#UHHhilft - University to Help Refugees

Universität Hamburg would like to help people who had to interrupt their studies due to fleeing their country to find their way into regular studies According to the university's President Lenzen, "Education is not a luxury. It is a fundamental need and should not, therefore, be the last link in the integration process for those coming here."

For this reason, Universität Hamburg appointed a refugee representative for the first time in August 2015: Prof. Dr. Silke Boenigk. Within a short time, she developed – with the participation and help of faculty members, students, and staff of Universität Hamburg – a comprehensive modular concept and pilot project, the #UHHilft - University to Help Refugees project. This project supports refugees interested in studying with all the necessary information, counseling, guidance, lectures, etc.

In 2017, Universität Hamburg established the Coordination Centre as its first point of contact for refugees, who would like to find out about the options and requirements for studying in Hamburg. The Coordination Office is headed by Ms. Jana Hesse, M.Sc., and is located in Von-Melle-Park 5.

Professor Dr. Silke Boenigk was refugee representative at Universität Hamburg until 2018. Today she holds the overall management of the refugee integration project #UHHhilft - University to Help Refugee funded by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service: INTEGRA and Welcome).