Anniversary celebration: 10 years of support for refugees at Goethe University!

Anniversary celebration: 10 years of support for refugees at Goethe University!

The Academic Welcome Program (AWP) at Goethe University Frankfurt will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2025. Founded in 2015, it supports refugees and prospective students with free German courses and other offers. The program has been particularly popular since 2022, when many young people from Ukraine benefited from these resources. Over 800 people have taken part in the AWP this decade.

An anniversary celebration will take place on October 22, 2025 at 6 p.m. in the Casino Festsaal on the Westend campus. This event will provide a review of the program's successes, including greetings from representatives of the Hesse state government and the university. Former participants will share their experiences, while the festive buffet and live music will provide opportunities for exchange.

Achievements and further developments

The AWP's successes are remarkable. Loud puk.uni-frankfurt.de 80% of the participants were able to improve their German skills to level C1 within one to two years. Many alumni have not only studied or completed their studies at Goethe University, but some of them also receive doctorates, while others continue their academic path at various universities in Germany. These results demonstrate the positive impact of the program on the integration and academic success of refugees.

A successor project to the AWP, the “Academic Bridge Program” (ABP), was launched in July 2025 and is intended to continue to support the integration of highly qualified refugees in Germany. The ABP offers access to language courses, university education, networks and helps to create future prospects for refugees. Around 90 participants are expected every year, who can take part in workshops and German lessons without having to pay for these services.

Context and overarching developments

The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) has been actively supporting refugees' access to studying in Germany since 2016. As part of the “Integra” funding program, over 40,000 refugees were prepared for their studies at German universities. This shows how important support is in preparing for studies and integrating prospective students with a refugee history. Loud daad.de In just a few months, more than 54,000 consultations were carried out for prospective students from Ukraine, with some of this group coming from third countries.

The developments in the support and integration of refugee students are not only positive for the participants, but also contribute to the attractiveness of Germany as an academic location. More and more international graduates make up around 30% of skilled immigration, which shows how valuable the programs are - both for students and for the German job market.

The AWP's anniversary celebration also invites media representatives who have the opportunity to talk to participants and alumni. For further information, Johannes Nebe, project employee, is available at j.nebe@uni-frankfurt.de or by telephone at (069) 798-17298.