Around 110,000 euros donated for refugee students

"The great wave of willingness to help overall was and remains impressive; I am very grateful. It is great that we at the University of Kassel are jointly committed to the group of refugee students and can relieve and support these young people in their mostly precarious conditions," says University President Prof. Dr. Ute Clement.

Shortly after Russia's attack on Ukraine, the University of Kassel had already issued an appeal for donations, which gave rise to a large number of donations from individuals, but also met with the willingness to donate of numerous companies and associations based in the region. These include Daimler Truck AG, Wintershall DEA GmbH, SMA Solar Technology AG, the North Hesse district association of the VDI and B. Braun Melsungen AG. In total, more than one hundred donations were received. The Ukraine Relief Fund also received a substantial amount of money that the Institute of Biology had used in the past to support students in need. The total amount of the donations is almost 110,000 euros. The funds are administered by the International Office of the University of Kassel.

The donations were used for the following purposes in the current summer semester: More than twenty refugee students who had been enrolled in exchange studies in Kassel after the Russian attack on Ukraine received a refund of their semester fees spent for this purpose. Almost thirty students also received a "study start grant", which they could use for study-related expenses. In addition, the International Study Center provided language courses tailored to the students' needs.

The remaining funds - around 60,000 euros - will be used in a similar way in the coming winter semester of 2022/2023: Newly enrolled Ukraine refugees will receive a 'study start grant in kind' upon application. If funds allow, students who have already enrolled and fled Ukraine will also be able to receive this grant again. In addition, the university will continue to provide language courses in German and, if necessary, in English. The International Study Center is also planning a buddy program to strengthen social integration.

The University of Kassel would like to thank all donors. "Despite the now prolonged and grueling warfare and war news, please let us hold fast to our solidarity and empathy with the people affected by the devastating effects of war, and do our utmost to ensure that humanity and reason guide our common destiny," President Clement appeals.

Donation account of the University of Kassel:

Bank: Kasseler Sparkasse
BIC (Swift Code): HELADEF1KAS
IBAN: DE65 5205 0353 0002 1093 94
Please specify as purpose: 5 9001 50 Hilfsfonds Ukraine

For further information please visit: https://www.uni-kassel.de/uni/zum-angriff-auf-die-ukraine

Note: If you would like to contact a student from Ukraine for your reporting, please contact the University Press Office presse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de.

Contact:

University of Kassel
Communications, Press and Public Relations
Mönchebergstraße 19
34109 Kassel
Phone: +49 561 804-1961
E-mail: presse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de