Note: This workshop will take place on December 11, 12 and 14, 2026.
For KAAD scholars, the period of their studies or doctorate in Germany is a comparatively short period of their professional lives. In terms of cultural and academic challenges, however, it is one of the most intensive phases of life, as complex learning and experience processes are concentrated here. Students must quickly adapt to a social life that is just as foreign to them as the requirements of the German university system.
As soon as they begin to settle in, it is time to prepare for their professional career and reintegration in their home country. This involves both career prospects and finding their way back into the social and cultural environment. The diverse experiences in Germany need to be integrated into these old contexts. This process of reintegration is often associated with greater challenges than the initial phase in Germany.
This workshop first gives participants the opportunity to discuss their thoughts and preparations for returning in small groups. KAAD alumni and alumnae then report on the process of returning from their home countries and share recommendations and best-practice examples in digital feeds. In a further step, institutions and actors that may be relevant for the various phases of reintegration will be introduced. In this way, the participants can jointly prepare strategies for a successful return.
