Ruth Whittle is Senior Lecturer in German Studies at the University of Birmingham. In 2014 she was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship, which recognises «excellent practice and outstanding achievement in learning and teaching in higher education» (HEA). She has widely researched and published in the areas of language study and internationalisation as well as women in German literature and literary history. She teaches German language and literature at all levels, with a particular interest in business German, translation studies, interpreting and nineteenth-century German literature. She is currently the School’s Senior Tutor. Sandra Salin is Lecturer in French Language, Translation and Interpreting at Newcastle University and teaches at all levels. She holds a Certificate in Advanced Studies in Academic Practice and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She is also an external examiner for French at the University of Bath. She has led and presented a number of internal learning and teaching projects, including two related to the year abroad. She is currently the Director of the Year Abroad and the main editor of the year abroad magazine Flying Solo. Her current learning and teaching interests include independent and reflective learning, students’ engagement, the year abroad experience and intercultural awareness.