Strengthened in the post-Corona period

Interaction and social networking

In central facilities at the University of Kassel, administrative units with advisory mandates and in the advisory department of the student union, target group-specific measures were offered as part of the QuiS_Plus funding 2022/23 to support student interaction and social networking against the background of the corona pandemic. According to the funding conditions, the target group was particularly students who, in view of the pandemic situation, particularly needed care, coaching and advice or psychological support beyond the existing structures or who had more pronounced professional deficits.

The following projects were implemented:

1. The existing paper version of the LUKS learning partner exchange has been digitally supplemented. It makes it possible to get in touch with fellow students and to find suitable learning partners, regardless of location and across semesters and courses.
2. Events of the prevention program “Studying Mentally Fit” run by the Irrsinn Menschlich eV association were held online. Through information, education and encounters with people who have overcome mental illness, students in mental crises were given confidence and solutions. This made a contribution to promoting student success and preventing students from dropping out.
3. Meeting opportunities were organized between German and international students. They were able to deepen their language skills and make new friends through shared leisure activities. In addition to cross-linguistic and cross-cultural meetings, events were offered in certain foreign languages.
4. The “Peer Advisor for International Students in the Corona Pandemic” project helped international students get started with their studies, which was particularly difficult for them due to Corona. Trained student assistants from higher semesters support newly arrived international students with timetable planning, event selection, orientation to the department and exam registration.
5. Workshops on learning techniques, networking methods and mental support helped to deal with the challenges of digital studies. Topics included intercultural and interpersonal communication, scientific work, designing the 'home study', moderation and presentation techniques but also relaxation methods or recognizing and using one's own strengths.
6. Special offers were available for students with children, e.g. E.g. parent-child meetings, family reunions or topic-related events. The focus was on networking and exchange. In addition, information about advice options could be passed on in a targeted manner and needs could be recorded. The aim was for the offerings to become, if possible, self-organized meetings by the student parents.
7. The workshop offering “Goodbye, Corona Blues” gave students the opportunity to work through the disruption in their lives caused by the pandemic and the associated effects in a relaxed manner.
8. On behalf of the university, the student union offered accompanied study completion groups that helped to re-establish contacts with fellow students, set self-set goals, strengthen self-organization and make more active use of the university's offerings. The aim was to support students in successfully completing their studies or not postponing their completion given the uncertain situation, the effects of the pandemic and fears for the future.
9. The student union also carried out additional social counseling and individual counseling from the psychological counseling center on behalf of the university and met the significantly increased demand.
10. A running project aimed to bring students – especially dorm residents – into greater contact again through sport and to counteract the social isolation that was partly the result of the pandemic.
11. A “Late Welcome Party” was aimed at students for whom, due to the pandemic, there were no special offers aimed at social integration when starting their studies.