Going abroad

Through its Short-term and Long-term Teaching Assignments programme, the DAAD offers university lecturers the opportunity to undertake a teaching assignment at a foreign higher education institution. Short-term teaching assignments last from 4 weeks to 6 months, whilst long-term teaching assignments last up to one year.

Funding for attending conferences can be applied for through the Conference Travel Programme. The Lecture Travel Programme supports German academics in delivering lectures abroad.

Under the STA (Staff Mobility – Teaching Assignment) programme, teaching staff at the University of Hamburg can undertake a short-term teaching assignment at an Erasmus partner university or apply for funding for such an assignment. The requirement is that they deliver at least eight teaching hours per stay or per week or part thereof. If teaching is combined with professional development, the teaching load is reduced to four hours per week. The minimum duration of a short-term Erasmus teaching assignment is two days.

You can find out which partner universities offer short-term Erasmus teaching assignments by consulting the information on the Faculty of Education’s partner universities.

Further information on Erasmus funding can be found here.

Through its travel grants for German academics, the Fulbright Commission supports the establishment and strengthening of links between German and American universities and research institutions, as well as the creation of German and American visiting lectureships and joint research projects at the participating institutions. Applications may be submitted at any time, provided they are submitted at least nine months before the planned departure for the USA.

Here you will find further information about a study period abroad as part of your PhD.

Hendrik Wiese: "Einfach offen sein und genießen." ( engl.: ‘Just be open-minded and enjoy yourself.’)

The European University Alliance for Global Health (EUGLOH) connects the University of Hamburg with eight other European universities and promotes international exchange among students, researchers, lecturers and staff. This EU-funded project facilitates digital and in-person exchange between partner universities in eight countries – Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, Serbia and Hungary – and reimburses travel and accommodation costs. Courses and other events are generally held in English.

Current opportunities offered by the Alliance are regularly posted on the  EUGLOH website under „Courses & Trainings“, and the EUGLOH team in the International Office publishes news articles on the UHH EUGLOH website and sends out a monthly newsletter.

The Erasmus+ Job Shadowing programme is a self-organised placement that offers staff the opportunity to familiarise themselves with their own field of work at a partner university abroad and gain an insight into local working practices.
You can find comprehensive information on eligibility criteria, the process and how to apply here.  

The language study trips for technical, library and administrative staff at the University of Hamburg, funded under the Erasmus+ programme, offer you the opportunity to refresh or improve your foreign language skills on the ground whilst further developing your intercultural skills.

The programme is aimed at staff who come into contact with a foreign language in their day-to-day work and wish to improve their language skills – specifically including colleagues who work predominantly in back-office roles. Participation in the language courses takes place as part of educational leave.

Comprehensive information on eligibility, the process and how to apply can be found here.

As part of the Erasmus+ Staff Training (STT) programme, staff members have the opportunity to take part in a professional development or further training programme at a European partner university and to apply for financial support for this. The so-called Staff Training Weeks are organised by host universities within the Erasmus area and offer programmes covering a variety of topics. Current calls for applications are published on the iMOTION platform.

The aim of participation includes international networking and professional exchange with colleagues from other European universities. Furthermore, intercultural skills are strengthened and foreign language skills further developed.

Comprehensive information on eligibility criteria, the process and how to apply can be found here.

Learning with and from one another – across three continents

The strategic partners Northwestern University (NW), Stellenbosch University (SU) and the University of Hamburg (UHH) run a trilateral exchange programme for their administrative staff to learn with and from one another.
The programme began in October 2022 at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, took place in 2023 at Northwestern University in the USA, and in 2024 at the University of Hamburg. In 2025, Stellenbosch University in South Africa will once again host the participants.
The programme is funded as part of the Excellence Strategy of the Federal Government and the Länder.

Find out more about the programme and this year’s call for applications on the website.

The European University Alliance for Global Health (EUGLOH) connects the University of Hamburg with eight other European universities and promotes international exchange among students, researchers, lecturers and staff. This EU-funded project facilitates digital and in-person exchange between partner universities in eight countries – Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Norway, Sweden, Serbia and Hungary – and reimburses travel and accommodation costs. Courses and other events are generally held in English.

Current opportunities offered by the Alliance are regularly posted on the EUGLOH website under 'Courses & Trainings', and the EUGLOH team in the International Office publishes news articles on the UHH EUGLOH website and sends out a monthly newsletter.

The ‘Global Competence for Academic Administration’ (GloCAA) certificate is aimed at technical, administrative and library staff at the University of Hamburg who wish to develop their international skills. The programme will launch in 2025 with a pilot phase in the study administration departments of the MIN and WiSo faculties and is set to be expanded to other areas from autumn 2026. It comprises three pillars: the development of language skills, the enhancement of key intercultural and anti-discrimination competencies, and international exchange with partner universities to jointly address current challenges in higher education administration. Further information can be found here.

You can find further options and information here.