Freshman week on Interculturality

1 September 2009. On 14 September 2009, the Fall Semester will start at the University of St.Gallen (HSG). The number of enrollments points to an increase of just under 6000 to more than 6500 students.

Intercultural conflicts and cooperation
A week before the start of the Fall Semester, the first-semester students will embark on the HSG Freshman Week on the topic of "Intercultural conflicts and cooperation". Once again, the University will be cooperating closely with the City of St.Gallen. The starting day for new students at the Bachelor’s and Master’s Level on 11 September will focus on the issue of "Language and Economy".

1381 new students
For some 1381 students (previous year: 1315) of the HSG, the initial year of their studies starts with the Freshman Week of 7-11 September 2009. Under the guidance of more than 140 tutors, the first-semester students will be dealing with the topic of "Intercultural conflicts and cooperation".

The primary aim of the Freshman Week consists in making students sensitive to other cultures and promoting openness and tolerance. The "Presenting Partner" is the FWU Group, an insurance service provider which mainly works in the field of banking and insurance forms that are in conformity with Islam and for which intercultural encounters with all their opportunities and challenges are part and parcel of daily business.

Perspective of exchange students
The task to be solved by the students, who will work in 60 groups of about 20 people, is to assume the perspective of a Swiss exchange student (female) on an internship in Jordan and the perspective of a Jordan exchange student (male) on an internship in Switzerland, to deal with the possible opportunities and challenges of such an intercultural encounter, and to draw up recommendations for action.

They will be supported by tutors, by a script specially written for the purpose, and by addresses delivered by experts from trade and industry, politics and research.

Presentation of the best concepts
The best concepts will be presented before a jury in Olma Hall 9.1 on 11 September 2009.

Speakers, members of discussion panels and members of the jury include St.Gallen’s Interior Minister, Kathrin Hilber; the CEO of the FWU Group, Dr. Manfred Dirrheimer; Dr. Hisham Maizar, doctor and Chairman of the Federation of Islamic Umbrella Organizations in Switzerland (FIDS); Dr. Arnold Hottinger, former NZZ correspondent for the Middle East; Kim Sitzler, Deputy of the Special Representative for the Middle East in the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs; and Otto C. Honegger, who as an HSG alumnus will report on his career with Swiss Television after graduating.