معرفی
Pia Awater M.A. is a part-time lecturer and research associate at the University of Duisburg-Essen, where she teaches Dutch language and culture within the Faculty of Humanities and coordinates the EU Interreg project “Nachbarsprache & buurcultuur”. Holding degrees in both Spanish and Dutch Language & Culture, she has been engaged since 2019 in cross-border German-Dutch educational initiatives.
Her research interests revolve around:
- Dutch language pedagogy and didactics, focusing on innovative teaching methods for secondary and tertiary learners.
- Intercultural communication and stereotype research, examining how national images are constructed and deconstructed in foreign-language classrooms.
- Cross-border school exchanges, emphasizing practical organization, digital adaptation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and long-term motivational effects on pupils and teachers.
Across her publications, a clear trend emerges: combining empirical classroom research with hands-on guidance for educators. She has co-edited a comprehensive handbook for German-Dutch school exchanges, contributed analytical essays on contemporary Dutch literature, and documented innovative digital exchange pilots. These works collectively advance both scholarly understanding and practical implementation of neighbour-language education in the Euregio Rhine-Waal.
Scientific and professional engagement:
- Member of the Dutch Association (Fachvereinigung Niederländisch e.V.)
- Member of the International Association for German Studies (IVG)
- Member of InKuR – Institute for Lower Rhine Cultural History and Regional Development
- Member of NAAN (Lower Rhine Academy e.V.)
Teaching and coordination roles:
- Lecturer for Dutch A1, A2 and B1 courses at the Institute for Key Scientific Competences (IwiS)
- Project coordinator for the Interreg initiative “Nachbarsprache & buurcultuur”, overseeing teacher training workshops, pupil exchanges, and academic conferences
She is based in room R11 T05 D36 on the Duisburg campus and can be reached at pia.awater@uni-due.de.
