Measures to promote social closeness and active pa… 
Getting closer and get involved: International students
For the successful integration of international students in your course, the suggestions already formulated for establishing digital closeness and active participation apply analogously.
However, the cultural background can make active participation more difficult or easier, depending on the students' previous experience in their role as learners (how is the educational system in the home country structured, how is the relationship between lecturer and students as well as between students, which didactic methods are used).
It is recommended here, as shown for example by the evaluations of the International Office with reference to the Virtual International Program (VIP), to explicitly address cultural differences.
Questions like
- "What is XY like with you?",
- "How do you communicate with your professors?",
- "How do you do group work?"
In addition, it is advisable to discuss the content topics/questions of a course against the background of cultural differences, for example:
- How is the discussion about topic X conducted in country Y?
- What are the biggest concerns/advantages of a certain current development?