Bremen Universities: Round Table Ukraine – Appeal for donations

Fahne

At the invitation of Professor Eva-Maria Feichtner, Vice-Rector for Internationalisation and Diversity, around 35 members of the University of Bremen and representatives of the Bremen University of Applied Sciences and Jacobs University Bremen met online on 18 March for a round table to coordinate offers of help that have become necessary following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Representatives of the alumni association were also present. The gist: There is a great willingness to help, from immediate aid to the development of long-term offerings. A number of students from Ukraine and Russia who are currently in Bremen urgently need financial support. Donations can be made to XENOS e.V. via bank transfer to IBAN DE53 2905 0101 0010 8187 55.

Students from Ukraine and Russia in Bremen

There are around 70 students from Ukraine in Bremen. Of these, almost 50 are enrolled at the University of Bremen. In addition, around 100 young people from Russia and 26 from Belarus study at the university. For students and academics from Ukraine, federal policy very rapidly established a legal framework that facilitates their continued stay here. For the first time in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany, § 24 of the Residence Act is being applied here: Ukrainians are placed under temporary protection and receive the same residence rights and state financial assistance as persons granted asylum. For students and academics from Russia, also in need of support, the legal situation is more complicated. For those from both countries who cannot or do not want to return, emergency financial support is most urgently needed for them to continue their stay in Bremen. Organising this aid is Bremen-based XENOS e.V., which supports foreign students in need at Bremen's universities. Because financial support from home has largely collapsed for many – be it due to the war in their home country or the deterioration of the rouble – XENOS is appealing for donations via bank transfer to IBAN DE53 2905 0101 0010 8187 55.

Cooperation with Russian universities

Many joint programmes are currently – rightly – frozen. Nevertheless, relationships and threads of dialogue with Russia and Belarus are to be maintained where possible, as has been repeatedly emphasised. Especially at Russia's universities, thousands have protested against Putin's war against Ukraine.

Long-term offerings

A growing demand for study and research places for refugees is also expected in the coming weeks. The successful HERE AHEAD programme, which has been open to refugees for several years, will help to meet this demand. In addition, the Research Centre for East European Studies has already received 80 enquiries from Ukraine and Russia for the Hans Koschnick Scholarship, which can be used to support researchers for an initial period of one month. And researchers from Kiev and Odessa, with whom the Faculty of Business Studies and Economics maintains good relations, can expect more opportunities to receive funding from the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service), which is now to be increasingly directed to people from Ukraine.

If you would like to find out more about this and other options for providing support, please visit our Ukraine page.