The Future of Education

This study is based on the analysis of 32 practical abroad training reports of Bachelor degree students at the Department of Translation Studies at the University of Graz, Austria from 2008 to 2014. The sample group (28 women, four men) completed their mandatory internship in 17 different countries and in eight different languages. The analysis focuses on the questions which intercultural and language-related (professional) experience students report on after their return, in which ways they do so, which conclusions they draw from their experience and which strategies they developed when dealing with intercultural irritations. Another research interest consists in the question if and to which degree the students develop an observing-explorative attitude, not taking on a hasty, judging and pejorative attitude, to what degree the ability to judge can be found in texts and whether they result in reflecting their own cultural bonds by dealing with persons with other cultural backgrounds. Finally, in view of promoting linguistic and cultural awareness, suggestions for teaching will be made, in particular on how the insights gained from the analysis can be purposefully dealt with in a learning and teaching context.