Special Courses English Winter Semester 2025/2026

Level B2

Date: Tuesdays, 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM starting from October 21, 2025 (online event)

Lecturer: Orla Mac Mahon

Topics:

• The language of telephoning
• Writing emails and letters
• Intercultural differences
• Providing information on the faculty/your area of work
• Presentation techniques
• International meetings with suppliers/universities etc.
• University-specific vocabulary

Level B2/C1

Date: Wednesdays 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM starting from October 22, 2025 (online event)

Lecturer: Dr. Peter Witchalls

Topics:

• Writing stylistically correct official emails and letters
• Intercultural differences
• The language of telephoning
• University-specific vocabulary
• Providing information on the faculty/your area of work
• Presentation techniques
• International meetings
• FAQ
• etc.

Level C1+

 
Date: Thursdays, 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM starting from October 23, 2025 (online event)

Lecturer: Dr. Peter James Witchalls

Topics:

• Presenting & Discussing in English with Confidence & Competence

Would you like to be able to both present and discuss more confidently in English?
In this course we will be demonstrating good presentation and debating practices through diverse voice, language and nonverbal training exercises. You will then have the opportunity to give a short talk on an academic topic that is important for your professional life after which we will launch into a dynamic discussion, with troubleshooting on the language used. You will become more fluent and proficient, understanding the underlying principles of good communication and have ample opportunity to discuss many topics connected to Universität Hamburg. Look forward to seeing you in class!

This six-week course is designed for B1-level English speakers from across the University, especially those who have not used English for some time. Its main goal is to build confidence and get people back into the habit of speaking English.

•  Date: Fridays 11:00-12:00 from 07.11.2025 (Online)

Topics will include “false friends”, sentence structure, comma usage, and other common mistakes.

• Dates: 09:15-12:30, 06.11.2025 and 13.11.2025 (in-person)

Topics will include email vocabulary, formality and tone, and how to effectively use online translation and AI tools when writing emails. 

• Dates: 09:15-12:30, 04.11.2025 and 11.11.2025 (in-person)

This workshop will look at how to structure an effective administrative presentation, including the use of connecting words, describing data and the use of presentation software.

• Dates: 09:15-12:30, 25.11.2025 and 02.12.2025 (in-person)

We are currently working with the Personnel Department to facilitate more effective communication with non-German speaking staff.

• Team Workshops: These workshops can be organized for individual teams within the department to deal with their specific language needs.
• A2-B1 Course: This course will introduce the language needed to communicate in the field of personnel management and will focus on building the confidence of the course participants. Time and date TBC.
• B2-C1 Course: Designed for more confident speakers of English, this course will provide a more in-depth look at topics related to human resources. Time and date TBC.

We are currently running a series of workshops and courses for the staff of the University’s Academic Offices in order to help them communicate with the increasing numbers of non-German speaking students and academic staff.

• Academic Office Workshops: These workshops have been organized for teams from individual Academic Offices to both assess their language needs and lay the foundation for their increased use of English.

• English for Study Management A2-B1 course: This level-specific course aims to consolidate the skills and vocabulary developed in the workshops, while also focussing on building the confidence of the course participants. Time and date TBC.

• English for Study Management B2-C1 course: This course is aimed at higher-level English users, and aims to develop their subject-specific vocabulary and language skills. Time and date TBC.

These courses will be run at a number of locations in cooperation with Department 8, and will consist of a series of mini-workshops for the University’s operational staff. There will be a strong focus on the practical skills needed to communicate with non-German speaking staff, students and visitors to the University. Time and date TBC.

In cooperation with the Regional Computing Center, we currently have a number of offers for the IT personnel of the University.

• English for IT Support and Communication 1.0: An introductory course aimed at all employees of the Regional Computing Center, the goal of this course is to build the participants’ confidence when dealing with non-German speakers, such as students, staff and external service providers. Currently in progress, further courses will start in winter semester 2025-2026.
• English for IT Support and Communication 2.0: A more advanced course dealing with more technical vocabulary and complex grammar, this aims to build on the skills learned in the English for IT Support and Communication 1.0 course. Currently in progress, further courses will start in winter semester 2025-2026.
• Helpdesk English: This skills workshop will focus on the practical language needed on the helpdesk and helpline of the Regional Computing Center, with a focus on customer service and problem solving. Time and date TBC.
• English for IT Documentation: Building on the skills learned on the more general courses, this skills workshop will focus on the technical language needed to both read and write technical IT documentation. Time and date TBC.