Kompass Project – Intercultural Communication on Campus

The International Office of the University of Bremen supports the network of international student communities with their ‘kompass’ project. There are currently communities from about seventeen different countries. Since 2017, new communities have come up for Ghana and Guinea. Newly established communities traditionally present their home at a ‘culture night,’ hosted by the Protestant Student Community (ESG). Culture nights are of great interest among students – and having 100-150 participants is not uncommon. This was also the case at Culture Night Ghana and Culture Night Guinea this summer semester.

The students from Guinea came up with a real highlight: After a talk about the country and its people, they reenacted engagement rituals in a play and gave the audience an insightful look into the roles of family and friends. Many questions were answered and intercultural communication was strengthened that night. Another highlight – as at every Culture Night – was the lovingly prepared and abundant food typical for the country. Culture Nights are usually rounded off with a lot of music and dancing. Through these collective celebrations, the international campus of the University of Bremen becomes palpable, and every time we take an interest in another culture, we experience that there is more that connects us than what separates us. It is the warm hospitality of the international students that impresses us anew each time!

_{Author: International Office}