Pre-Semester Programme

There is a number of events for exchange students organized by the International Office in cooperation with the Centre of Business Languages and Intercultural Communication and REFI (student organization) before, as well as during the semester. You are strongly encouraged to participate, as it will enable you get to know Linz, the Austrian culture, and a lot of Austrian and international students.

The participants lists for the pre-semester programme are now available for the summer semester 2008.

Intensive German Language Course

The Department of Business Languages and Intercultural Communication offers exchange students an intensive German language course prior to the beginning of each semester (beginner, lower intermediate and advanced levels). In the winter semester, the course is offered for three weeks prior to the beginning of the semester and in the summer semester for two weeks. ECTS credits are allocated to students who attend each course meeting and pass the final exam. The three-week course before the beginning of the winter semester is 3 ECTS credits. The two-week course prior to the summer semester is 2 ECTS credits. The course is free of charge.

Please indicate if you would like to attend the intensive German language course on your application.
The number of course participants is limited. Enrolment is on a first come, first serve basis.

Cultural Sensitivity Training

The Department for Business Languages and Intercultural Communication also offers a course titled “Cultural Sensitivity Training” free of charge to all exchange students. This course is held a week before the start of each semester. Participation is highly recommended for all exchange students. You can sign up for the course on the “Application Form for Exchange Students”. Students participating will get 2 ECTS credits.
Due to the limited number of participants, the enrolment is proceeded on a “first come, first serve” basis.

Day One: The group discusses cultural peculiarities of the host country and the cultural backgrounds/identities of the participants. Students discuss images, perceptions, “positive” and “negative” clichés associated with national cultures.

Day Two (project day): In small groups and teams, participants will work together on projects in town (field studies, interviewing people, observation tasks).

Day Three: The projects will be presented, reflected and analysed critically. The students will develop tools for the encounter with the host culture and multicultural teams (international student body on campus). Tasks (group or individual) are defined to be carried out till the final meeting.

Excursions

At the beginning of each semester, the International Office organizes a number of interesting excursions for exchange students. These excursions provide an excellent opportunity to become better acquainted with the university and its surroundings, and meet fellow exchange students.

The programme includes excursions to places of interest in and around Linz, such as the former concentration camp in Mauthausen and to UNESCO World Heritage site Hallstatt. The complete schedule will be available at the end of August for the winter semester and at the end of January for the summer semester.
Upon arrival, you can sign up for these excursions at the International Office for a small fee.

In addition, the International Office offers a guided city tour as well as a guided campus tour free of charge at the beginning of each semester.

More excursions are organized by the REFI, a group of local students who assist visiting students during their stay.

Photos

Your tourguide took some photos during the trips.

You can find the best of them here:
* Schlierbach and Steyr (February 16th)
* Mauthausen (February 23rd)