Mentoring.INTERKULT
Mentoring.INTERKULT
...Career mentoring for international students and students with a history of migration
The program starts at the important interface between studies and transition to the (regional) job market and aims to actively support international students and students with a history of migration in entering the job market and to enable equal access to the job market.
Since the start of the program in November 2020, three program years have been successfully implemented. The fourth round of the program started in October 2024.
Please note: The program is conducted in German. We warmly welcome all participants, but would like to point out that a certain understanding of the German language is required to follow its contents.
The next application period is expected to take place in May 2025. You can find more information on this under Information for mentees.
If you have any questions about participating in our program, please take a look at our frequently asked questions or contact the project coordinator Jana Sponbiel directly.
Find out more about their personal impressions from the mentees of the first three years!
Steigende Resonanz: Mentoring.INTERKULT im vierten Kick-Off Dienstag, October 2024 (Link)
Vielfältig denken und Kompetenzen nutzen: Abschlussveranstaltung des Programms, July 2024 (Link)
Erfolgreicher Berufseinstieg dank Mentoring.INTERKULT, October 2021 (Link)
Internationale Studierende und Unternehmen bilden Karriere-Tandems, December 2020 (Link)
To view the complete flyer, please click!
Program
Mentoring.INTERKULT offers international students and students with a history of migration support with the challenges and opportunities that the transition to professional life can bring. With the help of one-to-one mentoring with professionally experienced mentors, further training opportunities and networking formats, mentees are accompanied and supported on their individual path.
The program aims to actively support the career entry of international students and students with a history of migration and to enable equal access to the German job market. The aim is to improve students' career opportunities through targeted measures. The nine-month mentoring program focuses on advising and supporting the participating students (mentees) by a professionally experienced person (mentor) from a regional or national company.
For the mentees, the program also includes modules for skills and personal development. On the important threshold from studying to working life, the mentees are encouraged to reflect on several levels to encourage them to follow their own career path. The mentees receive a variety of suggestions for individual career planning and support in setting personal goals. In addition, experiences can be exchanged with other mentees and professional networks can be established.
On the part of the mentors and participating companies and institutions, the program is intended to provide an opportunity to get to know future employees, expand intercultural skills and promote the diverse potential of (international) applicants with a history of migration.
Mentoring.INTERKULT is made up of three pillars:
1. one-to-one mentoring: Mentee and mentor enter into an exclusive mentoring relationship as a tandem. The mentors pass on their own experiences from the professional field to the mentees, take on an advisory and coaching role and provide insights into their own working world. The mentoring relationship is based on mutual openness and trust and can open doors to a professional network for the mentees.
2. further training: The program also offers mentees workshops designed to make their strengths visible and build on existing skills. These include workshops on topics such as job applications, confidence and empowerment.
3. networking: The mentees build a network among themselves by supporting each other in achieving their own goals during the nine-month program. To this end, they form so-called peer support teams in which they advise each other on a collegial basis. There is also the opportunity to attend networking events to find out more about various topics relating to starting a career and to exchange ideas with the other mentees.
The one-to-one mentoring, the further training program, the work in the peer support teams and the networking events are important components of mentoring. INTERKULT. Participation in the programs is mandatory for all mentees.
Application
Interested students apply for Mentoring.INTERKULT by sending in their application documents by e-mail. Further information can be found under Information for mentees. Short individual interviews are then conducted. This two-part selection process consisting of an online application and interviews determines the allocation of places on the program.
Matching
Matching with suitable mentors is based on the mentee's individual profile. The mentee's professional wishes and prospects are taken into account.
Program duration
The nine-month program year starts with the kick-off event in October. This is where all participants (mentees and mentors) come together for an introduction to the mentoring program and to get to know each other. During the nine-month program, several accompanying training workshops and networking events are held for both target groups. The program year ends with a festive closing event in June of the following year.
Learning skills for life
"At the beginning of my Master's degree, I couldn't imagine working in German. But the program showed me that I can do it. I learned a lot from the workshops. Because things work very differently here than in Brazil. Letters of motivation and CVs in Brazil, for example, are three to four pages long. That's why the workshops were super helpful for me, because I immediately knew what core information is important in German applications. The intercultural skills that I learned thanks to Mentoring.INTERKULT help me every day in my everyday work."
Fernanda Costa Meneses Nunes from Brazil (Mentoring.INTERKULT 2020/21)
completed a trainee program at the House of Resources Osnabrück - Diepholz after participating in Mentoring.INTERKULT and gained her first professional experience on the German job market.
Networking, support and exchange
"We international students exchanged ideas and supported each other. Entering the job market in Germany often works completely differently to how we know it from our home countries. This naturally leads to self-doubt and you often feel alone in the process. Seeing that others feel the same way and sharing this experience really helped me."
Josefa Wittkorn-Davalos from Ecuador (Mentoring.INTERKULT 2020/21)
completed an internship at Heilpädagogische Hilfe Osnabrück (HHO) thanks to her mentor Pia Röhner and was subsequently offered a job in her desired field. She is currently still working in Osnabrück as a consultant at apm International and is involved as a mentor in Mentoring.INTERKULT.
Mentor and mentee - an enrichment for both sides
"My mentor and I got on really well - right from the start. Whenever I had a question, I could contact him. When I was looking for an internship in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, my mentor put me in touch with lots of people. I had the chance to talk to managing directors and management consultants and built up a good network."
Miguel Rivera from Mexico (Mentoring.INTERKULT 2020/21)
has developed a close relationship with his mentor based on mutual support, which has turned into a friendship. Miguel is currently working in Munich after further study experiences in the USA and China.
Information for mentees
Are you an international student or do you feel you belong to the group of students with a history of migration? Are you planning to start your career in Germany? Would you like support with the transition to your career?
Then take part in the Mentoring.INTERKULT program and benefit from the guidance of experts from regional companies and the support of your peer support teams in achieving your goals.
The next application period is expected to take place in May 2025. Interested students of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences can find all information on the requirements for participation under Application.
If you have any questions about participating in our program, please contact the project coordinator Jana Sponbiel!
The mentoring program gives mentees the opportunity to focus intensively on their career planning and career entry in Germany during their studies.
You have the following advantages by participating in the program:
- Reflect on professional goals and develop measures to achieve them
- Developing strategies for starting a career
- Gain insights into the regional labor market and regional corporate cultures
- Get advice on decision-making and in problem situations
- Receive advice on reconciling work and family life
- Develop your personality and boost your self-confidence
- Expand your Future Skills
- Building networks and making contacts
- Language skills: Participation in the program requires mentees to be able to communicate confidently in German and thus actively participate in the workshops. Communication with the mentors also generally takes place in German. Knowledge of English is therefore generally not sufficient.
- Career planning: The mentees are planning to start their careers in the Osnabrück region or in Germany and would like to use mentoring to build up local networks and establish contacts.
Mentoring is actively shaped by the mentees and is therefore associated with certain expectations:
- Setting clear goals & developing career prospects
At the beginning of the mentoring program, the mentees set clear goals for their own development and communicate these to the mentor. The clearer the professional and personal goals are defined, the better the mentor can provide support. In the course of the mentoring process, perspectives for professional and career development are developed. - Taking an active role & demonstrating reliability
Mentees take an active role in the mentoring relationship and shape it independently and in a goal-oriented manner. Mentees are willing to accept advice and support and are reliable, punctual and responsible. All appointments with the mentor are kept. - Maintaining contact
The mentees are responsible for keeping in touch with the mentor and their own peer support team and provide regular updates on current developments. The initiative for the tandem meetings between mentor and mentee comes from the mentees. These are prepared by the mentees. Dates are arranged in consultation with the mentor. They are also responsible for maintaining regular contact with their own peer support team. All members of the peer support teams are responsible for the success of the team. Everyone must be active and ensure a good exchange. - Promote co-design
Mentees should be willing to actively participate in the mentoring program and contribute their own ideas and topics to the peer network with the other mentees. Mentees undertake to take part in the workshops offered, the supporting program and the peer support teams when they join the program. If this is not possible for special reasons, mentees should contact the project coordinator in advance. If mentees are absent from events without excuse, they may be excluded from the program.
The next application period is expected to take place in May 2025. Interested students can apply to participate in Mentoring.INTERKULT by submitting the documents by e-mail within the application period. The following documents are part of the application:
- Profile sheet
- Letter of motivation (approx. 1/2 page, German or English): Why do you want to participate in Mentoring.INTERKULT?
- Certificate of enrollment from Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences (can be submitted later)
- Curriculum vitae (German or English)
Following the application period, applicants will be invited to a personal interview. The interviews are expected to take place at the beginning of June 2025.
If you have any questions about participating in our program, please contact the project coordinator Jana Sponbiel!
So far, 62 students from Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences have completed the program. They have met regularly with their mentors, shared valuable experiences and celebrated milestones together.
The participants came to Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences from Afghanistan, Albania, Bahrain, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Serbia, Syria, Thailand, Ukraine, Vietnam and Yemen. By participating in Mentoring.INTERKULT, they are supported in their individual preparation for starting a career in Germany. Below we present some of our mentees according to the respective years of participation.
Mentees 2024/2025
In the 2024/2025 cohort, 17 mentees from 11 countries are taking part in Mentoring.INTERKULT. They are studying a total of seven different degree programs at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences.
Mentees 2023/2024
In 2023/2024, 14 mentees from 13 countries took part in Mentoring.INTERKULT. They studied in a total of six different degree programs at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. They included:
Mentees 2021/2022
In 2021/2022, 16 mentees from 12 countries took part in Mentoring.INTERKULT. They studied in a total of nine different degree programs at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. They included:
Mentees 2020/2021
In 2020/2021, 15 mentees from 14 countries took part in Mentoring.INTERKULT. They studied in a total of seven different degree programs at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences. They included:
Information for mentors
Mentors are people with professional experience who are employed in all areas of business, science or administration. They take on a variety of roles during the mentoring relationship, e.g. as advisors, knowledge brokers or contact mediators.
The mentors provide the mentee with advice and support with professional orientation and career planning. They are companions and, if necessary, door openers and contribute to the mentee's personal and professional development.
Mentors have the following advantages by participating in the program:
- Broadening intercultural perspectives through close personal contact with the mentees
- Strengthening your own consulting/coaching skills
- Contacts with potential future employees
- Opportunity to participate in workshops and networking events
- Expand your own network through contacts with other mentors from the region
- Voluntary commitment to promoting equal opportunities and educational equality in the Osnabrück region
The mentors:
- have many years of professional experience and are willing to share this openly with the mentee
- have a good network and extensive contacts and make these available to the mentee
- have an interest in promoting the personal development and skills development of the mentee
- are familiar with collegial consultation and feedback procedures
- are willing to invest time in the mentoring relationship
- are open to learning new things from the mentee
Since the start of the program in November 2020, 44 mentors from 36 companies have already been involved in Mentoring.INTERKULT. The industries are as diverse as the degree programs of our mentees. Most of the companies are based in the region in and around Osnabrück. The LearningCenter would like to thank all participating mentors and their companies and institutions for their commitment!
If you would like to become a mentor in Mentoring.INTERKULT in the upcoming program year 2025/26, please contact the project coordinator Jana Sponbiel without obligation.
Events and dates
The respective target groups at which the offer is aimed are defined in more detail in the event text.
Open events
Since the winter semester 2023/24, interested students have had the opportunity to register for vacancies in the supporting program of Mentoring.INTERKULT. You will be informed by e-mail.
Supporting program Mentoring.INTERKULT
The continuing education program, the work in the peer support teams and the networking meetings are an important part of Mentoring.INTERKULT. Participation in the workshops and active involvement in the peer support teams is mandatory for all mentees. As Mentoring.INTERKULT has held some events digitally in the past, the project coordination team reserves the right to alternate between face-to-face and online formats in the future.
Here you will find further information on all Mentoring.INTERKULT events.
October 2024
At this event, the mentors and mentees of Mentoring.INTERKULT come together for the first time and have the opportunity to exchange ideas with each other. This meeting marks the beginning of the nine-month one-to-one mentoring relationship.
Introductory workshop
October 2024 (Saturdays, one day)
In this workshop, the participating students reflect on their expectations and wishes for the program and prepare for their role as a mentee. They also discuss their tasks and goals in the peer support teams. The peer support teams are then formed, in which the mentees support each other over the nine-month duration of the program.
Job application training I
November 2024 (Saturdays, one day)
Application training I helps mentees to familiarize themselves with the application process on the German job market. This includes creating professional application documents, their own presence on XING or LinkedIn and support in preparing for future job interviews.
Job application training II
January 2025
Professional application photos are important to make a lasting impression with your application. For this reason, mentees take part in a photo shoot during Application Training II and receive individual application photos tailored to their personality. In a digital information session, the trainer explains in advance how more than half of the signals we send out are non-verbal, i.e. visual, information. The mentees familiarize themselves with the body signals that are crucial for a confident appearance and prepare for the photo shoot.
Confident appearance / self-presentation
March 2025 (Saturdays, one day)
In this one-day workshop, mentees find out how they can use their body language, facial expressions and gestures to present themselves and their strengths with confidence. By practicing challenging interview situations, they are prepared for a confident and confident appearance in job interviews and at work.
Empowerment
April 2025 (Saturdays, one day)
International applicants with a history of migration face particular challenges in the German job market, which is characterized by social power differences. This workshop aims to sensitize the mentees to the topic and give them a space to share their previous experiences and uncertainties with each other. Scope for action will be discussed and participants will be given ideas on how their own potential and resources can be used for empowerment, especially for the transition to work.
Final workshop
June 2025 (Saturdays, half-day)
In the final workshop, the mentees reflect on their experiences and lessons learned from the mentoring relationship, the workshops and the peer support teams. The developments to date, successes achieved and future goals should be recorded.
Networking events
approx. 2-3 dates within the program duration
The networking events accompany the mentees throughout the entire duration of the program and take place approximately four times over a period of nine months. Each meeting has a thematic focus, which is introduced in the form of inputs or presentations and then serves as a basis for discussion. At the meetings, the mentees get to talk to each other and get to know each other as a group.
Meetings in the peer support teams
approx. once a month during the program period
Over the course of the nine-month program, the mentees work together in so-called "peer support teams". The peer support teams help each other to achieve their goals. These can be, for example, individual goals for completing their studies or starting a career. The peer support teams work in a self-organized manner and are accompanied and supported by the coordinator if necessary. The peer support teams are formed in the introductory workshop. This is where expectations and wishes are discussed and rules for working together are defined. At the start of the nine-month collaboration, the project coordinator observes the teams. The peer support teams then coordinate their monthly meetings independently.
Online info meeting
October 2024 - Zoom
In this short format, the mentors reflect on their expectations and wishes for the program. They receive information on how to structure the mentoring relationship and prepare for the first mentoring meetings with the mentees. The event also offers the opportunity to reflect on the role of the mentor.
Workshop "Intercultural competence"
November 2024 - Zoom
This workshop for mentors aims to promote the development of intercultural skills. Against the backdrop of growing diversity in the work context, successfully dealing with interculturality is a key competence - this also applies to a successful mentoring relationship. Intercultural competence development can prevent difficulties in cooperation and communication and highlight the potential of mentees. In addition to teaching the basics of intercultural competence, the workshop also offers the opportunity to examine the role of the mentor.
Networking events
approx. 2 dates within the program duration
As part of the networking events, the mentors have the opportunity to get to know each other as a group, talk to each other and gain insights into the mentoring relationships of the other tandems about twice over the course of the program.
All mentees and mentors come together one last time at the festive closing event. The mentees receive their certificates and are officially dismissed from the program.
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the program structure and process
The project is aimed at all international students as well as students with a history of migration who are regularly enrolled at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences at the beginning of the program period in the winter semester.
Participation is open to students from all countries of origin who wish to familiarize themselves with the German job market and start a career in Germany after completing their degree. Students with a history of migration who have already obtained their higher education entrance qualification in Germany and/or have German citizenship can also benefit from participating in the program if they or their reference persons are not sufficiently familiar with the German job market and would like to make their first professional contacts.
Applicants must be able to communicate confidently in German. However, proof of German language skills is not required. Applicants must plan to work in Germany after completing their studies and be willing to actively participate in all program activities.
Participation in the program is free of charge and does not exclude participation in scholarship programs.
Participation in the program is also possible if studies end before the end of the program period in June 2026. The prerequisite is that students are still enrolled at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences at the beginning of the winter semester 2025/26. Unfortunately, students who finish their studies in the summer semester 2025 cannot participate in the program.
Participation in Mentoring.INTERKULT requires the willingness to maintain contact with the mentor on one's own responsibility. The continuing education program, the work in the peer support teams and the networking events are also important components of Mentoring.INTERKULT. Active participation is mandatory for all mentees.
There are a total of six one-day workshops, three of which take place in the winter semester and three in the summer semester. However, the workshops usually take place at weekends so as not to interfere with studies. In addition, there are a total of four approximately two-hour networking events (two in the summer semester and two in the winter semester), which focus on specific topics. The thematic focuses are agreed with the mentees in advance and are introduced in the form of inputs or presentations and then serve as a basis for discussion.
The total time commitment for the participants (mentees) varies depending on the individual structure and is usually around 6 hours/month. This calculation also includes all regular appointments with the respective mentors and in the peer support teams. The lecture and examination periods at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences are taken into account as far as possible when planning the offers.
So far, 62 students from Afghanistan, Albania, Bahrain, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Serbia, Syria, Thailand, Ukraine, Vietnam and Yemenhave taken part in Mentoring.INTERKULT.
However, participation is open to students from all countries of origin who wish to familiarize themselves with the German job market and start a career in Germany after completing their degree. Students with a history of migration who have already obtained their higher education entrance qualification in Germany and/or have German citizenship can also benefit from participating in the program if they or their reference persons are not sufficiently familiar with the German job market and would like to make their first professional contacts.
No. Mentoring.INTERKULT is a career mentoring program that prepares students for their career entry. The mentors are experienced professionals from regional companies. It is not comparable with other mentoring programs at peer level (e.g. for first semester students or other buddy programs) at Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences.
Mentoring.INTERKULT prepares students for starting a career in Germany. Many of the participating companies have an international focus. However, the mentors are usually employed in the Osnabrück region. This means that direct placement abroad is not possible.
Students of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences can apply regardless of their residence permit and degree program as long as they are regularly enrolled at the university.
Students with a migration background who have already obtained their higher education entrance qualification in Germany and/or have German citizenship can also benefit from participating in the program if they or their reference persons are not sufficiently familiar with the German job market and would like to make their first professional contacts.
Questions about the application
Yes, participation in Mentoring.INTERKULT is not tied to receiving a scholarship this year. However, international students and students with a history of migration can also apply for a Deutschlandstipendium scholarship in order to receive financial support. If you have not yet received a scholarship, we would like to encourage you to apply for Mentoring.INTERKULT via the Deutschlandstipendium application portal. You will benefit from financial support in the amount of 300 € / month, which will be awarded over a period of 12 months.
If you apply via the Deutschlandstipendium portal, your application documents can be forwarded to the Mentoring.INTERKULT project coordinator with your consent. In this case, it is not necessary to complete the profile form.
Please note: The application phase for the Deutschlandstipendium ends after two weeks.
Students who do not yet have a transcript of records should state the average grade of their university entrance qualification in their application and submit a copy of the transcript with their application. Master's students submit a copy of their Bachelor's certificate.
You will find the answers to Frequently asked questions on the Germany scholarship program (Deutschlandstipendium) here.
Questions about the mentors and companies
The mentors are working people from the Osnabrück region. They work in different fields and come from the partner institutions/companies of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences.
When applying, mentees provide information on various topics relating to their career entry. This includes, for example, the desired career & field of work and personal support needs (more career-specific or psychosocial coaching). In addition, requests can be made regarding the mentor's experience and professional sector.
The mentee takes an active role in the mentoring relationship and shapes it independently and in a goal-oriented manner. The mentee is willing to accept advice and support and is reliable, punctual and responsible. All appointments with the mentor are kept. The communication channels (e-mail, telephone, ...) and frequency of meetings are discussed with the mentor at the beginning of the program in a mentoring agreement and recorded in writing.
Based on the students' profile sheets and interests, the programme coordinator contacts various companies/organizations or mentors who are already involved. Students can specify their wishes, which are taken into account as far as possible. So far, very exciting matches have been found in every cohort!
Participation in Mentoring.INTERKULT requires the willingness to maintain contact with the mentor on one's own responsibility. The continuing education program, the work in the peer support teams and the networking events are also important components of Mentoring.INTERKULT. Active participation is mandatory for all mentees.
Mentoring.INTERKULT is a program that was developed in the LearningCenter and is carried out here. As part of the program, there is close cooperation with the Center for International Students (CIS) and University Advancement. The measure is funded as part of the FIT program.
