Newsletter from the Welcome Centre

Dear international academics,

As you may have noticed, the Welcome Centre newsletter looks quite different than before. In order to be able to inform you more regularly, we have decided to change the format of our newsletter.

Besides giving you important information, recommendations and invitations to our events we'll be keeping the previous sections, such as “Let's Talk about Diversity and Inclusion”, “Fascinating Places in Passau”, "7 Questions for..." and "Recipes from around the world", as we will collect all your contributions, add new ones and make them available for you on our website. We’ll keep you posted.

Please note: The Welcome Centre is now also represented within the @unipassau.international Instagram channel.

We look forward to your feedback and hope you enjoy reading!

Your Welcome Centre Team

A warm welcome for our newest team member, Carolina Goberna Caride

You might have met Carolina at our international dinners since she worked as a research assistant at the University of Passau. At the beginning of 2023 she began working at the Welcome Centre. She is mainly involved in providing newcomers with advice and support on visa requirements and residence permits and guiding international guests in all non-academic matters before, during and after their stay at the University of Passau. Carolina studied law at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid and at the University of Regensburg. She holds an LL.M. in International and European Law from Saarland University and is currently studying psychology. Spanish is her native language and she is proficient in English and German.

Sign up for the intercultural volunteer buddy program "All You Can Do"

If you want to meet new friends from around the world, get involved in social projects in Passau, improve your intercultural and language skills, and just have fun together, sign up NOW for the intercultural volunteer buddy program "All You Can Do":

https://www.uni-passau.de/en/study/before-you-begin/for-refugees/all-you-can-do/

Registration possible until 24 April 2023

A certificate of voluntary work for your commitment is available on top!

Any questions?: Contact refugeeprogramme@uni-passau.de

All You Can Do is a program of the International Support Services and the Refugee Programme, funded by the DAAD with funds from the BMBF.

Invitation Maidult | 03 May 2023

Join us at the Maidult Passau on Wednesday, 3 May 2023. We will meet right next to the bus stop at the Messepark Kohlbruck (Dr.-Emil-Brichta-Straße 11) at 7.30 pm.

The Maidult marks the start of the festival season in Passau. It is one of the biggest folk festivals in Eastern Bavaria and takes place every year. There, we can enjoy ourselves in the Dultstadl or at the other beautifully designed beer stands, try many different dishes at the food stands and find a huge range of goods from shoes to toys to accessories for traditional Bavarian attire (Trachten).

Please email us at researchmobility@uni-passau.de by 1 May 2023 if you would like to join. We look forward to seeing you there!

Already got other plans? No worries, the Welcome Centre organises many more events this year. You can find our Calender of Events on the Welcome Centre's website.

Self-defence Training for Women | 29. & 30. April 2023

Contents of the Training
To master a provoked violent situation, a high level of self-confidence and self-defence techniques are particularly helpful. The training is based on easy, rapidly learnable and, above all, effective physical intervention techniques in order to be able to face future physical and psychological violent situations in a (more) controlled manner and to act confidently. The own safety is always the top priority. The following content are taught:

Tactics for de-escalating violent situations
Defence techniques for punch attacks
Liberation techniques for diverse restraining attacks with consideration to proportional counter-behaviour
Distance behaviour and forms of movement while standing
Questions on specific situations are welcome

Trainer
Bekim Prenaj and Federico Marrone have many years of experience as trainers for self-defence. More information on the trainers can be found here (unfortunately only in German): http://www.kampfkunstzentrum-passau.de/index.php/kravmaga

Simultaneous translation in English
Kathrin Schopf will assist the two trainers and deliver simultaneous translation in English.

Registration for and information on the dates

Register via Stud.IP until 26 April 2023

Saturday, 29 April 2023, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Sunday, 30 April 2023, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Participation is free of charge.
Please remember to bring comfortable clothes, indoor sports shoes, food and something to drink.

Science Slam | 23 May 2023

On 23 May 2023 at 7 p.m. the Diversity Department of the University will host a Science Slam. All participants will have 10 minutes to present their research topic and, above all, to convince the audience of their skills. For further information on how to participate please click here.

Servus Bavaria Newsletter | Next Issue Coming on 21 April 2023

Would you like to explore Bavaria and engage with Bavaria’s international research community? Then you are invited to get on the mailing list for a new, carefully curated newsletter.

Twice a year, LMU Gateway Service together with all Bavarian Universities publish Servus Bavaria – The Newsletter for International Researchers in Bavaria

Discover new places and connect with your international colleagues from our partner universities Augsburg, Bamberg, Bayreuth, Erlangen-Nürnberg, München, Regensburg and Würzburg.

The newsletter welcomes you to beautiful Bavaria. Get inspired for travel destinations in the Across Bavaria section. In the Event Corner, you will not only find interesting events in your region, but also jointly organized events for meeting your fellow researchers. In addition, each issue features selected researchers from around the world based in Bavaria.

We would be delighted to add you to the subscriber list. To subscribe, please click on the following link:

Subscription to Servus Bavaria

Enjoy reading!

Labour Day | 01 May 2023

We would like to remind you that Labour Day is a public holiday in Germany on which all shops, including supermarkets, are closed. Please keep also in mind that no lectures will be held that day.

The First of May was originally declared a day for workers’ rights demonstrations in 1890 with the first strike demanding a nine-hour workday. Over time, these protests, strikes and demonstrations became a tradition until it was made a public holiday. Until today, trade unions organise demonstrations for workers’ rights, but there are other traditions, too: In Bavaria, there is the tradition of the Maibaum (maypole). This is a tall pole that is painted blue and white and is set up on the holiday. There are various traditions of stealing the maypoles of rivalling villages and holding it for ransom (which is usually a couple of crates of beer). You will find a Maibaum in every traditional village in Bavaria, usually in the centre of the village near the church.