Warnborough President, Dr Brenden Tempest-Mogg, and Vice-President, Dr Julian Ng, visited our German partner college, Hanse Berufskolleg (HBK), in Lemgo in May. This was to cement the relationship between the two institutions after Hanse sent a group of 11 interns to Canterbury in March.

It was an opportunity to catch up with good colleagues and friends, and also to see the interns again after their Canterbury experience. The Warnborough principals were invited to attend the special Europatag (Europe Day) celebrations where the students showcased the work they had been doing with the public and the Mayor, Dr Axel Lehmann.  HBK students were proud to show the work they had been doing with refugees who had been educated at the college. This included video montages and interviews with different community stakeholders, documentaries of other faiths and cultures, and even reenactments of cultural exchanges to challenge contemporary thinking.

HBK Head, Susanne Tjiete-Gross, introduced the partnership before the crowd and spoke of her hope to encourage more cooperative ventures.  Annegret Kollmeier-McNeill, HBK’s European and International Projects Coordinator, called out the Canterbury interns to receive their Europass certificates from Dr Tempest-Mogg.

Deputy Head, Bernd Wolter, who had accompanied the interns to Canterbury talked also about his wish to provide more opportunities for students to have an experience abroad. WCI is in talks now to provide opportunities for HBK students in Dublin.

While in Lemgo, Mrs Kollmeier-McNeill introduced both principals to Lüttfeld Berufskolleg, HBK’s neighbour, which focuses on engineering and the arts. They were shown around the school by Engineer Tobias Lüttig, the European Projects Coordinator. The Faculty of the Arts were invited to the Canterbury Arts Conference to be held this September.