Greetings and Happy New Year from the Netherlands!

I am writing to ask your help to publicize a 4 week Study Abroad program I have been working on with my colleague Prof. Anja Weiss at the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), Germany, for several years. In fact, during my academic leave this year, I am enjoying teaching a “block course” at UDE this winter, including several 2 day blocks from last month until end of this month, so I am in steady contact with Dr. Weiss and her colleagues. 

We are really hoping to “break the ice” and get the first few UT students to join the 2018 program this June. After that, the program will hopefully grow by word of mouth.

So, that’s why I need your help! Could you share this with Geography undergraduates, either directly and/or ask instructors to share by carving 5 to 10 minutes out of their class to announce it? 

I am attaching 3 documents to help with the publicity:

1. Flyer from University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) about this year’s summer program, which runs June 11 to July 6

2. My site visit report from a visit in June 2017; it summarizes all sorts of logistics and reasons why this program is a good one for UT students

3. a Powerpoint presentation on the program that UDE prepared (it is a large, so I may have to send in separate email)

The biggest points, I think, are that 

1. this is a VERY reasonably priced option to study abroad for 4 weeks (UT tuition; flight; plus about $600 for food and lodging; €290 for UDE fees, which includes bus and regional train tickets and access to university facilities, including cheap/subsidized cafeteria)

2. The program is small, personalized, and high quality. 

3. Due to an agreement between the 2 universities (under CIE), students can sign up for 5 study abroad credits in Sociology 492* and not have to deal with transfer credits. (I also would be willing to work with students to round that up to 6 credits via a 1 credit independent study in Fall 2018.)  

4. I will be in Europe until July 2018, live 2 hours by train from UDE, and will make a trip there to welcome any and all UT students who come on the program 

* NB: if Geography would be interested in allowing your students to sign up under a Geography number, CIE is happy to add that to the Study Abroad info. 

Finally, Alisa Meador in CIE shared the following with me:

Annastasia Williams is the exchange coordinator in our office.  She will be able to sign off on any materials UDE requires.  The students would first need to complete the UT online application through our portal https://studyabroad.utk.edu/?go=udesociology 

and meet with Annastasia to discuss the program particulars including tuition, logistics, course transfer etc. 

Thanks in advance for publicizing this opportunity with your students. Let me know if you — or your students — have any questions.

Best,

Paul