International Profile

The research of the faculty members has a strong international orientation and there is intensive exchange with the respective international communities. In line with the claim of the global significance of its own research, many publications on scientific discourse are produced in English.

A special feature of the Faculty of Arts, however, is that internationality is not only expressed through the communication of research findings in English; in fact, the faculty is characterised by a large number of subjects dedicated to the study of different languages and cultures (e.g. Egyptology, Ancient American Studies, Islamic Studies, Japanese Studies, Celtic Studies, Eastern European History, Romance Studies, Sinology), most of which cover the study of the languages, literatures and cultures of areas that do not speak the Englisch language. In addition, there are subjects that primarily concentrate on the German language, history and culture in research and teaching. Therefore, internationality at the Faculty of Arts can be definied within a broad range of contexts; the requirements with regard to internationalisation are correspondingly heterogeneous among subjects, institutes and degree programmes.

The dean's office of the Faculty of Arts is committed to drawing upon existing accomplishments in the area of internationality and to advancing internationalisation steadily and sustainably.

Internationalisation is understood here as a process in which all members and units of the faculty are involved. Measures for internationalisation in the faculty should be structurally anchored to ensure sustainability. The dean's office works closely with the Vice Rector for International Affairs and the division of  international affairs in their implementation and supports the internationalisation initiatives of the university. Examples in this context are the representation of the faculty in the Rectorate's project group of international affairs and the participation in the ongoing re-audit "Internationalisation of Higher Education Institutions" by the HRK (German Rectors' Conference). Both collaborations are supervised by the vice dean for research and international affairs.

1. Foreign scientists and scholars

Status quo: The faculty often hosts academics from abroad for research stays - from doctoral candidates to postdocs and Humboldt Award winners. In recent years, more and more colleagues from abroad have also been recruited in appointment procedures.

Goals: Our goal is to expand this status quo even further. The faculty and its institutes should become an attractive destination for scientists from all over the world, not only for shorter research visits, but also for professorships. The proportion of foreign professors is to be increased with the aim of recruiting high-calibre staff from across the world. Structures for recruiting and supporting foreign scientists should be developed accordingly.

Measures: Concrete measures include the consistent advertisement of professorships in English or in the language relevant to the respective subject on international platforms. Professors who are recruited from abroad should be given the opportunity to teach in English during a transitional period.

2. Study and teaching

Status quo: Numerous courses offered by the faculty are already international, i.e. they are undertaken by foreign students and/or take place in the various foreign languages which are relevant to the teaching and research of the subjects. Examples are international joint Bachelor's programmes such as German-French Studies and German-Italian Studies. However, there is an unfulfilled demand for undergraduate courses taught in English. Not only are these courses particularly important for visiting students from foreign partner universities, but they also provide experience of the internationalisation to our own students ("internationalisation at home").

Goals: The faculty has recognised this demand and endeavours to increase the number of undergraduate courses in English.

Measures: The dean's office has been providing a group of teaching assignments in English for undergraduate students since the summer semester 2019. However, the number of courses in English is still being further increased in cooperation with the Vice Rectorate for international affairs and the division of international affairs, e.g. by introducing English-language seminars for incoming students which include topics of society, politics, history and culture in Germany and Europe. ("Germany in a Global Context"). At the Faculty of Arts the professorship to be filled and the managing board of the CASSIS centre should also participate in the development of English-language seminars.

3. Internationalisation of the administration

Status quo: The growing internationalisation of research and study in recent years can be considered very positive. But it also leads to challenges in certain domains. One of these challenges lies in the communication of administrative operations to international students and researchers as well as their participation in administrative processes and bodies.

Objectives: The goal is to sustainably strengthen the administrative framework for internationalisation and to permanently anchor internationality culturally and structurally in order to facilitate administrative processes for international students and researchers.

Measures: Appropriate measures for achieving this goal include (i) training periods abroad for members of the administration (e.g. Erasmus Staff Exchange), (ii)  intercultural training for members of the administration, and (iii) translation of important documents into English (e.g. doctoral regulations).

Structured International Doctoral Programmes with Binational / Trinational Doctoral Certificate

• Trinational Research Training Group „Gründungsmythen Europas in Literatur, Kunst und Musik“ (Bonn - Paris-Sorbonne (Paris-IV) - Florenz) ⁴²²
• German-Italian Research Training Group „Neuere Deutsche Literaturwissenschaft“ (Bonn - Florenz)⁵³³
• Trinational Research Training Group „Italianistica“ (Bonn - Paris-Sorbonne (Paris-IV) - Florenz)⁶⁴⁴
• German-French Research Training Group „Masse und Integration in antiken Gesellschaften“ (Bonn - Strasbourg - Bern)

International Joint-PhD Projects

• „Bonn Melbourne Research and Graduate School in Decision Neuroscience“ (Bonn - Melbourne)
• „Re-Imagining the Public Sphere on the German Stage, 1760–1815“ (Bonn - St Andrews)

Structured Doctoral Programmes in English

• Structured Research Training Group German Philology⁹⁷⁷
• Bonn International Graduate School - Oriental and Asian Studies (BIGS - OAS)¹⁰⁸⁸
• Bonn Interdisciplinary Graduate School - Development Research (BIGS-DR)

Structured International Master's Programmes with Double/Joint Degree

• German-Italian Studies (Bonn - Florenz)¹²¹⁰¹⁰
• German-French Studies (Bonn - Paris-Sorbonne (Paris-IV))¹³¹¹¹¹
• Renaissance-Studies (Bonn - Florenz)¹⁴¹²¹²
• Spanish Culture and European Identity / Cultura y pensamiento europeo y su proyección (Bonn - León)
• M.A./MLitt German and Comparative Literature (Bonn - St Andrews)

Structured Master's Programmes in English 

• English Literature and Cultures¹⁶¹⁴¹⁴
• Applied Linguistics¹⁷¹⁵¹⁵
• North American Studies¹⁸¹⁶¹⁶
• Anthropology of the Americas
• Dependency and Slavery Studies
• Slavery Studies

International Focus of Double Master's Programmes with Structured Exchange Programme

• Asian Studies: Chinese Language and Translation (Beijing Foreign Studies University/China)
• Romance Studies (University of Salamanca/Spain)
• Transnational European and East Asian Culture and History / TEACH (Bonn - Tsukuba - Seoul)

Further Degree Programme

• Master of European Studies²²²⁰²⁰

Information on cotutelle de thèse for academics

The cotutelle de thèse opens up the possibility for German researchers and institutions to further enhance a scientific cooperation with a foreign research institution by jointly supervising and reviewing a dissertation, so that the international mobility of young academics can be promoted at the same time.

Before taking up a cotutelle de thèse, please always clarify first with the doctoral office of the Faculty of Arts whether a co-supervision is possible.

In the cotutelle de thèse, a young academic receives a joint doctoral degree which is awarded by two universities. A certificate will be issued jointly by two partner universities after the doctoral examination.

This joint doctoral degree recognises and honors a single scientific achievement which is based on the research work at two universities. Therefore, this means that rather than two doctoral degrees, a single joint degree will be awarded according to the German examination regulations.

Features of the procedure

• Doctoral students prepare their theses under the supervision of two professors from two countries.
• The doctoral thesis will be completed in both the German and the partner universities.
• The dissertation is usually written in one of the relevant languages with an oral summary in the other language.
• At the defense or disputation, the PhD candidate will be examined by an examination board which is set up together with the partner university. The examination board consists of academics from both countries.
• The research stay at the respective partner university must last at least one year.

Information on double and joint degree programmes for academics

Double Degree

Each higher education institution awards its degree: either a certificate from each institution (in this case both certificates must be interlinked and presented in a way that they form a single certificate in terms of content) or a joint certificate listing both degrees.

Joint Degree

Two or more higher education institutions award a joint degree and a joint certificate.

Is each joint degree programme at the same time a new or independent degree programme?

• Within the framework of an existing study programme, a fixed, structured double degree option is developed for part of the cohort on the basis of existing exchange programmes.
• On the basis of an existing study programme, an independent double degree or joint degree programme is created in addition to or in place of an already existing degree programme.
• On the basis of curricular agreements with foreign partner universities, a new, independent degree programme (double or joint degree programme) is established.

Does the study programme have to be accredited?

Phase I: Ideas for new programmes; general considerations

• Is the new programme in line with the concept of the faculty?
• Does the chair or institute have sustainable human resources to implement the programme?
• How is the programme to be financed?
• When can the programme be started at the earliest?

Phase II: Design and establishment of the study programme

• Which higher education institution is the leading or coordinating one, and which is participating?
• According to which model is student mobility organised?
• Accreditation of joint international degree programmes
• What are the admission requirements and selection procedures?
• What is the enrolment procedure?
• How is the issue of tuition fees tackled?
• What support is provided for foreign students?
• What "language policy" is being followed?

Phase III: Development and adoption of the examination regulations

• What do the students achieve, at what time and where?
• What degree should the students receive?

Phase IV: Finalisation of a cooperation agreement with the partner(s)

Procedure

• Preliminary discussion with the advisors of "Resources and Planning" and "Study and Examination" respectively (and with the dean of studies if necessary)
• Dean's office
• Programme commission
• Structural commission
• Faculty council
• Rectorate