We are a vocational college (Fachschule) training future educators and nursery staff. Since 2003 we have been offering to our students the opportunity to specialise in international pedagogics including the possibility to do a work placement abroad. Our International Pedagogics Profile is meant to enlarge the students’ intercultural competences as well as their language skills and to help them develop a deeper understanding of diverse cultures and mentalities. Through their intercultural competences, educators can contribute largely to the development of a tolerant and co-operative behaviour in a society based on diversity and mutual understanding. A work placement abroad aims at helping students to develop key competences they will need in their professional qualification. Concretely, they gain insight into different concepts and strategies of education in other countries and develop intercultural competences and qualifications required in working with children and young people of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. These competences are particularly important with regard to the work of institutions which support the integration of families with a migration background into the German educational system. Moreover, discussions with foreign colleagues tend to lead to an international exchange of ideas on education that can be an enrichment to both sides. The practical placement abroad takes part in the second year of studies, so that students dispose of some fundamental knowledge regarding theories of education and how these are put into practice. Furthermore they have completed a six-week work placement in a childcare institution in Germany during their first year, thus gaining practical experience and enlarging their competences. These professional competences should be enhanced and deepened during their placement abroad. The duration of the placement is six weeks. During the first two weeks, interns make contact and get acquainted with their new environment. They also gain some basic insight into the institution’s concept of work and begin to surmount language barriers. In the following four weeks these impressions are deepened, learning processes are initiated, contacts to children, parents and colleagues strengthened and language skills improved. The possible fields of work for certified educators include the following: early education, daycare and residential institutions for children 5 – 10 years old, youth and family work, working with people with disabilities and special needs. The placements abroad have been chosen according to these objectives.