Extensive exchange with partner universities in Europe and worldwide

Justus Liebig University Giessen scores again in the EU programme Erasmus+ and raises a record sum of around 1.84 million euros in funding

In 2023, 36 years after the Erasmus+ programme was founded, JLU was able to raise the highest funding amount in its Erasmus history: with around 1.84 million euros, JLU students, lecturers and university staff can be funded within the Erasmus+ programme for a stay abroad at an Erasmus partner university or European institution. With the opening of the Erasmus+ programme across Europe’s borders, the Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility offers scholarships for stays at strategic partner universities of JLU worldwide.

Around 1.25 million euros are available for exchanges with partners in the 33 Erasmus+ programme countries in and around Europe in the academic year 2023/24. In addition, JLU was again successful in Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility with scholarship funds of around 600.000 euros: among the already existing partner universities in (South) Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans, sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, the successfully acquired funding for exchanges with partners in Australia and Colombia is of particularly great importance. Scholarship funds are now also available for exchanges with the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin – Madison in the USA.

The First Vice President of JLU, Prof. Dr. Katharina Lorenz, warmly congratulates all those who have contributed to the successful applications in the Erasmus+ programme: “Intensive exchange with international partners at all levels is more important than ever in these uncertain times. These scholarships are available to all members of JLU and thus create a broadly effective offer for financing stays abroad. This is internationalization in action at all levels.”

Students and doctoral candidates can spend two to twelve months abroad or at JLU with Erasmus+. So-called blended mobilities are also possible. These are short stays of between five and 30 days combined with a virtual experience abroad. In addition, lecturers can be funded for a teaching stay and university staff for a training period abroad. Partial scholarships or travel and subsistence allowances are available for all exchanges. 

In order to strengthen inclusion in the Erasmus+ programme, additional financial support is available for disadvantaged students. They can apply for a top-up of their Erasmus grant of 250 euros per month. For sustainable travel, there is also the possibility to receive a one-time top-up of 50 euros.

UWM student visits Google HQ for North America Connect

International student outside in front of sign at Google HQ

International student Pranay Mandadapu proves that hard work pays off. As the lead of UWM’s new Google Developer Student Club (GDSC), Pranay was invited by Google to attend its North America Connect event from November 4-5 at Google headquarters. We sat down with him recently to learn about UWM’s chapter of GDSC and his exciting trip to Google.

Congratulations to Pranay for participating in such an incredible opportunity, and thank you for representing UWM so positively!

Q: What prompted you to start the GDSC on campus, and how does the club function?

A: I found that it was difficult to study alone when I first started at UWM. Since I learn best by going to others, I wanted to create a standard platform where students could ask questions and exchange information. This led me to create the UWM Google Developer Student Club (GDSC).

As our GDSC club webpage states, we are a “group powered by Google Developers for Students interested in technologies like Web, Software, Data Science, Cloud, and so on. Our goal is to bridge the gap between theory and practice, bring together students from various backgrounds who love learning and applying their skills to solve real-world problems, impact students in a technical aspect and empower them to enhance the technological world ahead of us.”

I started UWM’s chapter in September 2022 and we already have more than 100 members. This semester we’ve held several virtual events with speakers from Google and Dell, as well as a recent UWM alum who’s a software engineer at Astronautics Corporation of America. It’s great to hear from people who directly make decisions in the industry.

Q: How did you score an invitation to Google’s North America Connect event?

A: Since I’m the lead of UWM’s GDSC and our club is very active, Google invited me to attend the North America Connect event. They paid for my hotel and flew me out to Google headquarters in Mountain View, California. 200 students across the U.S. and Canada attended the event, and I was the only student representing Wisconsin.

Q: What was the event like?

A: The 3-day event took place at the center of Google. The first night we had a welcome dinner, and the next two days were the actual conference where we attended a variety of sessions. Googlers, students, and industry experts attended, and it was fun to see the Googlers in their natural environment. I met so many people at Google who are the main point of contact – like Wesley Chun, the main Google developer advocate for Cloud solutions, and even the developers who are responsible for creating Google Maps.

Q: What professional connections did you make?

A: I had the chance to talk to Wesley Chun about how Google Cloud lacks support for student communities compared to its competitors. Chun was very understanding and wants to work toward a solution. He and other Googlers now want to meet with UWM professors in my department to share what Google Cloud can offer colleges. I’m glad I was able to help build this partnership.

I also talked to another Google Developer Advocate, Martin Omander, at a social mixer. With so many layoffs happening right now in Silicon Valley, I asked him how students can brace themselves for this situation. Omander reminded me that the infrastructure at these companies must be supported by people and that the companies who are currently experiencing significant layoffs will eventually start hiring again. He shared that a period of recession is a good time for students to focus on building their portfolios, putting their projects on Opensource, and properly documenting their work. This way, when companies do start hiring again, these students will be fully ready to apply. My exchanges with Omander were very inspiring.

Q: How did the Google event impact you, and what’s next for you?

A: I was able to share my own experiences with many Googlers, and they told me that I’m in the right spot, which was very validating. It was very different than just hearing from these people in virtual lectures – I was starstruck to meet them in person.

Since attending the conference I’ve started taking myself out of my comfort zone and have started working on app development, whereas before this I was most comfortable with website and Cloud hosting. The conversations at the conference really inspired me to push my envelope and get to know more technologies. I recently landed a full-time internship next summer as a Data Engineer at Kohler, which is really a dream role for me!

Recognizing UWM International Advocates

2022 International Advocate Award Recipients

On Wednesday, November 16, 2022, the Center for International Education held its first International Advocate Award Ceremony, recognizing 36 outstanding UWM faculty and staff members who have made a difference in the lives of UWM international students and students who have pursued studying abroad.

Earlier this semester, UWM international students and study abroad participants nominated these faculty and staff members who showed them exceptional support and assistance.​

Congratulations to all of the award recipients, who are listed below. We are very grateful for your support of our international students and study abroad students – you play an instrumental role in making UWM a truly international campus!

Welcoming a record-breaking group of new international students

Large group of international students at orientation

UWM has welcomed its largest incoming group of international students in UWM history. As of September 6, 2022, 496 new international students were enrolled: 

  • 30% of new graduate students are international 
  • 28% of new master’s students are international 
  • 50% of new doctoral students are international 
  • 20% of total graduate student enrollment is international 
  • For the first time since 2015 UWM has increased the number of new international undergrads enrolled.  
  • India is currently the top sending country to UWM, but we have new students enrolled from 50+ countries  

Many factors have contributed to the increase of new international student enrollment, including:

  • Comprehensive strategic enrollment management initiatives 
    • representation by UWM South Asia regional manager 
    • increased number of recruitment partners 
    • new undergraduate application portal  
    • marketing and outreach to applicants and admitted students  
  • International travel restrictions relaxed 
  • More welcoming atmosphere to international students in the U.S.

Thank you to CIE for all of the admissions and recruitment efforts, and to the faculty and staff members across campus who are helping these new students settle into the Panther family.

We are so glad you are here!

News & Stories

International Student Numbers on the Rise

Graphic welcoming new international students to UWM

UWM international student enrollment increased 10.9% between spring 2021 and spring 2022. 16% of UWM graduate students and 2.1% of UWM undergraduate students are international, and international students make up 5% of the university’s overall population. Please enjoy some videos on Instagram of UWM’s incoming international students traveling from their home countries to campus.

Welcome to All New International Students for Fall 2021!

UWM just welcomed nearly 300 new international students for fall 2021, which is higher than the number we welcomed in fall 2019, pre-COVID.

They have faced significant challenges to get here in the middle of a pandemic, and their arrival to UWM demonstrates their passion and hard work! Please make sure all new international students around you feel welcome and included in the Panther family!

These students are from countries including:

List of countries for incoming fall 2021 international students
Map graphic of new students for fall 2021

UWM Welcomes 86 New International Students

Map of incoming international students for spring 2021.

Imagine what it takes to relocate to another country to study: All the paperwork, packing, saying goodbyes, anxiety, excitement, travel, jet lag, finding a place to live, new food, new friends, new experiences, culture shock, etc. Now imagine doing all that in a global pandemic, with COVID-19, travel bans and difficulty getting a visa.

UWM enrolled 86 new international students for spring 2021, which aligns with new enrollment numbers we typically see each spring. 86 people started a life-changing journey to become part of the Panther family.

A giant shout out to these new students and thank you to everyone who has helped (or will help) UWM’s new international students feel welcome!

UW-Milwaukee Student Starts Day 7,700 Miles Away

Indian student studying on laptop

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee allows students participating in online classes to do so asynchronously, which means students can study at the times that work best for their respective schedules.

By the time Ram Ravipati wakes up for classes at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, it’s nearly dinner time in his family’s home.

That’s because Ram, a first-year student, lives in Vidya Nagar, Guntur, India. He has adapted to a 10 hour and 30-minute time zone difference and takes all his classes online.

Although UWM students studying online can enroll in classes with asynchronous instruction, Ram chose to adjust his sleep patterns to mirror those of his classmates in the United States.

“When I wake up, it’s morning in Milwaukee, but it’s the afternoon here,” Ram said. “I actually eat dinner with my family, but it’s breakfast for me.”

He lives about 7,700 miles from UWM’s campus in the American Midwest. Milwaukee is a manufacturing city with a regional population of roughly one million that is located about 150 kilometers north of Chicago.

Before Ram finished high school, he researched universities around the world. UWM became his first choice when he recognized Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s name on a list of notable UWM alumni.

When the pandemic shut down schools and businesses across the world, Ram thought about enrolling in online classes from a university in India. But UWM adopted a hybrid model of instruction for the fall semester, which means many classes offer a mixture of in-person and online instruction. That flexibility allowed Ram to enroll at UWM while staying in India.

“Some of the most talented people in the world, like Satya Nadella, went [to UWM],” he said. “Going to UWM was my dream, so when I found out they were offering online classes, I chose UWM.”

Ram, a computer science major in UWM’s College of Engineering & Applied Science, has adapted quickly to his online classes. He routinely speaks to his professors during their online office hours and receives swift responses whenever he emails them a question. He also attends drop-in tutoring sessions when he needs extra help.

“It’s not a difficult task to take online classes,” he said. “I actually think it’s kind of fun and interesting because when you start doing online classes, you can do things in your own way.

“If I miss something in my notes, I can go back to the lecture and rewatch that part of the class. It helps a lot.”

Ram also finds it easy to connect with his fellow students. He is one of about 1,200 international students and 24,000 total students at UWM.

He has applied for a visa and is hoping to meet his new friends on UWM’s campus in the spring.

“We have a Facebook group for the Class of 2024, so we’re in there exchanging our Snapchats, setting up some group chats and getting to know each other,” he said. “It’s not hard to make friends.”

He hopes to work for a large technology company to gain experience after he graduates. He plans to eventually start his own software company in India.

“The computer industry is growing right now and there are more opportunities in this industry than any other,” he said. “I want to start a software company and I want to create jobs for many students.”

A StoryMap Summer: Educators Create Global Curriculum at UWM

Four local educators spent their summer break in virtual residence at the UWM American Geographical Society Library (AGSL).  National Resource Center-funded fellowships supported these teachers, who used the Library’s vast collections of maps and other primary sources to develop globally-focused curriculum for use in K-12 classrooms.  The fellowships were created to foster global competence among participating educators through an intensive hands-on professional development experience.  This summer, all the projects explored how global history and boundaries continue to impact contemporary societies.  The projects developed ways for the teachers to more effectively teach about the histories of American Sign Language (ASL) & Sign Languages, a broad history of Afro-Latinos, a look at colonialism’s effect on modern day events, and geographic vocabulary highlighting “Who I Am, Where I’m From” for students who are refugees.   

The participating teachers serve students in diverse Milwaukee Public Schools settings and will be implementing their curriculum during the 2020-2021 school year.   With the shift to virtual teaching due to the pandemic, the teachers also benefited from the experience of working with digital collections and using ArcGIS StoryMaps, a tool for building unique, dynamic narratives. The teachers loved learning the new skill as part of their fellowship and all thought their students would like the change in lesson format.     

To learn more about the teachers’ projects and read their blog posts about the experience, check out the AGSL’s blog: https://agslibraryblog.wordpress.com/. 

Stay tuned for information about the 2021 AGSL Summer Teacher Fellowships!