The DeutschZentrum (Centre of German language) at the Kyrgyz State Technical Razzakov-University in Bishkek
The DeutschZentrum was established in 2014. Since then it has developed into a contemporary educational centre with up-to-date teaching methods and teaching material. The organisation of the learning process has been adapted to international standards. As a result, over the course of the last years the knowledge of German among the students of the Kyrgyz-German Technical Institute has significantly improved. This, in turn, has increased their opportunities to take part in educational projects in Germany. The Kyrgyz-German Technical Institute (KGTI) has tight and long-term partnerships with German universities that are financed through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Erasmus+. Via the DAAD-programme "Deutschsprachige Studiengänge" (German Language Study Programs, DSG) the KGTI collaborates with the Beuth University of Applied Science Berlin and the Technical University Cologne. Students and instructors of the KGTI have the opportunity to receive scholarships for short and long termed (up to a semester) study stays in Germany. German professors come to Bishkek on a regular basis and give lectures on various technical subjects in German. In 2014 the Coordination Centre was founded that is headed by the DAAD fellow Yves-Oliver Tauschwitz, who is supported by Meerim Adbylasova. It was installed in order to mediate between the KGTI and the German partner institutions. They publish and spread scholarship announcements as well as prepare and conduct interviews with the applicants. Also, they organize different projects. For example, Mr. Tauschwitz since 2016 regularly organizes the International Students' Conference "Deutsch und Technik" (German and Technology) that gives students from Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the Ukraine a platform to present their projects on the basis of a technical poster. The conference traditionally is launched by short presentations of successful research projects by local and international professors. In the days preceding the conference, the presenters and students of the KGTI also can attend lectures, held in German by instructors from near and far. Finally, the guests present their institutions and are invited to an excursion to a local company. Due to such a tight cooperation with German institutions it became necessary to improve the knowledge of German among teachers and students alike. In order to reach this goal, highly qualified German teachers were employed, who teach in a communicative,a creative and practice-oriented way. All teachers need to have a level of German higher than B2 and not only have to undergo an interview, but also conduct a trial lesson. Today, the DeutschZentrum employs 13 teachers and one auxiliary. More than 800 students from six technical subjects of the Kyrgyz-German Technical Institute learn German three times a week for 80 minutes from the first to the sixth semester. They are divided into interdisciplinary groups that fit their level of German (from A1 to C1). Each semester they pass an exam and are reassigned into new groups according to its results. The DAAD fellow at the Kyrgyz State Technical Razzakov-University supervises the tests as an independent examiner and issues language certificates. Every year in April the students are instructed for two weeks in technical terminology. For this purpose, new groups are formes on the basis of their subject (i.e. Mechanical Engineering, Electronical Engineering, Telematics, Logistics, Medical Engineering and Food Technology) and study semester. The teaching material has been compiled and adapted for language teaching by the staff of the DeutschZentrum. Since September 2018 the Kyrgyz-German Technical Institute has introduced two more study subjects (Leather Technology and Printing Technology) and we are also instructing these students in German. Apart from that, teachers and employees of the Kyrgyz State Technical Razzakov-University twice a week can take part in German classes (from A1 to B2) for free. These are offered by teachers of the DeutschZentrum. The cooperation with the Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin (BHS) also enables teachers of the DeutschZentrum to improve their theoretical and methodological knowledge in Germany. Since 2014 nine German teachers could make use of this opportunity. They went to the BHS and to the TestDaF institute in Leipzig. The Deutsch Zentrum at the Kyrgyz-German Technical Institute will continue to acquaint students and teachers with the German language and culture. We are convinced that mastering the German language gives our students a competitive edge and prepares them to continue their education in Germany.
