Thomas Terbeck was born and grew up near Dortmund. When he was 16, he decided to spend a high school year in the USA. Ever since then, his “itchy feet” did not let him stay in Germany for long: He visited almost 40 countries of our beautiful planet – as backpacker, language student, intern, and as Erasmus student. Still at university, Thomas published the “Handbuch Fernweh”, which is currently available in its 7th edition. It is considered the most comprehensive German guidebook on high school stays abroad. After successfully completing his degree in History, Education Science and Social Studies, he worked as student counsellor at the Ruhr University in Bochum for four years. At the same time, he founded the independent education counselling service weltweiser. It is the aim of the weltweiser team to have a continuous overview of the German education market. The team evaluates the programs of German education providers in order to locate the best matching program for each individual student interested in going abroad. As part of the weltweiser service, Thomas organizes education fairs, JUBis, in eleven German cities. With over 50 education program providers and education experts in the fields of high school, language courses, au pair, work & travel, and international voluntary services the JUBis are well-established German fairs for education and careers abroad.


Ramon Tissler, Director

Ramon Tissler has dealt with the subject of university studies abroad since his own stay at an American university from 1994 to 1996. After completion of his MBA in the USA, he returned to his home university in Lüneburg and continued his Business Studies. Still at university, he started to help high school graduates and students planning their privately organized stays abroad. Although Ramon was responsible for the marketing/ online marketing and for designing websites for internet companies like ImmobilienScout24 and Moneyshelf during the first three years after finishing his German degree in 1988, he could not help but to notice that the growing number of inquiries on his online counselling portal College-Contact.com showed a great need for his services. Consequently, he professionally focused on bridging the gap in this market. Since Ramon opened his first office in Münster in 1999, he has constantly enlarged the range of his counselling services (e.g. Sport-Scholarships.com) and operates quite a number of websites on the topics studies abroad and going abroad.


Annike Henrix, Associate Director, contact person itchy feet and away

As a ninth-grader, Annike spent a few weeks in England attending a language course and soon returned to Britain on a school exchange. Having enjoyed these stays very much, she went abroad to the United States for a High School Year in Massachusetts and is still in touch with her host-family today. After passing the German Abitur in 1999, she took up her university studies in Germany, did an internship at an American company and spent a study abroad year at the University of East Anglia, England. Annike gained her Master’s degree from the University of Münster in English and American Literature, Cultural Studies and History in the summer of 2005. She was first employed by an institute offering guidance on higher education options in Australia and New Zealand to German students. Annike has been working for International Education Network and weltweiser since February 2007. She is the main contact person for the away fairs as well as for itchy feet.