When the International Club of Freiburg throws one of its tandem parties at the university bar, a true symphony of different languages can be heard. Students from Spain, China, India, Russia, Iran or Cameroon look for fellow students from Germany, Sweden, New Zealand, France or Poland in order to learn each other's languages and get to know each other better.

But the tandem parties are only one part of the semester program that the International Club offers students. The Club organizes leisure activities for all foreign students in Freiburg. It is an initiative of the Albert Ludwig University, together with Freiburg's other four tertiary institutions, the student union and the Protestant and Catholic communities. Its main goal is to create contacts between German and foreign students. This not only happens during the tandem parties, but also at other events, such as special country-theme evenings and excursions.

International supervision

While the International Club takes care of leisure activities, the International Office located in the university's rector's building at Fahnenbergplatz specializes in looking after the students themselves. This is the place to go with all queries related to accommodation, finances, scholarships and university subjects. Since the autumn of 2008, there is also an extra service, the so-called "Info-Point", which can save you some waiting time. This counter is regularly staffed during the semester and offers quick and non-bureaucratic answers to various questions.

Excellence in all areas

Many foreign students at Albert Ludwig University can pursue a large part of their studies in English. Humanities subjects - especially philosophy, sociology and German language studies, as well as micro-electro-mechanical systems, technology and forestry - contribute to the university's good reputation. The university is one of the top nine universities in Germany, which have been distinguished by the federal and state governments for their cutting-edge research. Nine Nobel Prize winning scientists of the 20th century had ties to the university, as well as prominent personalities, including philologist Erasmus von Rotterdam and philosopher Martin Heidegger, who had their professorships here.

Active exchange

Freiburg is situated at the "border triangle" of Germany, France and Switzerland. Albert Ludwig University, together with six other upper-Rhine universities including Basle and Strasbourg, forms the European Confederation of Upper Rhine Universities (EUCOR). This cooperation allows students from all three bordering countries to take part in lectures in German, English and French.

Author: Pia Gram
Editor: Greg Wiser