Newsletter from the Welcome Centre

Dear international academics,

Summer is finally here and with it comes our next newsletter! We are happy to inform you about some great upcoming events and other good news. Hopefully you are all well and will enjoy reading the newsletter as much as you will the sunny days.

We are looking forward to your feedback and to seeing you soon!

Your Welcome Centre Team

A Warm Welcome to our Newest Team Member, Katharina Kaup
The Welcome Centre is Moving
The Welcome Centre is Now on Instagram
Invitation to Networking Events with the University of Regensburg | 8 and 22 July 2023
Europäische Wochen meets University | 29 June 2023
Recommendations from the Welcome Centre: Bilingual Radio Channel FM4
Reports from Past Events

We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new team member Katharina. She has been working at the Welcome Centre since May 2023, when she came back to Passau after an Erasmus semester in France and an internship in Berlin. She came to Lower Bavaria from the northwest of Germany in 2020 to study International Cultural Studies and Economics as well as Business Administration and Economics in her Bachelor's degree. Katharina speaks German, English and French. Maybe you will get to know her better at the next networking event, as she is responsible for organizing the events and is your contact person for everything related to the German courses.

We are moving – From 15 June you will find the Welcome Centre office on the first floor of the administration building in room VW 105.

The Welcome Centre is now also represented within the @unipassau.international Instagram channel. Please follow us and watch our very first reel here to learn more about our services.

We invite you to a special joint Welcome Centre event between the University of Passau and the University of Regensburg. This summer you will have the chance to get to know a different city, another university and connect with other international academics living and working in Bavaria. These joint events will take place on two Saturdays in July and academics from both universities can participate in one or both events.

Part One:
On 8 July, academics from Passau are invited to travel with their Welcome Centre to Regensburg for a day of exploring the city and university, ending in a potluck-style networking dinner with academics in Regensburg at the university’s guest house.

Part Two:
On 22 July, academics from Regensburg will have the same opportunity for a day of exploring and networking in Passau. It will also conclude with a potluck-style dinner together with academics in Passau. The Welcome Centres will cover the cost for travel between cities, guided city and campus tours for the visiting university and will also contribute drinks and some food for the  dinners. Anyone who has ever attended one of our International Dinners knows that it is always particularly nice to share food from different cultures. Therefore, it would be great if each participant could bring a little something to share with the others.

Regarding these activities, we would also like to ask you to consider supporting us with the guided campus tour for our guests from Regensburg on 22 July (2:45 p.m.), and to talk about your faculty, chair or field of research. Please let us know if you are interested.

Please note that participation is limited to 20 academics per university per event. Registration is first come, first served.

Please find the event itinerary for further information here and feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions.

As part of the Europäische Wochen (European Weeks), the University of Passau is holding a festival on the  Innwiese lawn  on 29 June. There will be a colourful programme of live music and other performances starting at 4 pm. The evening will be rounded off with a concert by the Niederbayerischen Philharmonie (Lower Bavarian Philharmonic Orchestra) in the Innsteg-Aula (Innstrasse 23) at 9 p.m. In case of bad weather, the entire event will take place in the Innsteg-Aula  (Innsteg Auditorium). Admission is free.

As you may have already noticed, we have a relatively high proportion of Austrians working within the international support services. That’s why we are happy to also receive recommendations from our neighbouring country. All of the said Austrians agree on their enthusiasm for the radio station FM4.

Although FM4 is marketed as a youth culture station, it is really for all ages. The station broadcasts bilingually (German-English) and is well known for a diverse music selection away from the mainstream charts. It well represents the Austrian music landscape and is also characterised by a high level of qualitative spoken contributions worth listening to. In Passau you can listen to FM4 on your radio (frequency 104) or via the online live stream:

https://fm4.orf.at/player/live

Following the winter holidays, we met for the first time in the new year to go ice skating together. After a short amount of time, all participants were already professionals on the ice and went home with new acquaintances and some sore muscles.

Soon after, spring awoke in Passau and the Easter Bunny hid eggs and chocolates for the Passau international academics. They were so well hidden that you might still find one or two surprises on campus today.

In addition to their Easter egg hunting skills, our internationals were also able to demonstrate their knowledge in many various categories at a pub quiz in the lively Shamrock Irish Pub in April.

Of course, we also couldn't miss the chance to visit the Passau Maidult  in May and enjoy Bavarian culture together.

Many thanks to all participants who make our events special every time, we are looking forward to many more wonderful hours with you!

V.i.S.d.P.: Universität Passau, Innstraße 41, 94032 Passau
Welcome Centre, Tel.:0851/509-1169
Contact for any queries: researchmobility@uni-passau.de