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"GUtech Ambassadors"

GUtech students will attend a Language and Culture Course at RWTH Aachen University in September
MUSCAT As part of their studies two different groups of GUtech students will travel to Germany in September this year.

A group of BSc Geosciences students will attend a laboratory course at RWTH Aachen University and for the fourth time a group of 15 Foundation Year and BSc 1^styear students will attend a German language and culture course at RWTH Aachen University, GUtech's German parent-university.

The main purpose of the trip is to help students to better understand GUtech`s approach to lecturing, studying and research. "Once they have seen and visited RWTH Aachen and Germany, they can develop a sense of connection to Germany as a whole. For the German Academic Exchange Service the cultural and language benefits are the main motive to sponsor these trips - no short term academic results are expected, it is the long term relationships between GUtech students and Germany that are sought," said Dr. Nicola Huson, Representative of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and German Lecturer at GUtech. The trip is sponsored by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and GUtech, students only need to pay for their pocket-money and the health insurance.

GUtech students study for a minimum of four years in Muscat - but they are taught by a large number of lecturers and professors from Germany, the curriculum and course work of all GUtech programmes is developed from a German understanding and experience of higher education. GUtech students will visit RWTH Aachen or other German universities for parts of their studies in Applied IT, Applied Geosciences, Engineering, Sustainable Tourism and Regional Development or in Urban Planning and Architectural Design.

"Students who join the GUtech Foundation Year approach me very early in the year about the trip - which means students hear from other students about the trip and seem eager to join," said Dr. Nicola.

Students, who are interested in travelling to Germany need to go through a selection process. They are regarded as "GUtech Ambassadors", who represent their country and GUtech. "We expect them to act accordingly and represent not just the university but also Oman. The selection therefore is rigorous - students have to achieve well in their studies and must have shown good behavior and attitude at all times. They need to apply with a motivation letter and go through an interview with a selection committee which is headed by the Rector of GUtech, Prof. Dr. Burkhard Rauhut.

"We initially receive around 50 applications for the 15 places. The trips are very intensive and the students experience a lot during their stay: They learn German, learn about German culture, about their study subjects taught at RWTH Aachen and about other cities," said Dr. Nicola. The students usually travel to neighboring countries the Netherlands and Belgium and visit cities that are located close to Aachen, such as Bonn and Cologne.

The GUtech representative at RWTH Aachen University, Ms Magdalena Virgo, organizes everything on the Aachen side, including visits to the relevant departments at RWTH Aachen University. "The different departments themselves always get their students involved in these meetings - which is a great experience for our students. Some of them have developed a few close friendships. A number of German students also visit GUtech for their studies or internships. So the benefits of getting to know each other and about one another are mutual," said Dr. Nicola.

GUtech offers four BSc programmes in Sustainable Tourism and Regional Development,

Urban Planning and Architectural Design, Applied IT, Applied Geosciences and two BEng programmes in Mechanical Engineering and Process Engineering. In addition two part-time MSc courses in Integrated Urban Planning and in Petroleum Geoscience. All BSc programmes are internationally accredited, the language of teaching at GUtech is English.

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© Press Release 2011