IstKon Student Exchange

The project started in 2016 during an Erasmus stay in Istanbul. At that time, the students noticed that fewer and fewer students were doing an exchange semester in Istanbul and Turkey. Students of the Political and Administrative Sciences student council at the University of Konstanz and the International Relations Club at Marmara University in Istanbul took up this idea and agreed: we had to talk more to each other and less about each other. Under the motto "Building Bridges" they developed the concept for the unique IstKon Student Exchange project.

Since then, a 9-day exchange has been held in the years 2017 to 2021, organized exclusively by students for students. In 2020 we had to switch to a digital format due to the corona pandemic, but in 2021 our project entered its fifth round and again brought together around 60 students in Istanbul. Another conference is planned for this year, which will take place from May 7th to May 15th, 2022 in Constance. 

Key aspects of the program include combining substantive discussion in a protected environment and getting to know each other personally, whereby long-lasting friendships develop and the goal of promoting tolerance and understanding between students is achieved.