Creating Intercultural Bonds Between India and Baden-Wurttemberg - German-Indian School Project

The German-Indian school project, funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung and implemented by the Pädagogische Hochschule (University of Education ) Weingarten, was intended to bring German and Indian students into contact for a period of two years through work on a common project. In this fashion, the students did not only learn a lot about Indian or German culture, they also learned, through project cooperation, how to associate with different mentalities and connected with this tolerance, willingness to compromise, and openness toward different-minded people. During the course of the two-year project, personal relationships were established, which are enduring.

Applications had been accepted from students in grades 8-12 from either high schools or vocational schools in Baden-Württemberg belonging to the Bildungspartnerschaft (Educational Partnership) Baden-Württemberg – India. Tandems of up to ten students from a German school and up to ten students representing the Indian partner school had applied together with a common project proposal. The project's subject was arbitrary and could originate from various subject areas. A jury selected three German-Indian school tandems which could realize their projects funded by the Robert Bosch Stiftung.

For the most part, the cooperative project work took place via e-mail and (via) the Internet. However, visits by the German students to India and the Indian students to Germany were a central part of the agenda. Through their common work the students got to know each other well, they acquired intercultural skills and developed the self-confidence that they can participate in the communication with people from other cultures in a positive manner.