Learning across borders – A conversation with İrem Uluyol and Katharina Göpel
What can international cooperation in educational research achieve – both professionally and personally? Over the past two months, İrem Uluyol, a mathematics education student at Necmettin Erbakan University in Turkey, completed an Erasmus+ internship at the IPN. As part of the BooLL (Boolean connectives: Probing the interplay between Language & Logic) project, she worked closely with the Department of Mathematics Education and researched the interplay of language and logic in mathematics education.
In a joint interview, İrem and her supervisor Katharina Göpel look back on two enriching months. They talk about insights gained from the project work, cultural experiences and what they have learned from each other.
The full interview can be found below.
Interview
IPN: What motivated you to do an internship abroad – and why did you choose the IPN?
Irem: Doing an internship abroad was a valuable opportunity for me in terms of both personal and professional development. I believed that experiencing this process firsthand would help me make more informed and conscious decisions about my career. At the same time, living and working in a different culture meant stepping out of my comfort zone and adapting to new situations. I saw this as a meaningful opportunity to challenge myself and discover my true potential.
Before choosing the IPN, I thoroughly explored its ongoing projects and research areas, and I can genuinely say I found them very impressive. After arriving here, I quickly realized that the collaborative spirit within the institution is even stronger than I expected. There is a well-established culture of teamwork, where everyone is supportive of one another, both professionally and personally. At the same time, the IPN has a very welcoming and friendly atmosphere, which makes it easy to feel included and motivated. Looking back, I can confidently say that I made the right choice.
IPN: How did the collaboration with İrem come about?
Katharina: This was done in consultation with Aiso Heinze, who suggested involving an Erasmus student from Turkey in our project. The Turkish language is very interesting with regard to Boolean operators and the Turkish community in Germany is quite large. The great thing was that İrem added so many skills to the project that helped us work on it!
IPN: What have you learned so far – academically or personally – during your time in Kiel?
Irem: During my time in Kiel, I’ve grown both academically and personally in ways I hadn’t fully anticipated.
Academically, being part of a research-driven environment has deepened my understanding of how research is actually conducted — how the process unfolds step by step, what details require close attention, and how colleagues support each other throughout.
On a personal level, living and working in a different country has helped me become more independent, adaptable, and open-minded. Navigating cultural differences and communicating in an international setting have not only improved my language skills but also taught me the value of collaboration and empathy in diverse teams. Overall, this experience is reshaping how I view both a career in this field and my role within it.
IPN: What was İrem’s role in the BooLL project, and how did she contribute?
Katharina: İrem carried out various tasks in the project. She did several researches, checked items and made audio recordings in Turkish. She also took part in the weekly project meeting, paticipated in the IPN summer conference and a lot of social activities.
IPN: What did you (each) learn from working together – professionally or personally?
Irem: On a personal level, I learned the value of being open to different perspectives. Working closely with Katharina helped me build greater trust and confidence in a team setting. It also reminded me how much we can grow by supporting each other.
Professionally, working together taught me the importance of following a clear, step-by-step process and always adhering to ethical standards. I also realized that collaboration makes the work more manageable and motivating. This experience showed me that the field we’re working in requires a high level of discipline and attention to detail. Having the chance to work with someone who genuinely values these principles helped me understand and adapt much more quickly.
Katharina: It was a new and very exciting experience for me to be able to supervise someone for two months. At the content level, we discussed the use of logical tasks in Turkish mathematics lessons, differences in the education system and much more. The fact that İrem and I got on well straight away and communicated openly made it easy to work on the project together. We also discussed cultural differences and did things together outside of work, including a visit to my home town which is Lübeck. It was a thoroughly positive experience, both on a professional and personal level.
IPN: What surprised you most about this internship experience – in terms of teamwork, communication, or research culture?
Katharina: It was great that we were able to exchange ideas so quickly. In terms of teamwork, we were able to make important decisions for the further course of the project thanks to our collaboration.
Irem: What surprises me most can be summarized as follows:
First, I notice how openly team members express differing opinions and how these differences are thoughtfully discussed and worked on together. The culture of giving and receiving feedback is so natural and transparent that it allows the process to move forward through continuous interaction.
Additionally, I am impressed by the absence of hierarchy within the team—everyone’s ideas are valued equally, and the work is carried out collaboratively.
Moreover, I find it truly surprising and educational how the research process maintains a strong balance between careful attention to detail and flexibility.
IPN: What advice would you give to other students considering an Erasmus+ internship?
Irem: Living abroad, adapting to a different culture, and adjusting to a new work environment can cause some hesitation among students. I also had concerns in these areas; however, I acted courageously and gave myself a chance. Looking back today, I am proud of myself for taking this step. Therefore, I encourage other students not to be afraid to step out of their comfort zones, to be brave, and to take advantage of such opportunities. Experiences like Erasmus+ are valuable not only for professional development but also for personal growth, and they can open completely new doors in the future. You wouldn’t want to miss such an opportunity.
