Solidarity with Ukraine

Joint declaration by the federal state and universities in Hesse

Hesse's Minister of Science Angela Dorn and the presidents of the federal state's 14 universities have adopted the following joint statement on the invasion of Ukraine.

The Hessian Ministry of Higher Education, Research and the Arts and the Hessian universities jointly condemn Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, which is in violation of international law. Our deepest concern, sympathy and solidarity go to the people in and from Ukraine, especially to the students, academics and artists who are experiencing death, injury, displacement and the destruction of their homes, infrastructure and livelihoods.

The invasion of Ukraine is an attack on democracy and the liberal values to which modern Europe is dedicated and committed. In accordance with the Lübeck Declaration of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of 10/11 March 2022, the statement of the Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany of 25 February 2022 and the statement of the German Rectors' Conference of 24 February 2022, the State of Hesse and its higher education institutions acknowledge their joint responsibility for students and academics from Ukraine who are in distress or danger and are fleeing war. This also applies to students from third countries who were in Ukraine to study.

The state government encourages the universities to maintain cooperations with Ukrainian universities as far as possible and to stay in contact with students and academics. It would like to thank the Hessian universities for their prompt action and for the numerous initiatives to support Ukrainian students, academics and artists.

The state government and the higher education institutions in Hesse agree to suspend institutional cooperations with Russian and Belarusian higher education institutions and state institutions until further notice, in line with the Europe-wide sanctions regime and the recommendations of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs and the Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany, and to suspend and critically review financial support for state projects with the Russian Federation as far as possible. At the same time, this means that no new cooperation projects are to be initiated and no joint scientific, research policy or artistic events are to be held.

This step is all the more painful as the cooperation between Russian and Hessian universities across all disciplines has been particularly rewarding over the years, as Hesse's relations with Eastern Europe are traditionally particularly close. However, a military attack on liberal values cannot go unanswered and demands a response at all levels. We must therefore show the Russian President that his aggression has consequences.

At the same time, the state government and the universities are committed to ensuring that individual collaborations with Russian and Belarusian academics continue as far as possible and justifiable in the spirit of academic freedom. Our solidarity extends in particular to those in the Russian science and art community who, because they believe in democracy, freedom and the rule of law, represent a critical voice and an important link to Russian civil society and are often themselves victims of repression.

The state government and higher education institutions therefore welcome the fact that Russian students, academics and artists who are enrolled or employed at higher education institutions in Hesse can continue to receive individual funding. Likewise, they can still be accepted within the framework of projects and degree programmes of the universities. We want to foster engagement with the academic and cultural richness of Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe and reject any form of discrimination. We counter the message of violence with the culture of peaceful debate.

The state government and the universities will maintain existing offers of support and advice for students, academics and artists from Ukraine, Belarus and the Russian Federation. The HessenFonds scholarship programme has already been extended for persecuted academics and hence also to Ukraine, and individual universities have also already responded with emergency funds and scholarship programmes. In close coordination with each other and with the responsible federal and state bodies, they will also consider further measures in view of the challenges faced by higher education institutions in receiving and supporting students and academics from Ukraine who have been affected by the war and sought refuge.

In this context, we expressly welcome the establishment of the central contact point for Ukrainians refugees by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as well as the science ministries of the federal states and the Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany. The platform, which is administered by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), can be used to bundle and make accessible information on concrete support measures by the federal government, the federal states, higher education institutions, academic organisations, student organisations and foundations.

The activation of the EU's Temporary Protection Directive has restricted BAföG funding to exceptional cases only in accordance with Section 24 of the Residence Act. We therefore also strongly support the DAAD's promotion of a major support programme for German universities financed by the federal government, on the basis of which the admission, supervision and further qualification of Ukrainian students and academics is to be guaranteed and academic operations at universities in Ukraine are to be supported.

The state government and the universities would like to express their sincere thanks to the many volunteers and private donors who have shown their solidarity with Ukraine and their support for the freedom of science and research.

Statement of the Unite! Alliance

“Our University Network for Innovation, Technology and Engineering (Unite!) – observes the current situation in Ukraine with utmost concern. Our University Alliance shares the European values of respect for human dignity and rights, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law. We express our deepest solidarity to the people and the intention to actively support the students and the colleagues in Ukraine.”

Source Website of UNITE!

Information and Support

International Admissions

The unit “International Admissions” offers international prospective students and enrolled students services and advice on applications, admissions, enrollment and more.

Language & Preparatory Courses

The Central Coordination Office for Refugee Integration of the TU Darmstadt (ZKF), in cooperation with the Language Centre of the TU Darmstadt, offers preparatory language courses at different levels. These courses equip refugees who are interested in studying at the TU Darmstadt with the language skills necessary for taking up studies in Germany.

In addition, the ZKF offers advice and support to refugees interested in studying in Germany on issues related to their options for studying in Germany and financing their studies.

More Information for Third Country Nationals

For those who have a valid Ukrainian resident permit for study-purposes and wish to continue their studies at TU Darmstadt.

Please be aware that in order to continue your studies in Germany you will need to make sure you are eligible to apply for a residence permit for study purposes in Germany (§16). You will therefore need to be enrolled at a university and registered at the local residence registration office. Please take a look at our study programmes available for Bachelor and Master students.

For any further questions, please contact .

Offers of assistance

Förderverein für in Not geratene Studierende der Technischen Universität Darmstadt e.V.

TU Darmstadt appeals for donations for our students who get into difficulties due to the war in Ukraine. The “Förderverein für in Not geratene Studierende der Technischen Universität Darmstadt e.V.” (an aid association for students in need at TU Darmstadt) has been managing a relief fund since its founding in 1992.

c/o AStA TU Darmstadt
Hochschulstraße 1
64289 Darmstadt

Donations account

Förderverein an der TU Darmstadt e.V.
Sparkasse Darmstadt
IBAN: DE44508501500000618020
BLZ (bank sort code): 508 501 50
Account number: 618 020

For donations up to 300 EUR, your remittance form will be recognised by the tax office as a donation receipt since 1.1.2021. For donations over 300 EUR, the “Förderverein” will gladly issue a donation receipt. Please indicate your name and address on the remittance form.

Action committee “Solidarity with Ukraine”

Due to the dramatic situation in Ukraine, many associations, circles of friends and institutions have joined the newly setup action committee “Solidarität mit der Ukraine – Solidarity with Ukraine” under the auspices of Darmstadt’s Lord Mayor, Jochen Partsch, and under the overall control of the “PDUM Partnerschaft Deutschland-Ukraine/Moldova e.V.” association.

The initiative appeals for monetary donations for urgently needed medicine and other relief aid that will be taken to Darmstadt’s twin town Uzhgorod, Ukraine by volunteers as quickly as possible:

IBAN: DE46 5089 0000 0000 952206, BIC: GENODEF1VBD

of “PDUM Partnerschaft Deutschland-Ukraine/Moldova e.V.” at the Volksbank Darmstadt-Südhessen eG, reference “Hilfe für Uzhgorod” (aid for Uzhgorod). For donations up to 200 euros, presentation of the account statement to the tax office will be sufficient for tax allowance. For donations exceeding 200 euros, please provide your full name and address with the transfer of funds.

Donations in kind are also appreciated. The initiative kindly asks you to send a brief email detailing scope and condition of donated goods to this email address: . Should the items offered for donation be of use and shippable, you will be informed immediately where you can hand over these items.

News

27 June 2022

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has announced a Master's scholarship programme for students from Ukraine as well as for students from countries on the DAC list who are fleeing the war in Ukraine. The application deadline is 30 June 2022.

The DAAD is also offering Master's scholarships for Master's students from sub-Saharan Africa who are fleeing the war in Ukraine. The application deadline is 4 July 2022.

8 March 2022

The Fritz Thyssen Foundation is funding a new research project on the life and work of the liberal Russian pacifist Jacques [Jakov Alexandrovich] Novicov (1849-1912) at the Institute of Political Science at TU Darmstadt. The project, led by Prof. Dr. Jens Steffek, aims to explore Novicov's little-researched life, his political ideas and the history of the impact of his works.

During his lifetime, Novicov, who came from an industrialist family in Odessa, was a well-known public intellectual and one of the leading activists of the European peace movement. In his sociological works, Novicow developed an evolutionary theoretical perspective on the development of human society and the relations between states, inspired by natural science. This kind of social science theorising was quite popular in the late 19th century, but Novicow gave evolutionary thinking an interesting twist.

Unlike Social Darwinists, who interpreted violent conflict between states as a quasi-natural phenomenon and thus virtually inevitable, war appeared to Novicow as an anachronism. Competition between societies had shifted from physical competition for territory to economic and intellectual rivalry, which, through the progress thus generated, ultimately benefited all people and regions of the world. It was not states or societies that were in a struggle with each other, but all of humanity in a struggle with the limitations and dangers of nature.

The TU community's help for Ukraine is picking up speed: The Vereinigung von Freunden der TU Darmstadt (Association of Friends of TU Darmstadt) has agreed to provide up to 30,000 euros at short notice. The money will benefit TU Darmstadt students in need who have been affected by the Ukraine war. To this aim, the association works closely with the Förderverein für in Not geratene Studierende (Support Association for Students in Need).

“I am very glad that the Association of Friends of TU Darmstadt is again providing spontaneous support here – as it did with our Corona Emergency Aid Fund,” says Professor Jens Schneider, Vice President for Transfer and International Affairs at TU. “This shows once again how valuable the association is as a partner of the TU Darmstadt. Many thanks also to the Förderverein für in Not geratene Studierende for their help and commitment with which it too helps to ease the hardship and suffering of those affected by the war.”

The Vereinigung von Freunden der TU Darmstadt, founded almost 100 years ago under the name „Ernst Ludwigs University Society“, currently has around 2,200 members as well as 80 member companies. The Förderverein für in Not geratene Studierende der Technischen Universität Darmstadt e.V. was founded in 1992. It offers financial support in cases of emergency and special hardship. The association members work on a voluntary basis with funds from private donations, the student body and TU Darmstadt. sip