Katholische Universitat Eichstatt-ingolstadt

 The Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt (Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, KU) in south Germany is the only Catholic university in the German-speaking world. Located in a popular tourist destination, the Altmühltal natural park in the heart of Bavaria, the KU offers its approximately 5000 students all the advantages of a small university with a compact campus. Around 120 professors, over 300 research associates, and a large number of lecturers with industry experience ensure that students receive excellent teaching and support. The KU has two campuses. Seven faculties are based in Eichstätt, while the Ingolstadt campus is home to the Ingolstadt School of Management. In both locations the cafeteria, lecture halls, library, and computer labs are all just a short walk away from one another.
The KU offers a wide range of different degree programs to suit many different interests and talents. Being a small university, it provides an excellent environment for interdisciplinary exchange between the eight faculties. The KU also has a strong global network with over 250 partner universities in Europe, North and South America, Asia, and Oceania.

The KU is committed to promoting and employing an international perspective. International students contribute to intercultural and international exchange, while the University’s global network provides students with a wide range of study abroad opportunities. The University maintains partnerships with universities all over the globe. In addition to its connections with state universities, the KU is part of a unique international network of Catholic universities. Students currently have access to around 360 exchange opportunities with over 250 partner universities in 57 countries.
The KU’s research covers a wide range of disciplines and topics. Hermeneutic and empirical research methods are both used and complement one another. Connections are made between philosophical questions, historical research, and methods from cultural studies and the social sciences. Research is conducted at all of the KU’s faculties and institutes. Guided by its Christian values, the University has established four major research areas: the Church, religion and society; responsibility and justice; global education and teacher training and cultural contact and transcultural processes. These areas provide the framework for interdisciplinary research activities and are based on the KU’s Catholic mission.
Heiner Boettger is considered an expert in these areas concerning the project:
Building intercultural skills, also online
Conducting diversity surveys
Conflict resolution
Cultural integration
Cultural relations
Diversity training, also online
Emotional intelligence
Gender, age differences
Inclusive language learning environment, esp. gamification, also online
Individual differences and similarities
Interviewing for diversity
Managing diversity
Mentoring in a diverse language learning context, also virtual
Stereotyping, prejudice, discrimination
Structural and informal integration of difference
Sustaining diversity commitment

Full Professor of English Didactics and EFL at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany. Chairman of the Early Language Learning Advisory Board, founded in Munich. Present research focuses on the preconditions for language learning within the language acquisition process. Explores how children develop communicative competences, which language strategies they use and when, the brain processes underlying language development and the jigsaw pieces for acquiring three or more languages. Has published over 190 papers on English didactics and language research.

Research assistant and doctoral candidate at Heiner Böttger’s LEARLab at the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. Currently completing her PhD thesis on the promotion of creativity in the English language classroom. Also focuses on evidence- based findings regarding neural networks of the human brain in regards to language learning and is planning to take up research on bilingualism and multilingualism with a special focus towards creativity.