“This transnational exchange makes an important contribution to the internationalization of the University of Potsdam,” says Prof. Kuhlmann. “There are very good reasons that the KoUP funding line focuses in particular on Israel, among other countries. And at the end of March, a delegation of high-ranking UP representatives around President Prof. Oliver Günther will visit the University of Haifa to explore future avenues of cooperation.”
Hikmet Hilmi Güler, a student from Potsdam, thinks the exchange was very good for “making many new contacts with people from different areas of the public, private and non-profit sectors, security, local government and politics. It was refreshing to hear different perspectives and experiences, which greatly enriched the discussions during the event.”
The timing could not have been better, he said, as the event coincided with the visit of the Israeli delegation, including Prime Minister Netanyahu, and ongoing tensions in Israel over anti-democratic reforms. “Holding discussions with a very well-informed group was particularly valuable and a unique opportunity to promote cross-cultural understanding and cooperation in this regard as well,” Güler said. “One of the most important outcomes of last year’s event was the connection I made with a participant from Haifa who has since become a dedicated member of our advisory board at the policy think tank I founded, the Global Policy Research Group.” This shows how such an encounter can lead to lasting, meaningful, and impactful collaborations and partnerships.
Shaked Mordechay, one of the students from Israel, expressed similar delight about the exchange: “Our visit to the University of Potsdam was unanimously rated as one of the highlights of our excursion. We experienced a very warm welcome. Meeting various students from the international program was a pleasure - the exchange of ideas, aspirations and values with people from all over the world had great meaning for us. We warmly invite students and faculty to visit us in Israel should the opportunity arise in the future.”
Prior to the visit to Potsdam, the program included a visit to the German Bundestag, where the students met representatives of a German-Israeli parliamentary friendship. “Most of the conversation centered on the Israeli government’s judicial reforms, especially two days before Prime Minister Netanyahu and Chancellor Scholz met. The Bundestag members expressed concern about the laws proposed in the drafts, which would result in a deterioration of Israeli democracy, the weakening of checks and balances, and a significant decline in foreign investment.” The German MPs also asked the Israeli guests for their assessment of the proposed amendments. “Being a motley group, we expressed different views on the issue, but we did agree on one point: Israel is on the brink of a ‘constitutional moment,’ and Israeli society should show unity and solidarity to the world.” According to Shaked Mordechay, ongoing exchange - as made possible by the current visit - is and remains particularly important.