Mastering the daily study routine with DigiLex UniComm

"I would like to have my performance records recognized." "I have a request. It's about the deadline for my term paper." "May I ask you to write a report for me?" Questions like these and many more come up again and again in everyday student life. They are just a few examples from the DigiLex UniComm. The new online encyclopedia lists numerous possibilities for successful communication between students and faculty at German universities. The comprehensive portal has now been launched. It was developed under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Karin Aguado, Department of German as a Foreign and Second Language, at the University of Kassel. The project was funded with 40,000 euros by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

DigiLex UniComm is aimed primarily at international students of all subjects who face numerous linguistic, subject-related and cultural challenges and pitfalls when starting their studies at a German university. "After all, it's not only essential to acquire knowledge of academic and technical language, but also to acquire good communicative skills in German, the language of study," Aguado said. The formulation dictionary can provide useful assistance in this regard. This is because many students have great insecurities, particularly when it comes to dealing with everyday university communication situations, such as taking part in courses, making oral presentations, holding office hours or writing e-mails. In every language there are fixed expressions and formulations for the linguistic management of recurring situations. In DigiLex UniComm, the most important university conversation situations with their framework conditions are first described in German, English and Ukrainian and then supplemented with typical phrases, expressions or question formulas in German. Professionally recorded, these can also be listened to, which makes learning easier. In addition, video tutorials provide a visual impression of some selected communication situations.

"Even though the formulation dictionary is primarily aimed at foreign students, German first-year students should also benefit greatly from it," Aguado is certain. "After all, anyone who is still little or not at all familiar with the communicative customs at German universities will get sound tips and suggestions here on how to deal with the most important university communication situations in a linguistically appropriate manner."

DigiLex UniComm is a further development of the formulation dictionary UniComm Deutsch, which was developed in connection with the project "Multilingualism and Multiculturalism in Studies"(MuMiS) funded by the Volkwagen Foundation and published in 2012. The online service "Mein Studienstart in Deutschland," also developed at the Department of German as a Foreign and Second Language at the University of Kassel, complements "DigiLex UniComm" for individual study preparation and study support.

Link to DigiLex UniComm:
https://digilex.uni-kassel.de/de

Link to My Start of Studies in Germany:
https://mein-studienstart-in-deutschland.uni-kassel.de/

Prof. Dr. Karin Aguado
Department of German as a Foreign and Second Language
E-mail: karin.aguado[at]uni-kassel[dot]de
Web: http://daf.uni-kassel.de
http://karin.aguado.de