Manitoba International Education Branch: German Exchange Program

The province of Manitoba and the states of Hamburg and Lower Saxony in Germany have been exchanging high school students for more than 30 years. In October 2003, the provincial government reinforced its longstanding cooperation with the city state of Hamburg and the state of Lower Saxony by signing official exchange agreements. Unlike many programmes, where students spend a couple of weeks in the host country travelling in English-speaking groups, this exchange places students in schools and families for six weeks or three months. The exchange programme provides the opportunity for Manitoba students to gain fluency in German, discover the richness of German culture, develop close friendships with German students, become part of a German family, learn to adapt to the changing world and gain a new perspective on Canada.