Important exchange
Irmintraud Jost is head of Heidelberg University’s New York office.
“I headed for New York 25 years ago – and learned a lot. The USA opens your mind – Americans are more communicative than Germans. Not that I ever wanted to lose contact with Germany. Be it in the past as correspondent for Axel Springer Medien or today as the representative of Heidelberg University – the focus has always been on ensuring that people on both sides of the Atlantic understand one another better. The scholarship the university offers for Americans really helps in this regard. As does the Quadrille Ball, a gala evening which I organise and which pays for young students’ study trips to the respective other country. And exchange is also important for me personally as I have dual citizenship. I feel at home in New York. Nevertheless I would also like to be in Germany again and who knows? Maybe one day I will go back.”
