What a Week!
From 28 September to 2 October 2026, we were delighted to welcome a group of learners and accompanying persons from Dijon to Mainz as part of the FORTHEM Alliance.
Three intense days filled with encounters, cultural discoveries, language exchange and shared activities made this mobility a truly enriching experience for everyone involved.
Throughout their stay, our French guests were hosted by our French learners at the ZWW. This made the mobility a genuine exchange experience: our French participants had the opportunity to practise their German in authentic everyday situations and to discover more about German culture and the city of Mainz. At the same time, our learners were able to practise their French and build new connections.
The week began on Tuesday, 29 September, with an official welcome in the presence of Nicole Birkle, Secretary General of the FORTHEM Alliance, and Kathrin Lutz, Head of the 50+ Programme at the ZWW.
The programme included a tour of the JGU campus and Mainz city centre, museum visits, tandem activities and presentations by the participants. Beyond the official programme, it was above all the many conversations, encounters and shared moments that gave this mobility its special human dimension.
The week concluded on 1 October with a certificate ceremony. Everyone brought along a culinary speciality from their region, allowing us to end the week around an international buffet – a fitting symbol of the richness of our exchange.
We were also honoured to welcome Prof. Dr Stephan Jolie, Vice-President of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, who presented the certificates and highlighted the importance of such projects in strengthening the ties between the cities of Mainz and Dijon, as well as between the University of Burgundy Europe and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
A heartfelt thank you to our participants from Dijon for this wonderful week of sharing, discovery and new connections!
Thank you, Dijon – and see you soon in your city!
From Dijon to Mainz
From 29 September to 01 October 2026, the ZWW will welcome a group of 50+ lifelong learners from Dijon, France, accompanied by our valued partners from the Université de Bourgogne Europe, for a week of international exchange in Mainz. Following our successful Erasmus+ Group Mobility to Dijon in October 2025, this return visit, financed by FORTHEM, will bring participants together for a programme that combines cultural discovery, language exchange, university encounters, and shared experiences. From exploring Mainz to taking part in tandem activities and meeting local learners, the week will be an opportunity to strengthen the connections already established between our two Universities. We are delighted to welcome our French partners to Mainz and look forward to another inspiring week of learning, friendship and European exchange!
