UOIT science students gear up to study in Germany
February 26, 2007
Local university announces English-language physics program with the University of Leipzig
Students from one of the world's oldest universities are now able to pair up with students from one of the newest to pursue the study of physics, thanks to a new English-language foreign exchange program between the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and the University of Leipzig in Leipzig, Germany.
"Students can visit the partner institution for a semester and the credits for the courses they take will be transferred to their home institution", says Dr. William Smith, dean of the UOIT Faculty of Science. "It's a great way for young people to acquire mind-broadening cultural and educational experiences at a timely point in their postsecondary career. We will also be exchanging information among the science faculty members at each institution, which we expect will lead to new research collaborations."
The Leipzig agreement itself arose from longstanding research collaboration between Dr. Smith and Dr. Horst Voertler, a professor at the University of Leipzig who is the local exchange program co-ordinator there.
"He and I have visited each others' institutions since 1991 and have worked on many joint projects in theoretical and computational physics," added Dr. Smith.
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, English has become a second language commonly taught at German public schools. Six years ago, the English-language Physics program was established at the University of Leipzig, attracting students from around the world as well as many domestic German students. It also removed the main barrier for an international student exchange program in science, the requirement to study in a foreign language.
Although several broad-based student exchange programs involving universities in Ontario and universities within specific regions in Europe have been in place for some time, the primary purpose of student participants in these programs has typically been cultural exchange and language skills development. Due to the language barrier, the uptake by Canadian science students is usually very low, and UOIT is confident the new University of Leipzig exchange program will remove that hurdle.
"Once language barriers come down, physics is physics all over the world," says Dr. Smith. "Most physics programs are interchangeable at the undergraduate level."
But while physics may be physics, both institutions differ greatly in their approach, notes Dr. Voertler. He believes students will benefit from observing the differences.
"Here in Oshawa, you have such an integrated program. Science is taught in a very broad sense, not separated into different departments. And in Germany, we have the traditional system where we teach theoretical physics in a very concise way. So I think they are complementary, these [two] views of science."
"Also, it is very interesting that you have a laptop-based program. That is, I think, something new and interesting for our students," he added.
The Leipzig alliance is just the first of several exchange programs that UOIT plans to pursue in the areas of science and technology.
"English-language Science programs have come to be a somewhat popular growth area in Europe," Dr. Smith explains. "For example, the University of Turin in Italy also has an English-language Physics program. We're using the Leipzig exchange agreement as a model to develop an exchange with Turin as well."
Dr. Smith is also exploring student exchange and research collaboration opportunities in science and engineering with institutions in India, which arose when he represented UOIT on the recent Ontario-India trade mission led by Premier McGuinty.
When asked about the general advantages of a student exchange experience, he said "international exchanges give our students a global point of view - they get to see Canada the way the rest of the world sees us. They open doors that lead our students to new opportunities, new people, and new ideas, and prepare them for a world-wide market."
The University of Leipzig English-language Physics program is available to UOIT students immediately. Interested students should contact Dr. Smith for application details.
Students from one of the world's oldest universities are now able to pair up with students from one of the newest to pursue the study of physics, thanks to a new English-language foreign exchange program between the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and the University of Leipzig in Leipzig, Germany.
"Students can visit the partner institution for a semester and the credits for the courses they take will be transferred to their home institution", says Dr. William Smith, dean of the UOIT Faculty of Science. "It's a great way for young people to acquire mind-broadening cultural and educational experiences at a timely point in their postsecondary career. We will also be exchanging information among the science faculty members at each institution, which we expect will lead to new research collaborations."
The Leipzig agreement itself arose from longstanding research collaboration between Dr. Smith and Dr. Horst Voertler, a professor at the University of Leipzig who is the local exchange program co-ordinator there.
"He and I have visited each others' institutions since 1991 and have worked on many joint projects in theoretical and computational physics," added Dr. Smith.
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, English has become a second language commonly taught at German public schools. Six years ago, the English-language Physics program was established at the University of Leipzig, attracting students from around the world as well as many domestic German students. It also removed the main barrier for an international student exchange program in science, the requirement to study in a foreign language.
Although several broad-based student exchange programs involving universities in Ontario and universities within specific regions in Europe have been in place for some time, the primary purpose of student participants in these programs has typically been cultural exchange and language skills development. Due to the language barrier, the uptake by Canadian science students is usually very low, and UOIT is confident the new University of Leipzig exchange program will remove that hurdle.
"Once language barriers come down, physics is physics all over the world," says Dr. Smith. "Most physics programs are interchangeable at the undergraduate level."
But while physics may be physics, both institutions differ greatly in their approach, notes Dr. Voertler. He believes students will benefit from observing the differences.
"Here in Oshawa, you have such an integrated program. Science is taught in a very broad sense, not separated into different departments. And in Germany, we have the traditional system where we teach theoretical physics in a very concise way. So I think they are complementary, these [two] views of science."
"Also, it is very interesting that you have a laptop-based program. That is, I think, something new and interesting for our students," he added.
The Leipzig alliance is just the first of several exchange programs that UOIT plans to pursue in the areas of science and technology.
"English-language Science programs have come to be a somewhat popular growth area in Europe," Dr. Smith explains. "For example, the University of Turin in Italy also has an English-language Physics program. We're using the Leipzig exchange agreement as a model to develop an exchange with Turin as well."
Dr. Smith is also exploring student exchange and research collaboration opportunities in science and engineering with institutions in India, which arose when he represented UOIT on the recent Ontario-India trade mission led by Premier McGuinty.
When asked about the general advantages of a student exchange experience, he said "international exchanges give our students a global point of view - they get to see Canada the way the rest of the world sees us. They open doors that lead our students to new opportunities, new people, and new ideas, and prepare them for a world-wide market."
The University of Leipzig English-language Physics program is available to UOIT students immediately. Interested students should contact Dr. Smith for application details.
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