Shaping the Path to University Together

On the first day, ZKF welcomed participants to an online event. It was an opportunity to discuss together the challenges and hopes associated with pursuing higher education. Inspiring talks on course selection and studying at TU Darmstadt, presented by experts from the Central Student Advisory Service (ZSB) and student representatives, aimed to support participants in their future planning.

The second day brought participants together in person at premises of the International Student Services . Initially, many were very interested during the presentations on preparatory courses for university studies by the Studienkolleg. However, some were still a bit shy, as many of them had only recently started learning German. Yet, as soon as TUtor International kicked off with the “Spielerisch Deutsch lernen” (“Learn German Through Play”) session, the ice was broken, and participants communicated joyfully with each other. Future students from various countries such as Ukraine and Turkey not only improved their language skills but also forged new connections.

Beyond providing practical insights into university studies, the workshops also offered a glimpse into student life at the university. Through a brief campus tour and a visit to the university library (Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek – ULB), participants could gain a first impression of their future study environment on a sunny day.

To wrap up the workshops, participants were invited to lunch at the canteen. (Mensa). Here, they could deepen their newly formed connections. Some expressed gratitude for the successful workshops and, above all, for the warm atmosphere. One participant enthusiastically declared at the end, “I'll be coming here more often now!” Birgit Brandes, Coordinator of Refugee Programmes at ZKF, who organized the workshops together with her team, looks back contentedly on the past two days and the shared time: “It's always nice to personally meet the participants of the preparatory language courses. You can see why you're doing all this work.”