“We even help with food vouchers”

It doesn’t really come as a surprise: the Corona pandemic has dramatically worsened the situation for international students. Suffering the most from the months-long lockdown are the approximately 1,500 students from Africa and Asia. “The pandemic has revealed, as if under a magnifying glass, where the weak points of our society are,” says Dr Jutta Paal, who is responsible for “Incomings” and coordinates the kompass programme at the University of Bremen’s International Office. Through good ideas and initiatives, the International Office has been able to offer immediate assistance and support students as much as possible.

Even in normal times, financing their studies is one of the biggest challenges for international students. For them, the loss of job opportunities in the restaurant industry has made the challenge massively harder. On top of this is the reduced contact with fellow students, the uncertainty about how their families are doing back home, the lack of travel opportunities — altogether a volatile mixture that has led to serious psychological problems in not a few cases. “Everything that converges from the outside is of course a very heavy burden,” says Jutta Paal. “Where necessary, we even help with food vouchers. But the most important thing is to break through the isolation. We try to counteract that by offering information and invitations to communicate through various channels.”

International students are getting information from various sources including their home countries, their embassies and the media in Germany — sources that often contradict each other. To convey reliable information, the University of Bremen’s website provides not only general news about Corona, but also pages tailored specifically for international students. A kompass channel on Instagram allows for direct exchange, and a kompass podcast was set up on Spotify to talk about family affairs and homesickness along with things that help and offer hope. Also discussed: tips on preparing for exams. Beyond these offerings, the International Office keeps in close contact with the leaders of student groups from just about every country, who typically have their own associations and WhatsApp groups. The Story Buddy programme is also flourishing, with experienced students taking first-year students by the hand, so to speak.

Alumni who want to get involved are welcome to donate to the XENOS association or visit the Welcome Center’s Café International on Wednesdays from 4 to 5 pm.