Many months of preparation by both the international communities and the International Office precede the event on June 27, when the Glass Hall will be decked out with information booths and informational posters, and the cooking will begin. “The motto ‘herbs and spices’ was decided long in advance. However, I was continually surprised and excited about the range and creativity of the communities’ ideas,” says Dr. Jutta Paal. She is the head of “kompass international” – a sub-team of the International Office that implements international and intercultural projects with students from abroad and supports and advises the international communities. Their target group is in particular the students who complete their entire bachelor’s or master’s degree in Bremen.

Festivities Unite – from Iftar to Diwali

Almost 2,900 students fell into this category in the 2022/23 winter semester. Many of them take part in one of the twelve current international student communities. In most cases, these communities have members from all universities in Bremen State and are managed by students on a voluntary basis. “Our group’s mailing list has about 500 recipients,” says Sisriksha Das. The 27-year-old master’s student in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology heads the Indian Students Association Bremen (ISAB). Given the cultural and religious diversity in India, the variety in socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds matches the large number of members. This makes it all the more important for the group to celebrate as many festivities as possible together. They include, for example, Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. “Celebrating Diwali is a special highlight for us, because the whole family usually comes together for the festival,” says Sisriksha Das. It is similar with Iftar, the breaking of the fast during Ramadan. The Muslim University Association and the Turkish student community got together for this event again this year.

Room Search Assistance

It’s not just celebrating together that brings students together in the communities. The groups often offer indispensable support to those arriving in Germany. They regularly organize information weeks for newcomers, which give information about German courses, how university examinations are conducted, or what assistance the Studierendenwerk provides, for example. Bola Biola heads the Nigerian university group, which, was his first point of contact for many matters when he arrived in 2020 – such as looking for a room or reporting his residency. “Because I appreciated this help, I would now like to pay it forward,” he says. Prospective students from Nigeria often contact him and the group before arriving in Germany. Above all, the search for a place to stay is an issue. The community’s WhatsApp group provides temporary accommodation until students finally find their own room – which can often take months of searching. Rental fraud is too common and takes advantage of the situation of students, says Renu Yadav, General Secretary of the Indian community. For example, deposits or payments of several months’ rent are required in advance, without students ever being able to move into their rooms. These situations have occurred so frequently that the Indian group has already sought to discuss them with a member of the Bremen State Parliament.

Support from kompass

Sisriksha Das, Bola Biola, and the members of the other university groups visit Jutta Paal’s office regularly. She has been supporting and advising the international communities since 2007 – a task that always brings new surprises. “Students often spontaneously drop by my office when planning events,” she says. Often the search for a venue is a challenge, because the communities do not have their own meeting locations. Jutta Paal then gets in touch with the university’s events office. In some cases, they can also organize financial support, for example using funds from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). It is important for Jutta Paal to network the various communities with each other. For example, she organizes workshops for the team leaders, where they learn more about communication, as well as project and time management, and also have a chance to discuss their ideas with each other.

Mutually Beneficial Conversations

Personal conversations help to keep the contact between kompass and the international communities close. Jutta Paal and her team benefit from these good relations when they want to spread information to international students, for example about changes to the right of residence, job vacancies for international students, or planning the International Campus Day. “Of course, I could also inform the students by email,” says Jutta Paal, “but they get so many emails every day. Direct contact with the groups is often more efficient.” Once Jutta Paal is in contact with the students, the discussions often go beyond organizational matters. The students tell her about their everyday lives, living in Bremen, and their free time. These informal conversations have led to many events, such as English-language cycling and swimming courses especially for international students. “No one can concentrate on studying if they feel isolated,” says Jutta Paal. “And that is the goal of our collaboration – to get the students out of isolation.”