The Department of Studies and International Affairs reports on the implementation of the 7th edition of the “Tunisian-German Winter School 2025: Digital Future 7.0”, held from November 24 to 28, 2025, in Hammamet, Tunisia. This annual Short Mobility initiative was financially supported by the German Federal Foreign Office and the DAAD, operating within the framework of the “Ta'ziz Partnership for Democracy” project. The event served to strengthen academic cooperation with two of our SUAS partner institutions, TEK-UP (Tunisia) and Ibn Tofail University (Morocco).
The intensive programme brought together highly motivated Bachelor and Master students from the three participating universities to focus on the pivotal topic “Citizen Science Approaches as the Nucleus of Interconnected Change Management in the MENA Region”. The academic objective was to explore how citizen science can effectively drive digital transformation and sustainable change management across the Middle East and North Africa region. Activities included specialised seminars and practical workshops designed to encourage the application of innovative methodologies in an international setting, framed by plenum presentations (e. g. held by the regional DAAD representative) and discussions.
The collaboration between participants from Germany, Tunisia, and Morocco established an effective international working environment. This setup offered students a critical opportunity to practice intercultural communication, develop practical teamwork skills in a diverse setting, and build an essential professional network across different continents. Thanks to DAAD-funded scholarships, which covered the mobility and stay expenses, participants were able to focus fully on the program's academic requirements and activities. These cross-cultural interactions are fundamental to promoting mutual understanding and preparing our students to address complex global challenges, aligning directly with the SUAS commitment to internationalization.
💬 Student Perspective
The Tunisian-German Winter School offered us a valuable opportunity to apply and expand our academic knowledge. The seminars on citizen science approaches were highly relevant to my bachelor's programme, offering a distinct practical perspective on digital transformation in the MENA region. Exchanging ideas and collaborating with students from TEK-UP and Ibn Tofail was a rewarding experience, both academically and cross-culturally. I would highly recommend this mobility programme to other students seeking relevant international exposure within their field of study.
— Barbara Nascimento, Bachelor's Student