booth on the topic of “Experiencing Europe” at the Deutz and Gummersbach campuses.
The aim of the campaign was to engage with students and staff about their experiences abroad and their plans for future stays abroad, while also drawing attention to the opportunities available within the PIONEER Alliance.
The campaign was very well received: Many students and staff took the time to engage in conversation and showed great interest in the topics of stays abroad and international experiences in a university context.
In total, almost 300 people were surveyed. The results showed that the majority of participants had already completed a stay abroad or were making concrete plans for one. At the same time, a good third of those surveyed indicated that they were still undecided. Only a small minority ruled out a stay abroad.
The results confirmed that the issue is often not a lack of fundamental interest in studying abroad, but rather a lack of knowledge about specific opportunities, different formats, and funding options. In particular, many respondents were previously unaware of shorter or more flexible study formats such as Blended Intensive Programs (BIPs).
The results underscore the importance of information, counseling, and low-threshold access to study abroad opportunities, while also showing that there is a fundamental interest and openness to integrating international experiences into studies or work.
The PIONEER Alliance contributes to this by strengthening cooperation among European universities and creating new opportunities to actively experience Europe in studies, teaching, and everyday university life.
European Universities Week is an initiative of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as part of the national support program for the European University Alliances. The DAAD has called on participating German universities to get involved with events and activities. The aim of the action week was to highlight the commitment of German universities within the European Higher Education Area and to provide insights into the work of the European University Alliances.
Further information on study abroad opportunities for students at TH Köln can be found here.
Information on the PIONEER Alliance can be found here.
May 2026