Summer in Berlin

Studying abroad is bound to be a life experience. It takes you out of your comfort zone, it challenges you and it teaches you to be more open. It also gives you the incredible opportunity get other points of view and explore another culture.

Every year, we welcome students from all corners of the world in London, but likewise many of our students also get the opportunity to go abroad.

Recently, 50 King’s students travelled to Berlin and explored German culture and history. It was an interactive, skills and knowledge-building programme, where they were intellectually stimulated and personally empowered. They were encouraged to think about their personal agency and the impact in their communities.

Here are some highlights of a memorable week.

 

Summer Education Abroad- Berlin

Berlin’s combo of glamour and grit is bound to mesmerise anyone keen to explore its vibrant culture, cutting-edge architecture and tangible history. It is the capital of Germany and one of the most celebrated and renowned cultural epicenters in Europe.

This course is designed for King’s students studying a range of different subject areas. Students will discover the city of Berlin and explore how citizenship shapes how cities and communities are built and rebuilt through history. By joining this highly interactive, skills and knowledge-building programme, they will be intellectually stimulated and personally empowered.

We will be running two sessions in consecutive weeks, with 25 places on each course:

  • Session 1: 11 – 15 June 2018
  • Session 2: 18 – 22 June 2018

Participation in this programme is fully funded as part of the commitment to King’s institutional strategy to support the brightest minds regardless of background. King’s will cover all course-related content, economy return flight to Berlin, any local travel related to the programme and affordable accommodation in the city centre. Please see here for further information about funding eligibility.

The study tour will use excursions, museum visits and discussions with Berliners to offer expert insight into both Berlin’s past and its present, enabling participants to profoundly experience this dynamic city whose future will influence the development of the Western world.

The course will be led for the second time by Aida Baghernejad. She explained her thoughts in the upcoming Summer Times blog; “This course introduces you to dynamic people who have taken their life and their destiny into their own hands. It’s all about personal agency and responsbility; about not only dreaming of a utopia, but actually just creating it yourself.”

The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 25th March 2018. Students can apply online here. Please see the webpage for further application guidance.

My Summer in Berlin with King’s- Maxine Yu

Untitled designThis summer I was lucky enough to go to the amazing Berlin with King’s. It was an experience packed with excitement, fun and wonder. Every day was filled with activities that brought us closer to the history, culture and the people of Berlin.

I particularly enjoyed the bike tour around the city, although I had somehow managed to crash a stationary bike, we were taken on a journey of Berlin’s most iconic buildings and structures. The relaxing feeling of the wind blowing in my hair and the slightly panicked feeling of biking on the opposite side of the road, combined with astonishing views was what made it a unique and special experience for me.

Of course it wasn’t just the places we saw that made this trip such an experience, it was also the wonderful people that we met. Journalist and Editor, Gerd Appenzeller that told us about the reconstruction of Berlin, Integration Commissioner, Katharine Niewiedzial whom spoke to us about Berlin’s migration policy and Berlin’s most popular blogger, Mary Schweppes and her adorable dog that discussed Berlin as a European centre for the worlds young.

Not only did we get to learn about Berlin but we got to fully experience it, the food was delicious and it really brought us closer to Berlin as well as to each other. Whether it was the cutest bagel cafe, the sausages in the street stalls, or waiting in line for 2 hours for the world’s best kebab, some of my fondest memories were when we were relaxing and having fun as a group.

From the funny traffic lights to the unforgettable memorials, my favourite moment was when we were walking down the East Side Gallery at sunset, admiring at all the skillful street art. Watching the blazing sunset by the river, and taking a thousand pictures with everyone, it was a perfect last night in Berlin.

I had made some unbreakable friendships, travelled in time, from before World War II to modern day Germany, and made memories that I will cherish and never forget.

Berlin Summer Study Visit- Update

berlin image

We wanted to give you an update on our Berlin Summer Study Visit, which will be running from 3-7 July 2017. Details on the itinerary and accommodation have now been confirmed, and what’s more we have now streamlined our application process.

The study tour will use excursions, museum visits and discussions with Berliners to offer expert insight into both Berlin’s past and its present, enabling participants to profoundly experience this dynamic city whose future will influence the development of the Western world. Itinerary highlights include:

  • Walking city tour of 19th century Prussian Berlin
  • Lecture delivered inside the 1936 Olympic Stadium looking at the impact of Nazism on Berlin
  • Visit to the Holocaust memorial and a study of the fates of the Berlin Jewish community post-1945
  • Study of ‘two Berlins’ during the Cold War and how attempts have been made to reconcile these two identities and economic realities since reunification
  • Talk and Q&A on the 21st century Berlin migration policy and challenges/opportunities with Berlin City policymakers
  • Visit to a local start-up firm to highlight Berlin’s latest incarnation as a centre for the world’s young and creative communities

Students who are interested can now book their place on the study visit using the King’s estore, as opposed to the online application form that was detailed previously. This means it is quicker and easier to reserve a spot on this exciting programme. Registration will now close on 2 June 2017 and we advise early booking in order to secure a place, as spaces are limited. King’s students are able to apply for funding for this programme. Please see the Study Abroad Awards page for more information on how to do so.

If required students can book accommodation ( at an additional cost) at the Circus Hostel. This hostel is conveniently located in the Mitte district, which is a one minute walk from Rosenthaler Platz Metro station. If you would like to book accommodation for the Summer Study Visit to Berlin, please do so via the e-store.

If you have any questions about the programme please email us. Alternatively follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for up to date information about the Summer Programmes Team.

Summer Study Visits- Berlin: City of Reinvention

Berlin

New for the King’s Summer Programmes Team this year is our first Summer Study Visit to World Cities. This July spend five days with us in Berlin to explore this ‘city of reinvention’.

Undergraduate students from any subject area are welcome to apply for this programme and will become immersed in the unique history, culture and economy of the city. Through museum visits, excursions and discussions with local Berliners, students will receive expert insight into the past, present and future of Berlin.

One such discussion will take place in the 1936 Olympic Stadium, where you’ll discover the architectural and structural changes that Hitler had planned in order to redevelop Germany during the Third Reich. During this study visit you’ll also focus on Berlin’s 21st Century reinvention as a creative start-up hub- with a trip to an exciting collaborative working space.

The fee for the programme will be £750, which includes tuition and course-related excursions. There is also a one-off application fee of £40 when applying to this programme. Information and costs for accommodation will soon be available, so please do check the website for this.

You can submit an application for this Summer Study Visit now, and you will have until 31 May 2017 to do so. If you have any questions about the programme please email us. Alternatively follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for up to date information about the Summer Programmes Team.