International
Taylor Schmidt as Visiting Lecturer at the Faculty of Education
2 March 2026
Photo: Taylor Schmidt_Hero
The Faculty of Education at the University of Hamburg is pleased to welcome Taylor Schmidt as a visiting lecturer from mid-May to early July as part of the INTER project. Schmidt is a doctoral student in Culture, Curriculum, and Teacher Education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research focuses on democratic education, international teacher education, and the impact of transnational exchange programs.
Schmidt combines many years of teaching experience with academic research on democratic education and the professionalization of teachers. At the core of his work is the question of how education can foster democratic participation and how international experiences can support future teachers in critically reflecting on educational structures and engaging professionally with cultural and social diversity. On the U.S. side, he has also been involved in the ITE program (formerly TTT).
During his stay, Taylor Schmidt will offer two courses:
41-331 Experience and Reflection in Practice: Joint INTER Seminar (ITE)
This seminar accompanies participants in the ITE program as well as students of the Faculty of Education and prospective teachers from INTER partner institutions. It provides a structured framework for reflecting on international exchange experiences. The focus is on international teacher education, intercultural dialogue, diversity competencies, and the development of professional identity. Participants critically engage with their experiences and connect them with theoretical perspectives on education, schooling, and social diversity. The aim is to strengthen their ability to perceive socio-cultural complexity in a differentiated manner and to integrate these insights into their professional practice.
This course is designed for teacher education students, ERASMUS students, and explicitly welcomes interested participants from all academic disciplines. The seminar approaches education as a socio-cultural and political project and offers a comparative analysis of different international educational structures, policies, and traditions. Key topics include comparative education, diversity competencies, internationalization in teacher education, and the critical analysis of educational structures in an international context. Participants’ own educational experiences serve as a starting point for comparative reflection.
Further information about the courses is available in the course catalog (STiNE).
With Taylor Schmidt’s visiting lectureship, the University of Hamburg further strengthens its international cooperation in the field of teacher education. At the same time, it provides new impetus for engaging with democracy, diversity, and international perspectives on education in both research and teaching.
