Background The Catholic School for Health - and Nursing Care in Frankfurt am Main, Seckbacher Landstraße 65 and the School for Health- and Nursing Care Am Wilhelminenspital in Vienna wish to commit themselves to further the aims of the European Union. Objectives The participants… 1. - gain an insight into the Austrian health- and nursing care system with regard to its organizational and structural prerequisites 2. - compare the practical training of both countries 3. - acquire new qualifications as regards nursing as well as their personal development 4. - have the opportunity to develop a broader - that is “European” - health consciousness and thus be able to discuss health on a European basis. 5. - get the chance to stay in contact with their Austrian colleagues Number and profile of the participants: We will send seven trainees who are in their third year of formation. Description of activities: During their three-week-stay at our partner school in Vienna, the participants are supposed to attend school for one week . In the remaining two weeks they will work in an in-patient ward at the Vienna hospital Hietzig with its neurological centre Rosenhügel. Furthermore, the participants can take part in excursions, e.g. the Historic Medical Museum ( focussing on the history of their profession), go sightseeing in Vienna and get to know the Austrian culture, or concentrate on more job related activities such as visiting a polytechnical school or an innovative senior residence. Procedure: The participants receive a list of specific tasks from their German coordinators, designed to help them find out more about the similarities and differences of the German and Austrian health care systems. During their stay in Vienna the German participants will be looked after by an Austrian coordinator. Short description of the envisaged results and the ensuing consequences: This project is designed to qualify the participants for a job that serves the medical well-being of society and guarantees a good health and nursing care service beyond national frontiers. Despite the similarities existing in the German and Austrian medical training systems as concerns content, requirements and general terms, there are at least as many differences. Therefore both, host and guest, will consider this a valuable experience. Long-term expectations and benefits: Getting to know the Austrian health system shall enable the trainees to help form the Euopean Union with respect to their profession and also allow them to participate in a job related political discussion in order to promote the idea of a unified Europe. Last but not least this project is designed to trigger an academic exchange within the European Union.