Preparation for Abroad

The relocation process begins with mental preparation. Our job is to ensure that you are fully prepared for your assignment abroad before you even board the plane.

© GIZ / Asja Caspari

Preparing for your assignment abroad at GIZ’s Academy for International Cooperation in Bonn-Röttgen

Campus Kottenforst is located in lush green surroundings on the outskirts of Bonn. You will be learning, living and relaxing side by side with other international cooperation professionals, sharing your thoughts on your future role, and preparing for the challenges that lie ahead in the country of assignment.

In its current and earlier forms, GIZ’s Academy for International Cooperation (AIZ) has been running courses preparing staff for assignments abroad for over 50 years on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). Our role is to ensure that employees seconded abroad by their organisations have the skills they need to work in international cooperation.

Our courses are designed to prepare experts and managers for the specific challenges they will face during their assignment. That includes learning how to stay safe, how to manage tricky intercultural situations, and how to communicate clearly and confidently in the local language. At the end of your preparation, you will have acquired all the skills you need to work effectively and sustainably in your partner country and to help bring about positive change.
 

What does preparing for an assignment abroad involve? Which of the two participation options is right for me?

Preparation for Assignments Abroad – 2023 Programme