The International Summer University is a short-term program that is held during the summer season by the University of Kassel every year. In addition to the international master programs, University Kassel organizes the ISU as one of its internationalization strategies. The program of the ISU is designed for university students as well as researchers and professionals who want to learn more about German and European perspectives in Environmental Sciences and German Language & Culture. Environmental science has been one of the strengths of Uni Kassel since its foundation in 1971. During the winter season the University Kassel offers the International Winter University (IWU) Kassel. The theme "sustainability" covers not only the academic content of the ISU/IWU, but also the program design which encourages continuous learning within and outside classrooms. History and development of the programme The International Summer University started as one of the Hessen International Summer Universities that have been designed to attract international students to Hessen. Established in 2001, ISU offers short-term credit-bearing academic program featuring the strengths of University Kassel in the areas of Environmental Sciences and German Language & Culture studies. Apart from the academic components with specific foci, ISU is unique in its host-family program for students to experience first-hand German lifestyle. The University's long-standing partnerships with industries in the region and experiences in university-industry knowledge transfer also bring additional benefit to ISU students by giving them opportunities to witness the application of academic knowledge in industrial settings. Since its inception, ISU has brought some 50 international students to Kassel every year. Some of these students returned to Kassel for further studies and many of them have become the ambassadors of the University and the city of Kassel in their home countries. The uniqueness of ISU lies in the concern for the sustainability of global environment and cultural heritage. While ISU Kassel embraces globalization and innovation in the study program, the best practices of the program have been kept – arrangement of host families – to ensure that the visiting students are fully engaged in the local community and culture during their short stay in Kassel. Students are arranged to live with carefully selected host families and to practice their classroom knowledge with tandem partners and tutors. Workshops (e.g. German dancing, cooking, sports), field trips and excursions in Kassel and neighboring areas are also organized to introduce local culture and traditions to the students. Since