Mentoring Program for Senior Citizen Students and International Students
This program arranges mentoring relationships between senior students and students from all over the world (TU Dortmund and FH Dortmund), who come to Dortmund for their studies.
This program brings together students from all over the world who come to TU Dortmund University and Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts to study with senior students from TU Dortmund University. Senior students are older adults (usually aged 50 and over) who are studying at TU Dortmund University or attending courses at TU Dortmund University after graduation.
The aim of the program is to create encounters between the generations and promote intercultural exchange. International students gain an insight into German culture and everyday life in Dortmund. At the same time, the senior students get to know new cultures and can view their own culture from a new perspective.
In addition to the regular meetings, there are many opportunities to get to know each other, share experiences and spend time together at joint events and excursions. The meetings take place in an open and relaxed atmosphere and offer the opportunity to make deeper individual contacts and use the German language in everyday life.
Background of the program
Senior citizen studies is a further education program offered by some universities in Germany for people of an advanced age who would like to continue their academic education after retirement. The participants, so-called senior students, attend lectures, seminars or special events in the spirit of lifelong learning. However, not all universities offer such programs, and the scope and structure vary from university to university. TU Dortmund University has an established continuing education program for senior citizens, which enables projects and exchange formats in addition to courses. This also creates opportunities for encounters between different generations within the university.
The program also emerged from this context. It was launched in 2008 by committed senior students. Today, it is a cooperative project of Department 17 - Continuing Education for Senior Citizens - in collaboration with the International Office of TU Dortmund University and the International Office of Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts. A special feature of this program is its intergenerational approach. While many universities offer buddy or sponsorship programs in which students support international students, this program specifically brings international students together with senior students.
A total of almost 50,000 people from over 100 countries study at TU Dortmund University and Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts. For many international students, studying in Germany also means finding their way in a new cultural environment. The program supports them in making contacts outside the campus and getting to know social life in Germany better.
At the same time, the program offers senior students the opportunity to come into contact with young people from different countries, get to know new cultures and exchange exciting perspectives. Support with written work or job applications is also possible.
Participation can be credited as an internship for senior students in the continuing education program. Further information can be found at
www.seniorenstudium.tu-dortmund.de
My role in the program
The focus is on having fun getting to know each other and experiencing things together. As a participant, you have no fixed obligations. Activities and frequency of meetings can be arranged individually.
Foreign language skills are not required. The meetings offer international students the opportunity to speak German in everyday life and make new contacts.
As many international students stay in Germany not just for one or two semesters, but often for their entire studies, we welcome longer-term involvement and regular meetings.
International students and senior students get to know each other at joint meetings and activities. This can also lead to individual contacts.
Regular meetings
When? Wednesdays, 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Where? Seminarraum 1 in IBZ (Emil-Figge-str. 59, 44227 Dortmund)
The dates of the meetings in the winter semester 2025/26 are:
- 14.01.2026
The dates of the meetings in the Summer semester 2026 are:
- 15.04.2026
- 29.04.2026
- 13.05.2026
- 27.05.2026
- more dates will be published soon
The regular meetings only take place during the lecture period.
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Information for Senior Citizen Students – Become a Mentor Yourself!
The mentoring program is a cooperation project between TU Dortmund University and the FH Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts, in which senior students take over mentoring tasks to support the settling and integration of interested international students.
In sum, almost 50,000 students are enrolled at TU Dortmund University and the FH Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts - not only from Germany, but from more than 100 countries. For international students, studying in Germany often means settling into a new and foreign culture. To facilitate the integration of foreign students, the mentoring program was devised by committed senior students in 2008.
For this program we are constantly looking for new mentors who are willing to take care of one or more foreign students, help them to settle in our city and get more familiar with the German way of life.
For the mentors, the program offers the chance to establish exciting contacts with young people, learn more about other cultures and thus gain a different perspective on their own German way of life. Helping the students with written university assignments or letters of application is frequently very welcome as well. With the help of this mentoring program, the international students should gain further insight into German everyday life and improve their language skills through the vivid contact with native speakers.
The fun of getting to know each other and the common experience are in the focus of interest! As a mentor, you have no pre-determined duties, but can individually arrange activities and shape the time pattern of the partnership according to your wishes. You do not need to have any foreign language skills, since one of the main goals is to give international students additional opportunity to communicate in German. As the students do not only stay in Germany for one or two semesters, but most often for their entire studies, we hope for long-term commitment with regular contact.
If you have time and motivation to become part of a mentoring relationship, please do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail or simply drop by during our weekly meetings.
Together we will consult closely with you before putting you in touch with one or two foreign students - e.g. during joint activities.
We appreciate your interest!
Information for International Students – Find a Mentor!
You are an international student and would like to get more in touch with Germans or German families - even outside the campus? Would you like to speak more with native speakers to improve your language skills?
The mentoring program was initiated by senior citizen students of TU Dortmund University. It offers the opportunity to get to know a mentor from Dortmund and the region and thus learn more about German culture and everyday life. As a student you will not live together with your mentor, but you will get to know the social life in Germany better through joint activities. You will regularly meet on a weekly basis at our joint meetings, take part in various activities and can also meet individually with your mentor to exchange ideas and get to know each other's culture. Support in written university assignments or with letters of application is also possible.
Please do not hesitate to contact us via e-mail or simply visit us during our weekly meetings.
Together we will consult closely with you before putting you in touch with a potential mentor, e.g. during joint activities.
We appreciate your interest!
Contact
Reinhard Schmidt and Irmgard Kucharzewski
E-Mail: patenschaftsprogramm.fk17@tu-dortmund.de
Contact person in the International Office of the FH Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts