Free household goods: appeal for donations for international students!

Free household goods: appeal for donations for international students!

The University of Bremen is launching a special initiative at the beginning of the semester to make it easier for international students and researchers to start their studies. From now on you can get household goods for free as part of the FreeShop. This campaign is intended to help strengthen the welcoming culture at the university and promote sustainable development. Over 300 new international students and researchers are expected in the summer semester, many of whom are only traveling with their flight luggage. To help these students, the university is appealing for donations to be received by March 20th.

Household goods are needed, but not clothing. For example, cutlery, dishes, pots, towels and bed linen as well as small appliances such as table lamps are being sought. Items donated must be in good condition, clean and rarely used. Donations are dropped off on Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the International Office/Welcome Center, room 0330 of the SFG. Through the useful donations, the university will be of great help to the new international members of the community.

Call for donations and support

Julia Holz from the Welcome Center is the contact person for all questions about the FreeShop. She can be reached on +49 (421) 218-60381 or by email at welcomecenter@uni-bremen.de. The idea of ​​setting up a FreeShop was launched in 2013 and comes from a collaboration between the International Office and SeniorCitizens.

In parallel to the campaign at the University of Bremen, an innovation project is also being created on a broader level to strengthen the donation culture in Bremen. On the platform bremenspendet.de, which serves as a central contact point for high-quality donations in kind, Bremen students work on digital business models that can be used to better dispose of unused items. On average, there are 217 unused items stored in German households, with a total value of over 3,000 euros. Unfortunately, 88 percent of Bremen residents do not know where and how they can make donations in kind. Dr. Martin Holi, research assistant at the University of Bremen, supports the students in this project.

Easy access for students

International prospective students seeking a degree at the University of Bremen can find comprehensive information on the university's website. The offer is aimed particularly at those who are studying in Germany for the first time. If you have any questions about admission to study, particularly regarding the necessary knowledge of German, you can contact the Central Student Advisory Service (ZSB). Most degree programs require proof of German language skills at C1 level, while international programs are an exception and students without sufficient knowledge must first complete a preparatory course.

In summary, both the FreeShop campaign and the bremenspendet.de initiative offer serious solutions to social challenges and promote the integration and support of international students. It remains to be hoped that the citizens of Bremen will take advantage of this opportunity and donate their unused items in order to further strengthen the welcoming culture.