Freie Universität Berlin’s FUBiS Launches New Year with Expanded Subject Courses for International Summer and Winter University

Last Thursday, Freie Universität Berlin welcomed 91 students from 21 countries to its International Summer and Winter University (FUBiS). In the first three-week FUBiS term of the new year, participants can enroll in numerous academic courses in German as a foreign language and other subjects. The program will also be offering special mental health support services to the international students, most of whom are from South Korea, Singapore, and various Latin American countries. The current term will run through January 26.

Students who partake in the FUBiS program can attend German language and culture classes for different proficiency levels as well as six seminars taught in English on a variety of topics, including European history, politics, and law, with a focus on highly relevant subjects such as populism and fascism or ethics.

Freie Universität Berlin awards credits according to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) for all FUBiS courses, which students can then have recognized at their home university. All the courses are designed with a special focus on the city of Berlin due to its immense cultural and historical significance. The academic program also includes field trips, such as a guided tour of the Reichstag building.

FUBiS Program Director Sophia Schmieder says that the intensive, critical approach taken to examining Berlin’s history and the opportunity to explore the city itself make the program a hit among students. Furthermore, students feel well cared for and perceive the program as highly organized and transparent. This was confirmed in a survey taken during the 2023 summer term in which 95 percent of the respondents stated that they felt in good hands with the FUBiS team and were satisfied with the support provided.

In spite of the participants’ clear enthusiasm, it can be extremely tough for students who are moving abroad for the first time to cope with both everyday life and their studies, which can have a profound impact on their well-being and grades. That is why the program will also be offering special mental health support services to international students from different personal and cultural backgrounds so that they can make the most of their time in Berlin. As Schmieder explains, “All students will receive an introduction to the topic of mental health and how it relates to new intercultural experiences. If they are interested, they will also be able to participate in an interactive workshop and one-on-one psychological counseling.” The participants can expect to benefit in particular from acquiring new time management skills and tools to cope with personally challenging, unfamiliar situations and certain intercultural interactions.