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A Different Kind of School Experience: Teaching Students Discover Zagreb
Spending a week collaborating with other university students, teachers, and students in another country: Anouk and Sarah visited Zagreb as part of their teaching degrees. In clicKIT, the three of them share how the city captivated them in just one week, what they did during their excursion, and what they’ll take away for their future careers as teachers.
The focus of the eventful excursion in May 2026 was the topic “German as a Foreign Language.” “We also received an introduction to the Croatian school system and learned about teacher training in Zagreb,” says Anouk, who is in her fourth semester of the bachelor’s program in teacher education at KIT, majoring in German and Philosophy and Ethics. “We also observed classes at elementary and secondary schools and were able to prepare lessons together with teacher trainees and university students from Zagreb,” adds Sarah, who is in her fourth semester of a master’s program at the Karlsruhe University of Education, studying math and English.
Two Universities, One Shared Journey
The exchange originally began as part of a teacher training seminar for student teachers at the Karlsruhe School of Education. Now, the field trip to Zagreb takes place with students and in cooperation with the PH Karlsruhe. This allowed students at KIT and the PH not only to network with their counterparts from Croatia but also with other teacher education students from Karlsruhe. “The application process varied slightly depending on the university,” Sarah reports. The program is generally open to all teacher education students at both universities.
Out of the Lecture Hall and Into the Exchange
A packed schedule awaited them in Zagreb: The group toured the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Zagreb, visited the Goethe-Institut and the German International School, and worked with aspiring Croatian teachers to develop lesson ideas. They also explored the challenges faced by teachers and students in the subject “German as a Foreign Language” and discussed how to overcome these challenges as creatively as possible.
Sarah took away mainly methodological insights. “At the Goethe-Institut, there were so-called ‘flash talks,’ in which students speak about a topic in German for five minutes,” she explains. “I could see myself incorporating that into my own classes.” Anouk also liked how creatively the schools promote language learning: “One school even set up a podcast studio to help students get comfortable speaking in German.” At the same time, she realized how valuable it can be to exchange ideas with other prospective teachers. “It’s only through experiences like these that you realize just how much is actually possible when you connect with others.”
An Experience of a Lifetime
In addition to the academic experiences, the week was shaped above all by personal interactions. “My expectations were exceeded,” says Anouk. “I especially remember the warm and caring way the Croatian students looked after us.” Zagreb itself also left a lasting impression: The students stayed in a central location, explored the city on a guided tour, and had time at the end to wrap up the week at a karaoke bar. For the two of them, one thing is certain: Experiences like this abroad are well worth it, and they’ll remember them for a long time to come.
Elisa Rachel, July 30, 2026