As part of the DAAD-funded SDG partnership project “Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals: A Comparative Approach in India, Nepal, and Germany,” BELS students Gökcen Sungur and Niklas Wilms successfully completed a semester abroad at the Kathmandu University School of Law in Nepal.
The stay was part of the international SDG partnership project, which focuses on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and sustainable development from a comparative perspective in India, Nepal, and Germany. In addition to the academic exchange, the semester abroad gave the students the opportunity to gain insights into the social and legal framework in Nepal.
During their stay, both students participated in the regular academic programme at the partner university. Classes were conducted predominantly in English and were characterized by close interaction between lecturers and students. Courses were held in classes of approximately 40 to 50 students. In addition to regular classes, presentations and active student participation were an important part of the courses. On some occasions, content was also explained in Nepali, with students being able to ask for explanations in English whenever necessary.
Beyond their studies, Gökcen Sungur and Niklas Wilms gained numerous experiences of everyday life in Nepal and quickly established connections with local students and other people in the community. Direct interaction with local people in particular allowed them to gain a deeper insight into everyday life and Nepalese culture. They also experienced initially unfamiliar differences, for example in traffic, the cityscape, and various everyday routines. However, both students quickly adapted to their new surroundings and increasingly felt at home throughout their stay.
Outside the university, the students also explored various parts of Nepal. In addition to Kathmandu and the well-known district of Thamel, they visited Bhaktapur, Thimi, Patan, Banepa, and Dhulikhel, among other places. They took part in local festivals and visited various temples and culturally significant sites. Another highlight was a joint trip to Chitwan National Park, where they went on a jeep safari and even had the opportunity to see a tiger.
Individual activities were also part of the semester abroad. Gökcen Sungur, for example, spent time in Pokhara, where she met other travellers at a hostel and went paragliding. Niklas Wilms gained further experiences outside university life through a multi-day hiking trip as well as playing football and basketball with local people.
As part of their stay, the students also explored opportunities for a small joint sustainability initiative with their landlord, including ideas such as planting trees and collecting litter. In the course of developing the project, they encountered various challenges and gained valuable insights from the experience. Environmental and sustainability-related topics thus became an important part of their stay, allowing the students to reflect on different living conditions and environmental challenges in everyday life in Nepal.
The semester abroad therefore offered both students not only the opportunity to gain experience at an international partner university, but also a direct insight into everyday life and culture in Nepal. In particular, the close contact with local people and the quick adaptation to an initially unfamiliar environment made the semester abroad a diverse and enriching experience.
