Tutors’ Qualification – International Course winter semester 25/26
Introduction
Are you an international student planning to work as a tutor? Did you already visit an international course on tutors’ qualification but you want to get familiar with new interesting topics to improve your tutoring and teaching skills? Are you looking to enhance your teaching and training skills and make a bigger impact on learners who need support? Join our Tutors' Qualification International Course, which is designed to enhance the tutoring and teaching skills of participants. This course offers teaching approaches, concepts, tools, and techniques to excel in diverse academic environments. The course aims to improve lecturing skills, support tutees' academic success, and enrich participants' professional profiles.
In the winter semester of 25/26, the international tutoring course focused on designing tutoring sessions and creating effective lesson plans. The program for the winter semester 25/26 offers a series of workshops that emphasizes conflict resolution, intercultural competence, and time management—essential skills for tutors working in diverse educational settings. Additionally, the program will introduce the role of AI in tutoring. Mastering these areas is crucial for international tutors to navigate challenges, foster inclusive learning environments, and enhance their performance in both local and global contexts. To ensure comprehensive learning, the program for this semester is structured into eight practical and interactive sessions.
Program Overview
- 21.10.2025 from 12:00 to 13:00: Introductory Training Session for International Tutors
- 11.11.2025 from 12:00 to 14:00: Practical Coaching for International Tutors
- 27.01.2026 from 12:00 to 14:00: Workshop 1 – Presenting and Explaining
- 03.02.2026 from 12:00 to 14:00: Workshop 2 – Academic Culture in Germany
- 10.02.2026 from 12:00 to 14:00: Workshop 3 – Al - Influences on Learning and Teaching
- 13.02.2026 from 12:00 to 14:00: Reflections on International Tutors Course – Learning and Experiences
General Learning Objectives
At the end of the Tutors’ Qualification – International Course participants will be able to:
- Develop a solid foundation in tutoring techniques for international students;
- Gain practical coaching experience to improve tutoring strategies;
- Learn strategies to present and explain successfully in international tutoring;
- Explore the potential of AI in tutoring and its influences on teaching and learning.
- Get familiar with the academic culture in Germany.
- Reflect on personal growth and shared experiences in tutoring.
Enroll now and take your international tutoring skills to the next level!
Further information on the individual sessions
21.10.2025 Introductory Training Session for International Tutors
When: 21.10.2025 from 12:00 to 13:00 (Europe/Berlin / CET)
Where: Online
Trainer: Richard Vargas
Target group: International Students/Tutors
Language: This Workshop will be held in English.
Description:
This introductory training session is the initial and key component of the “International Tutors’ Qualification” course. It is designed for both students and doctoral candidates, regardless of their prior tutoring and teaching experience. This session provides participants with fundamental information of the course. Besides, basic tutoring skills and strategies necessary to lead and manage international tutoring sessions are also provided.
Learning Objectives:
Some of the objectives intended for the course are:
- Get familiar with the program of the international tutoring course;
- Define roles and responsibilities of international tutors within higher education;
- Identify key cultural and institutional differences of tutoring in German and international contexts;
- Get familiar with basic tutoring skills and strategies for international tutoring sessions.
11.11.2025 Practical Coaching for International Tutors
When: 11.11.2025 from 12:00 to 14:00 (Europe/Berlin / CET)
Where: Online
Trainer: Richard Vargas
Target group: International Students/Tutors
Language: This Workshop will be held in English.
Description:
As a tutor, it is important to be ready for unexpected questions or challenges that may arise during international tutoring sessions. In these cases, collaborating with others and seeking an outside perspective can be valuable. In this practical coaching session, tutors come together to share their concerns, explore common challenges, and collaboratively find solutions. The session will focus on some of the key issues tutors often face, such as managing tutoring sessions effectively, handling disruptions, encouraging participation and engagement, and addressing evaluation and assessment challenges. By working together, tutors will gain insights, strategies, and practical solutions that can enhance their effectiveness and confidence in their roles as international tutors.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify and articulate common challenges faces in tutoring sessions;
- Collaborate with peers to exchange ideas and solutions for effectively handling issues and possible difficulties;
- Reflect on personal tutoring practices and incorporate feedback from peers to enhance their tutoring approach;
- Apply problem-solving techniques to improve tutoring sessions.
27.01.2026 Workshop 1: Presenting and Explaining
When: 27.01.2026 from 12:00 to 14:00 (Europe/Berlin)
Where: Online
Trainer: Juliane Sommer
Target group: International Students/Tutors
Language: This Workshop will be held in English.
Description:
Successful communication is defined by what is understood by the receiving person rather than by what we intend to express. In this workshop, we develop a basic understanding of effective explanation. We analyze both verbal and nonverbal rhetorical skills and identify less effective presentation styles. Furthermore, we explore how to explain content in a way that is tailored to the target audience within tutoring sessions and how to develop one’s own personal explanation style.
Intended Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify the fundamentals of effective explanation;
- Explain the role of verbal, nonverbal, and rhetorical elements in the process of explaining;
- Assess and reflect on the impact of their own explanatory style;
- Explain content in a way that is appropriate for their audience and enhance it through rhetorical techniques.
03.02.2026 Workshop 2: Academic Culture in Germany
When:03.02.2026 from 12:00 to 14:00 (Europe/Berlin)
Where: Online
Trainer: Juliane Sommer
Target group: International Students/Tutors
Language: This Workshop will be held in English.
Description:
In this workshop, we explore the concept of culture and focus specifically on the academic and learning cultures in which tutors operate. Together, we reflect on how culture shapes our learning, teaching, and interaction with one another. We also examine how certain historical developments in Europe are reflected in today’s differences between academic cultures. Through discussion and practical exercises, participants experience their own sense of agency and develop an understanding of the roles and responsibilities they assume within this context.
Intended Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Identify fundamental concepts and characteristics of culture as well as key aspects of German academic culture;
- Explain how cultural norms and institutional expectations shape teaching and learning in higher education;
- Analyze their own experiences in the university context with regard to cultural influences, implicit rules, and structural exclusions;
- Develop ideas on how they, as tutors, can contribute to a supportive learning culture.
10.02.2026 Workshop 3: Al - influences on learning and teaching
When: 10.02.2026 from 12:00 to 14:00 (Europe/Berlin)
Where: Online
Trainer: Juliane Sommer
Target group: International Students/Tutors
Language: This Workshop will be held in English.
Description:
This workshop provides an introduction to the basic concepts of artificial intelligence (AI) and explores possible applications in the context of studying and teaching. Building on this foundation, we discuss teaching- and learning-related ethical questions regarding the use of AI and work through scenarios of practical, legitimate, and problematic AI usage.
Intended Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Understand the fundamental concepts of artificial intelligence (AI);
- Identify key AI technologies relevant to tutoring and recognize their benefits and limitations;
- Discuss ethical and scientific aspects related to the use of AI in education and academia;
- Develop a well-reflected personal position on AI;
- Generate ideas on how to meaningfully integrate AI tools into their own tutoring practice.
13.02.2026 Reflection Course for International Tutors
When: 13.02.2026 from 12:00 to 14:00 (Europe/Berlin)
Where: Online
Trainer: Juliane Sommer
Target group: International Students/Tutors
Language: This Workshop will be held in English.
Description:
The final session of the International Tutor Qualification Course provides a valuable opportunity for participants to reflect on their tutoring experiences throughout the semester. This session offers a collaborative space where tutors can openly share insights on the pedagogical and didactic methods they employed, discuss the extent to which they achieved their objectives, and evaluate the effectiveness of the digital tools they used. Tutors are also encouraged to highlight the challenges they faced and how they addressed them.
International students and tutors alike are invited to engage in reflective discussions about their tutoring skills, teaching strategies, and best practices for supporting the learning journeys of their tutees. This session serves as a culminating moment for tutors to consolidate their learning, exchange ideas, and deepen their understanding of effective tutoring in a diverse, global educational context.
Learning objectives
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Critically reflect on their tutoring experiences throughout the semester, identifying strengths and areas for improvement in their pedagogical and didactic approaches;
- Engage in group discussions to share insights, exchange ideas, and learn from one another's experiences;
- Demonstrate the ability to analyze challenges faced during their tutoring sessions and evaluate the effectiveness of the solutions they implemented.