In July 2018, the 47th student parliament of Paderborn University has been elected. One of the elected parliament representatives is a refugee. Bashar Almhanna, new member of the list "Sozial, Aktiv & International", has received as much as 67 voices. Congratulations!

The publication (in German language) sums up the results of the German Academic Exchange Service's (DAAD) conference which took place in March 2018 in Berlin. Almost 400 representatives and members of German universities, scientific institutions, foundations, ministries as well as funded refugees came together to discuss the achievements and challenges of integrating refugees into German universities.

Zukunftswege - Erfolge und Herausforderungen bei der Integration von Flüchtlingen ins Fachstudium
(in German language only)

Kammerspiele, the main theater in Paderborn, kindly gave us ten free tickets for our refugee welcome projects. So, on Sunday, Juni 10, 2018, a group of students enjoyed Shakespeare's Richard III in a  modern setting.

This article focuses on female refugees and their way to and through German universities.

Edition 1/18

DAAD article on refugee activities of the universities in East Westphalia-Lippe (OWL)
(in German only)
Netzwerke: Gemeinsam Strategien entwickeln

DAAD article on the foundation college for refugees in Paderborn ("International Foundation College at Paderborn University")
Integra Studienkolleg - durch Förderkurse zum Fachstudium an der Universität Paderborn

Right in the first week of January, a new DSH quarter has started. It will end with the final exams in late March. 37% of the ca. 230 participants are refugees or have been granted subsidiary protection. Almost a third (28%) of these are female.

The portrait of a Syrian DSH Course participant has been published in the current issue of the university magazine PUZ (digital page 48 + 49).

The International Office starts the new year with a buddy program for refugees at our university.  Applications for the Refugee Buddy Program are possible as of now!

The office hours in Arabic language will not take place from 14.12.2017 till 08.01.2018.

As before, almost one third of the DSH course participants are refugees, most of them from Syria. In order to not only introduce German language and literature to the refugees, but to also present Syrian culture in Germany, Interational Office and ASV organized a Syrian Night. It took place Wednesday, November 22, in lecture hall G.

Besides an exciting quiz and an interesting presentation on Syrian culture, a dance performance and a Syrian band entertained the ca. 200 guests. Afterwards, a buffett with tasty Syrian specalities was opened. After everybody had their fill, students of many nationalities danced together to Syrian music until late in the evening.

Organized by the DAAD/Integra project "Welcome", a group of DSH Course participants travelled to Dortmund on November 18, 2017, in order to visit the DFB Soccer Museum. There was a lot to see: the 3D cinema, bringing back to life memories of important soccer moments, the treasure chamber displaying important trophies or a soccer quiz. The participants also grabbed a ball themselves and played some soccer in the pitch.

The round table Kaffeetreff  for international students meets every Wednesday from 13.30 - 15.00 h in the IBZ (Internationales Begegnungszentrum) right in front of the International Office. A group of DSH Course student who join the DAAD programm NRWege visited the Kaffeetreff  on November 15, 2017. Further visits are in preparation.However, if you wish to visit the Kaffeetreff, you do not need to wait for an arranged visit. All students are welcome to join the Kaffeetreff  whenever they want, as a group or as an individual.

July 10, 2017: A further DSH quarter has begun. 87 of 218 participants are refugees. Among the successful graduates of the previous quarter are five refugees. One of them reached the outstanding result DSH-3.

In order to introduce the university facilities to the students of the Welcome Courses, Campus Tours are being arranged on a regular basis by our DAAD-Integra project Welcome. Some of the stations are the Library, the Service Center, the General Students' Committe AsTA and of course the Mensa. Here you find some impressions on the tour of June 29, 2017 (photos will follow shortly).

• April 10, 2017: The current DSH course has started. 92 of 286 participants are asylum seekers or recognized refugees. Since January 2017 refugees in our DSH Courses are supported by the funding programm NRWege (by MIWF/DAAD), for which Paderborn University had successfully applied.

•  In the summer semester 2017, 14 refugees have enrolled in a degree course at Paderborn University after having successfully completed the DSH Course. A further DSH Course graduate has already enrolled in the winter semester 2016/17.

• March 23, 2017: Another 10 refugees have passed the DSH examination. Some of them had initially attended the university's Welcome Course (German language course for asylum seekers) and switched to the DSH Course after having passed the A2 exam.

• As of 2017, refugees in the DSH courses are funded by the programm NRWege ins Studium  (DAAD/MKW).

The project Integra (DAAD / BMBF) enables asylum seekers from the city and district of Paderborn to participate in the university's Welcome Courses. After successful completion of the A2 level, the participants are guaranteed a place in the intermediate level I (= GER level B1) of the DSH course.

• December 22, 2016: The test results of the current DSH course have been announced. We are pleased that four of the successful graduates are refugees. They haved passed the DSH (German language proficiency exam for university admission) at Paderborn University and are now fulfilling the language requirements for a German taught degree course. 
  
  
• Funded the DAAD programm Integra, refugees can participate free of charge in the DSH courses of Paderborn University. The first 37 Integra-funded refugees attend the course as of July 2017 on different course levels. In the October 2016 intake, 62 prospective students are funded by Integra.