The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is an international University located in the cultural city of Weimar. This is a place where people from a variety of cultural and geographical backgrounds come together and through their work in the arts and sciences make a joint contribution to the future. In this way, the university follows the tradition of the Bauhaus, which began in 1919.
The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, along with the other German universities, advocates open-mindedness, internationalism, honest dialogues, enlightened thinking, plurality of opinions and tolerance. Migration is not a temporary phenomenon. Our society will continue to have to deal with the manifestations, causes and consequences of migration in the future. We pledge our solidarity to those who are currently seeking refuge in Thuringia.
A special thanks goes out to the numerous students, who in addition to their studies have shown a tremendous amount of commitment to those in need, and have thus shown us all what it truly means to be a citizen of the world!
The Presidium of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar on behalf of the university
Support offered by the university
The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is committed to upholding the idea of the Bauhaus and thus maintains the traditional orientation towards internationality. An open-minded atmosphere and international environment on campus are integral components of the university. Various measures have already been taken within the administration to assist refugees and to sustain support in the context of existing opportunities.
Participation in the Thuringian Job Pool
The state administration office has requested that all state institutions in Thuringia delegate personnel for six months to support the administrative needs of the refugee situation. At the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, two employees have agreed to serve in the »refugees« division and the »legal« division in the state administration office. The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is thus making its contribution to support the state with valuable help because the reception, registration, accommodation of refugees significantly exceeds the normal capacity of the administration.
Office of Student and Academic Affairs
The general student advisory service is open to anyone – including refugees – who is interested in studying at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. Multiple consultations with refugees have already taken place – topics range from the general system of higher education in Germany and the higher education landscape in Thuringia to the specific profile and offers available at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.
Contact:
Dipl.-Kulturwiss. (Medien) Gudrun Kopf
Head of Department
e-mail: gudrun.kopf@uni-weimar.de
International Office
International hours
In addition to other information, the International Office also provides specific information regarding the organisational requirements of living in Weimar (eg. visas, resident permits) during the department's office hours:
International hours for university staff
Tuesday/Thursday
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
International hours at the help desk
Tuesday/Thursday 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
» https://www.uni-weimar.de/de/universitaet/international/nach-weimar/
Network meetings
An exchange of ideas occurs during the regular network meetings between the International Office, the immigration office, the student initiative Bauhaus.Internationals, the student council (StuKo), the university's Language Centre, and the international counselors from the faculties. This network is currently focused on coming up with ideas about how to support the refugees.
Integration programme
It is currently being assessed to what extent the integration programmes – buddy, tandem and mentoring programmes – can be opened to include the refugees.
» WIN – Weimar International Network
Contact:
Dr. Christian Kästner
Head of Department
e-mail: christian.kaestner[at]uni-weimar.de
» www.uni-weimar.de/international
Language Centre
The Language Centre is currently offering advice for those students who are interested in volunteering to help organise and teach German courses for refugees. Moreover, the Language Centre is involved in providing consultation for refugees regarding the acquisition of German language skills necessary to complete a degree programme in Germany.
Next consulting hours:
Thursday, 14.01.2016, 1.30 pm
Coudraystraße 13, 99423 Weimar, room 207
Contact:
Dr. Susanne Kirchmeyer
Head of Department
e-mail: susanne.kirchmeyer[at]uni-weimar.de
University Library
The University Library has made German course books and teachers books available as part of its textbook collection. The current inventory will be expanded if necessary. Moreover, discarded copies of German as a second language materials from the library inventory and the Language Centre are being used to support the students who have volunteered to teach language courses for the refugees.
Contact:
Dr. Frank Simon-Ritz
Director
e-mail: frank.simon-ritz[at]uni-weimar.de
University Sports Centre
Many of the university's gyms are already being used as accommodation for the refugees. The Bauhaus-Universität Weimar also offered the gym on Falkenberg to the state as an emergency shelter for the refugees, but an on-site inspection of the facility revealed that it was unsuitable as an accommodation for refugees.
Contakt:
Dr. Uwe Türk-Noack
Head of Department
e-mail: uwe.tuerk-noack[at]uni-weimar.de
Voluntary service
Teachers, staff and students are involved in numerous voluntary initiatives. They have donated their time and energy to the following initiatives and action groups for the past several weeks in order to provide refugees with valuable support.
Don’t hesitate to contact them if you are interested in getting involved!
We help Weimar
»We help Weimar« takes non-bureaucratic action to help integrate and involve refugees in everyday life in Weimar and concentrates its activities on the group domicile at Nordstrasse 9-11, administered by the Workers' Welfare Association (AWO) as the sponsoring social agency. The initiative seeks to bridge the gap between Weimar's refugee services institutions, the public, and especially students. The motto is: »Don't wait, take action!«
The primary focus of »We help Weimar« is to enable people seeking refuge to get off to a good start in our community quickly and without a lot of red tape. In this context, it is important to enable and promote integration from day one. The initiative prefers interpersonal exchange to one-sided handouts. Supplying necessities, such as clothing and bedding is just part of getting refugees off to a good start, but learning the German language and lifestyle through contact with people who live here is also indispensable for successful coexistence.
So far, »We help Weimar« has organised itself around the following issues:
- Tandem language courses with daycare
- Recreational activities
- Intercultural evenings
- Cooperation with WE Dance and the Stellwerk Theatre
- Clothing distribution
Contact:
E-Mail: we.help.weimar[at]gmail.com
Linguist pool
In response to the sustained flow of refugees, the Multigenerational House in Weimar West has established a pool of voluntary linguists. International students and university employees take part in a network to overcome language barriers between refugees and Germans.
The goal of the linguist pool is to offer uncomplicated help in emergency situations and in dealing with the challenges of daily life. Institutions, such as the City of Weimar, schools, daycare centres, social agencies, officials, etc. in Weimar and the surrounding area can request linguists from the linguist pool without a lot of red tape. For a small fee, volunteers help out and provide translation services. Private institutions and individuals can also use the pool. The main focus is on helping people without a knowledge of the German language to understand and resolve important questions.
The linguist pool is still looking for people who speak at least two of the sought-after languages, such as German and Arabic. In addition to Arabic, speakers of Dari, Tigrinya, Kurdish, and western Balkan languages are required. People competent in these languages should also speak German or English. The linguist pool helps both refugees and institutions. People seeking and offering language services can reach the pool at the e-mail address below.
Contact:
E-Mail: sprachmittlerpool[at]gmx.de
Wortschatz – Language Workshop with Refugees
Wortschatz sums up a variety of projects focusing on language as an integral part of the integration process. German and Arabian courses offer an easy and user-friendly introduction. Workshops deepen the knowledge about the German culture and offer a place to discuss the difficulties of arriving and settling in. All of Wortschatz’ offers are free for everyone. The groups are organized by volunteers and held in rooms at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. This also includes a child care during the language courses.
Impulse group »Design.Build.Studio«
The »Design.Build.Studio« impulse group is preparing a pilot project aimed at putting the currently vacant state-owned property of the former JVA/JAA on Weimarer Thälmannstrasse to a new use. The goal is to create an integrative living and working community for trainees, students, and refugees. A special emphasis is being placed on inclusive urban design and social space, as well as local economic development.
According to the concept, future users and potential sponsors would be included in multiple aspects of the process from the very beginning by helping with construction, for instance.
It is also important to track the project scientifically to consolidate the results for use in other locations. The higher education landscape in Thuringia offers numerous subjects and research specialities that will be integrated into the network.
The Design.Build.Studio impulse group collaborates closely with ongoing projects in the context of the university and sees as its future responsibility the support of these projects through establishment, coordination, and financing of long-term integration, activity, and research spaces. With the support of the registered cooperative association and an external funder, the impulse group is currently formulating a collaborative operating model for the former JVA/JAA Weimar as well as a calculation of investment costs.
The goal of Design.Build.Studio is to develop viable concepts and operating models, as well as implementation on a 1:1 scale.
Impulsgruppe Design.Build.Studio eG (currently being founded):
Pierre Kramann-Musculus B.F.A. (Faculty of Art and Design)
Dipl. Ing. Henning Michelsen (Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism)
Dr. Ing. Johannes Warda (Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism)
Contact:
E-Mail: henning.michelsen[at]designbuildstudio.de
City of Weimar refugee aid
On the City of Weimar website, you can find information for citizens who want to take action to help with refugees. In addition to donating food and money, residents can volunteer in a number of ways.
IfF – Initiative für Flüchtlinge (Initiative for Refuges)
In October 2013 the »IfF« was founded as an initiative of Bauhaus-University's student's association. We focus on socio-political actions concerning escape and asylum.
What we do:
- Organize events concerning escape and asylum e.g. exhibitions, discussions, theater plays
- Organize petitions, demonstrations, manifestations,
poitical art, open letters, press releases to create public discussions
- Create a space for people to meet, discuss and exchange ideas
Contact:
E-Mail: fluechtlingsinitiative.weimar[at]gmx.de
An overview of information and advisory services offered at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar for refugees as prospective students:
» General academic advising for international applicants (available in English & German)
Christian Eckert
Place: Campus.Office
Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 15, room 005
Office hours: Tuesday & Thursday 10 a.m.– 11.30 a.m. / 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. as well as Wednesday 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
e-mail: studium[at]uni-weimar.de
» Advising service for international applicants (available in English & German)
Johanna Teuerkauf
Place: Campus.Office
Geschwister-Scholl-Straße 15, room 008
Office hours: Tuesday 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. / 1 p.m. – 2 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
e-Mail: johanna.theuerkauf[at]uni-weimar.de
» Language Centre at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar
Information and advice regarding German courses
Dr. Susanne Kirchmeyer
Place: Coudraystraße 13A, room. 206
Appointments: 10 and 24 February 2016, at 1:30 p.m.
e-mail: susanne.kirchmeyer[at]uni-weimar.de
» Open Campus Day for Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programmes
General Student Advisory Info Stand
Place: Marienstraße 15, Mensa am Park
Date: Saturday, 11 March 2017, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
» Studying in Thuringia – Thuringian Universities´Information Day for Refugees and Migrants
Place: Comcenter Brühl, Mainzerhofstraße 10, 99084 Erfurt
Date: Saturday, 20 February 2016, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Guide on the Financing of Education and Studies for Refugees offered by Students and Graduates of the degree programme Erziehungswissenschaften of the Friedrich-Schiller-Universiät Jena (available in German, English and French)
- Advising for recognition procedures of foreign qualifications: iq-thueringen.de
- Information portal for refugees, migrants, volunteers and employers and employees: »Thuringia helps« (available in German, English, French, Arabic, and Persian)
- Assessment test for refugees that examines both the general and subject-related abilities for academic studies: »TestAS«
- Online Language Placement Test for refugees who wish to attend a language course before they begin or continue their studies in Germany: »onSET«
- Nationwide competition for integrative ideas: »Integration 2017«
- Information for refugees who want to study at an university in germany:»study in germany«
- Joint press release (in german) of DAAD and the federal ministry of education and research: Facilitating access to education for refugees
- Nationwide campaign by HRK member universities: »Universities for openness, tolerance and against xenophobia«