From Finland to South Africa, from Taiwan to Peru: As part of its annual International Staff Training Week, Freie Universität hosted university employees from all over the world from June 23‒27, 2025. Participants came together to foster international exchange, share professional expertise, and contribute to making the world of science and research a more open and accessible space.

On day one, it was clear that this group of strangers was ready to build a vibrant, international community during their visit. In his opening speech, Dr. Herbert Grieshop, director of Freie Universität’s Division of International Affairs said, “This week is what you make it – your knowledge, experiences, openness, and curiosity are what make it special.”

Executive Vice President of Freie Universität and member of the Executive Board with responsibility for international affairs Verena Blechinger-Talcott greeted the participants in a video message, saying: “International partnerships thrive on personal exchange. The fact that you are here, sharing ideas and learning from one another, not only strengthens the links between our universities but also fosters dialogue on both a European and an international level.”

The participants attended programs across eight parallel tracks: Career Integration for International Students; Onboarding; Networks and Partnerships; Student Mobility; COIL – Collaborative Online International Learning; Postdoc Support; Job Shadowing in Translation and Editing Services; and Gender and Diversity in Higher Education.

This year, the most international visitors came from Ukraine (seventeen participants), followed by Kenya and Turkey (nine each), Canada (eight), and France (seven). Overall the group was very diverse, with smaller delegations from countries such as Bangladesh, Uruguay, Liechtenstein, and Iraq – to name just a few. The group was united by their interest in international collaboration at universities.

Due to escalations in the conflict between Israel and Iran prior to International Staff Week, several participants from Israel and Lebanon were unable to make the trip to Berlin. Others were forced to get creative with their travel plans: One participant from the University of Sulaimani (Iraq) had to take the bus to Diyarbakır (Turkey) before making their way to Ankara in order to fly to Berlin.

Many described the week as inspiring, enriching, and unforgettable. There was an atmosphere of mutual respect, curiosity, and openness. Countless testimonials spoke to the participants’ positive experiences and the strong sense of community they felt at Freie Universität. A participant from France wrote, “Most important takeaway for me: humor and positivity cannot be underestimated in challenging times!” Another attendee from Kenya said, “I am grateful for the laughs, support, learning, networking, and good energy.”

A participant from Colombia summed up her experiences with a meaningful quote about the power of connection and mutual respect: “By coincidence, earlier this week I found this quote by Brené Brown that resonated a lot with our experience at Freie Universität: ‘Connection is the energy that is created between people when they’re seen, heard, and valued.’”

A particular highlight of the week was the Campus Run. Sixty of the International Staff Week participants signed up to run 2.5 km, 5 km, 7.5 km, or 10 km as part of Team Global, the official team of the Division of International Affairs. Team members received a free t-shirt as a souvenir. As the second-largest team overall, Team Global won 800 euros that will be put toward a grant for international students. A participant from Mexico offered this glowing appraisal of the week: “The experience was not only intellectually enriching but also deeply inspiring.”

Freie Universität’s Summer Fest, which took place in parallel with the Campus Run, was a chance to celebrate, dance, and enjoy a final evening together. The concluding activities of International Staff Week took place on the following day, when the participants gathered at Freie Universität’s Water Sports Center. With a choice of water sports such as sailing, surfing, wing foiling, kayaking, or pedal boating, participants were able to engage in more sporting fun before saying their goodbyes. The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. One attendee from France said “From the first email to the final day of water sports, you made this experience truly unforgettable.”

The team responsible for organizing International Staff Week also consider the week a complete success. Stefanie Ritter from the Division of International Affairs said, “We are grateful for the open minds, enthusiasm, and warmth that each and every participant brought to the program. We are very proud to have helped enable important international exchange at Freie Universität.”

The feeling was clearly mutual, as one participant from Italy summarized in their feedback. They thanked the organizational team for everything, adding “but most of all for the incredible intercultural spirit and your warm hospitality. You shared with us such a powerful message of peace, openness, and respect. And in these turbulent times, that meant so much to me – it truly touched my heart. I will always carry this beautiful lesson with me and do my best to bring it to my university.”

The original German version of this article appeared in campus.leben, the online magazine published by Freie Universität Berlin.