Exchange between the Department of School Psychology and Special Education at Lehigh University, Bethlehem (USA), and the Institute of Special Needs Education and Rehabilitation at the University of Oldenburg

The famous "thinking outside the box" was worthwhile again this year. For many years, our Institute of Special Needs Education and Rehabilitation has maintained a close partnership with Lehigh University in Bethlehem. This co-operation enables one doctoral candidate to spend two weeks in Germany and two weeks in the USA - an opportunity to get to know each other, gain insights into the culture and experience school and university life in both countries directly.

This year I was able to take part in this exchange. In July, Lauren, my exchange partner, visited me in Oldenburg. Together, we took part in various meetings organised by our Institute and visited several schools - including special schools specialising in KME and GE as well as a primary school. Of course, there was also time to explore Oldenburg and the surrounding area. In addition to leisurely strolls through the city, there was also a trip to the North Sea. A special highlight was our weekend together in Potsdam, which was accompanied by intensive discussions about German history. This resulted in a spontaneous visit to the Bergen-Belsen memorial together with a secondary school class. The discussions usually continued for a long time in the evenings - there was simply so much to talk about, especially about our different education systems.

In October, I then had the opportunity to visit Lauren in the USA. As it was my first trip to the United States, it wasn't just the academic appointments that were exciting, but also the many little observations from everyday life. I ended up in Philadelphia, where I spent the first few days and also met up with Lauren. In this city, you can hardly get past American history.

I then travelled on to Bethlehem, where Lehigh University, with around 8,000 students rather small compared to many other US universities, impressed me with its lively academic atmosphere. During the two weeks, I took part in work and research meetings, attended various seminars and learnt more about the structure of the American system. I found the distinction between school psychology - strongly diagnostics-orientated - and special education, which focuses primarily on teaching, particularly interesting. Here in Germany, these areas are intertwined in special education.

I was also able to spend a day at three schools: an "Intermediate Unit", which supports children with disabilities from an early age, the Centennial School - a laboratory school at Lehigh University with a focus on behavioural problems - and an elementary school, where I gained an insight into the work of a school psychologist. Again and again I was struck by how similar our systems seem at first glance - and how clear the differences become on closer inspection. One small example: While we often work with photos first and then pictograms in didactics, it is often the other way round there.

There was also time for leisure: a weekend trip to New York - just 90 minutes away by car - was of course a must. The city really overwhelmed me with its energy and diversity, so the contrast to the autumnal tranquillity in Bethlehem was huge. At the end of my trip, Lauren and I visited some of her family in Columbus, Ohio. She had also completed her Bachelor's degree there, so the visit was a reunion with many memories for her. We were warmly welcomed by her aunt and uncle. A special highlight for me at the end was attending a college football game - a huge stadium full of euphoria.

It's now been a few weeks since that trip, but looking back I'm still very grateful for the experience. On a personal level, it was easy to get along with Lauren and to spend four very intensive weeks together with a stranger, both here and in the USA, and to share a life together almost 24/7.

The exchange was incredibly enriching, both professionally and personally. The insights into different schools, the encounters with dedicated colleagues and the realisation that enthusiasm for special needs education unites people worldwide and that topics are similar made a lasting impression on me.