Helping refugee students in their everyday lives or perhaps occasionally offering a sofa to sleep on? If you would like to get involved or find out about other ways to help refugees at the university, the student initiative "University without Borders" invites you to the lecture theatre centre on Wednesday. "Suddenly everything stopped. It's actually like being dead and having to be reborn." Maurice still vividly remembers his arrival in what was then a foreign country, Germany. He had had to abandon his studies in Rwanda and flee eight years ago. He wanted to go to Brussels, where friends lived, and he hoped to settle in quickly thanks to his knowledge of French. But Belgium deported him to Germany - because he had set foot on EU soil for the first time at Frankfurt Airport. It was a long journey from his arrival in an initial reception centre in Braunschweig to his upcoming bachelor's degree at the University of Oldenburg. Now Maurice, together with six fellow students so far, wants to help other refugee students and show them the way to university - a new perspective. They have named their project "University without Borders", which is partly based on their own experiences and which they hope to inspire as many students and employees at the university as possible. It consists of four pillars: Mentoring, language tandems and tutorials, financial help via sponsorships as well as accommodation and overnight stays - all arranged via a future online platform. In the summer semester, the group began to publicise the project within the university. "We are in the process of setting it up, everything is in progress," says the 35-year-old. Maurice knows first-hand what grades and needs many refugee students have and what legal and financial hurdles they face. The 27-year-old, who had already completed his teacher training at home and started another degree programme - Social Sciences and Rural Development - had no idea that he would have to wait almost four years for the right to stay in Germany. He describes the two years he spent in collective accommodation in southern Lower Saxony in particular as a "bad experience". Even then, he attended German courses, but learning was hardly possible in the eight-bed room. He then found "refuge" with students in Hanover, who regularly let him spend the night on their sofa bed. "They helped me to get away - from a place with no prospects and no opportunity to learn. Just eating and sleeping. That's time lost." Even after receiving his residence permit, Maurice stayed in the region - and got to know the University of Oldenburg through the contact study programme for refugees with educational qualifications. "That showed me the way back to university and encouraged me to continue studying," says Maurice. He is now writing his Bachelor's thesis on the Oldenburg degree programme "Intercultural Education and Counselling". His next goal: a master's degree in education and educational science, specialising in migration and education. And Maurice would like to continue his commitment to refugee students. The "University without Borders" initiative is therefore endeavouring to recruit further supporters: University members who get together to donate an amount of their choice for a sponsorship and, for example, pay a registration fee for a refugee. Students who act as mentors to help with administrative procedures and timetables or who improve the language skills of refugees in a language tandem or tutorial. Or shared flats that could offer a place to sleep on a regular or occasional basis. "The university does a lot to ensure that those who want to find their place at university can find it," says Maurice. "And we want to help with that."
- Information event on Wednesday, 18 November, from 18:00 to 21:00 in the Lecture Hall Centre (A14), Lecture Hall 2
- Programme (PDF)
