“I am very grateful to the donors. With their selfless support, they are helping international students to overcome the crisis,” said Minister of Science Sebastian Gemkow, who is the patron of the fundraising campaign. “The alternative for international students in need would be to interrupt or even abandon their studies in Leipzig. This is hardly in anybody’s best interest. International students and academics enrich Leipzig and make it a varied, outward-looking and diverse city. We must preserve this.”
For University Rector Professor Beate Schücking, the successful fundraising campaign is “a good sign for the growing international character of our university and our city. It is important to offer such swift and straightforward support to our students from abroad, even – and above all – in difficult times.”
For Professor Johannes Seeger, chair of the sponsoring association of the Lions Club “Leipziger Ring e. V.”, donating to SIS was a matter of course: “Our association has been successfully supporting young people from Leipzig and abroad for many years. We are very happy to support the SIS campaign, because we feel very strongly about integrating these young people into our society.”
“So far, 15 international students have been sponsored, with 7080 euros already paid out,” said Professor Hans-Bert Rademacher. The recipients are students at Leipzig University, Leipzig University of Applied Sciences (HTWK), the Academy of Music and Theatre (HMT) and HfTL. Their fields of study include medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, industrial engineering, management, sport science, early childhood education, sustainable development, physics, biology and music/piano. They come from Bangladesh, Chile, Georgia, India, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Colombia, Morocco, Nepal, Poland, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkey and the US.
“Everyone who has received funding has emphasised how this financial support enables them to continue their studies,” said Professor Rademacher, who has been in contact with the students. One of the students wrote: “Now that half of the semester is already over and many exams are on the horizon, I can worry less about money and concentrate better on my studies and preparing for the exams. I truly appreciate every contribution in this difficult situation.” Another thanked the donors as follows: “I am very happy to live in a country that cares about its international students. It means my costs are covered for this month, letting me concentrate better on my studies. Since many students are currently unemployed, any amount is helpful.”
A further 15 applications will be discussed this week. The University’s Commissioner for Foreign Students and Researchers, the international offices of the city’s higher education institutions, and the Studentenwerk Leipzig all support the association “Hilfe für ausländische Studierende in Leipzig e.V.” in deciding on applications.
Together with her fellow rectors from the HTWK, HMT and the Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig (HGB) as well as the chair of the association Hans-Bert Rademacher, Leipzig University Rector Professor Beate Schücking launched the appeal for donations for international students in need on 29 April. The Universitätsstiftung Leipzig e.V. (Leipzig University foundation) kicked the campaign off with a donation of 10,000 euros. Dr Arend Oetker, President of the Stifterverband until 2013 and a member of the 2009 Anniversary Advisory Board for the University’s 600th Anniversary, also donated 10,000 euros for international students in need. Further donations have been received from members of the University and other higher education institutions in Leipzig, as well as alumni and local citizens.
All donations for SIS are welcome:
HILFE FÜR AUSLÄNDISCHE STUDIERENDE IN LEIPZIG E. V. Bank: Sparkasse Leipzig
IBAN: DE16 8605 5592 1181 1344 86
BIC: WELADE8LXXX
Payment reference: Nothilfefonds