A special feature of the anniversary programme is the ‘International unterwegs’ photography competition. Through this, the IUZ is pursuing several objectives: the aim is to use the submitted photos to make the classrooms more interesting, colourful and lively. At the same time, the images are intended to spark an interest in languages and intercultural encounters and to establish a link to language learning.

Students and staff at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, as well as visitors, were invited to capture their personal experiences and encounters, fascinating landscapes, special cultural impressions or moments of studying together in photographs and to submit them. The deadline for submissions was 31 August – and the response was overwhelming: over a hundred photos were submitted. Not only the large number of entries, but also their quality and the diversity of the subjects, far exceeded the IUZ’s expectations.

From the outset, ‘International unterwegs’ left plenty of scope for different perspectives. The submitted photos now impressively demonstrate just how diverse international experiences can be – from personal encounters and stunning landscapes to shared moments in everyday student life.

25 winning photos and a public vote

The jury now faces the difficult task of selecting the 25 best photos from the more than 100 entries. Two juries are involved in the decision-making process: the first jury comprises representatives from the Freiberg Photography Club, the IUZ Advisory Board and the Student Council, as well as two IUZ staff members.

The ‘second jury’ is the public: at the start of the new semester, all the submitted photos will be exhibited in the atrium of the building at Prüferstraße 2, which also houses the IUZ/Languages teaching rooms. Students, staff and visitors can view the photos there and vote for their personal favourite online. In this way, the public’s opinion is taken into account alongside the expert assessment when selecting the winning photos.

The awards ceremony will take place on Monday, 23 November.