First Qatar, now Oldenburg: the "2nd World Congress on Undergraduate Research" was held at the university at the end of May. With great success. Student Greta Lotte Kuhls was part of the organising team and looks back on three exciting days.
Around 400 students from 35 countries took part in the2nd World Congress on Undergraduate Research in Oldenburg from 23 to 25 May 2019. With the aim of increasing the relevance of undergraduate research, the congress signalled the increasing participation of young people in world affairs. Under the direction of Dr Susanne Haberstroh and Pelle Bernhold from the Department for Study Affairs, a team of 43 members of staff from our university organised the three-day event. Among them were 27 assistants from the student committee. Since February 2017, they have been involved in brainstorming, detailed planning and implementation, contributing their perspectives to the design and realisation and making a significant contribution to turning the congress into an international event.
Following the success of the first World Congress for Student Research in Qatar in 2016, this year's event also gave students from all over the world a platform for their research and promoted joint project developments. The participants debated on the topics of Environment, Health, Economy, Communication, Politics and Create. Students from our university took on the role of moderator, coordinated the 60 lecture series and supported the thematic workshops both in terms of content and organisation, which aimed to promote interdisciplinary research cooperation between young scientists.
Prizes for the best contributions
The international guests presented their research work in oral and poster presentations and discussed the results with the specialist audience. Six subject-specific juries assessed pre-nominated contributions according to defined criteria. In addition to subject and didactics experts, members of the student committee were also among the judges, so that student participation in the research project could be included in the evaluation in addition to subject and global relevance.
At the closing ceremony, the award-winning researchers were presented with prize money donated by the Marius Eriksen Foundation and trophies handmade by two students from the University of Oldenburg.
Intercultural togetherness
In addition to the academic focus, the programme also included informal events. Students from our university guided more than 300 international guests through northern Germany and the surrounding area. They organised exploratory tours of Oldenburg as well as excursions to the Wadden Sea, Bremen and Groningen. The "Beds for Brains" programme developed especially for the congress contributed to the exchange of authentic cultural experiences. Members of Oldenburg University offered sleeping accommodation for some of the congress guests to enable them to attend. Another funding programme from the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture supported students from developing and emerging countries and made a significant contribution to cultural diversity.
Contrary to expectations, the networking of the young academics did not have to be guided, but developed into a self-runner. Both the guests and the Oldenburg students appreciated the unique experience and shared memories of intercultural togetherness beyond the academic environment in the lecture theatre centre A14, on campus, along the sights of Oldenburg and at the closing party in the Molkerei-Klub. The newly established contacts and ideas are cultivated and further developed in a dedicated alumni network.
Greta Lotte Kuhls
